Monthly Archives: October 2018

The initial recovery stages of any surgery, including a Facelift, can be a challenge because you’re not feeling or looking normal. Patience is key. Even as your body is healing, a large portion of recovery is emotional, too. Continue to remind yourself of your “why.” How will looking at least 10 years younger make you feel? Imagine yourself at the next big event where you’ll receive all the compliments of how young and healthy you look. This is a light at the end of the tunnel, as your body goes through the physical and emotional healing process.

Month 1: Getting Back to Normal

Fortunately, once you get through the first 2 to 3 weeks after your Facelift, you should start to feel encouraged as you see the swelling and bruising go down. The rippled or puckered incision sites should smooth out. This really helps with camouflaging them with makeup or hairstyle. Your confidence will increase as you start to venture out and are able to resume more daily activities. Even though there will still be some bruising, swelling and tightness, you will probably feel confident and comfortable enough with covering them with makeup. Most people can return to work by the 3^rd week.

However, don’t get overconfident and push yourself too hard. You’ll want to be very conscious of protecting your skin and incisions from the sun, also. Incisions will probably remain pink or red until they fade away over a year’s time, but any exposure in the sun can darken the scars permanently.

Month 2 and beyond

Once you’re past the first month, the Facelift recovery process significantly improves. Even though your healing still has a ways to go before you feel completely normal, it will be encouraging to feel confident enough to get out and about. Incision site, swelling and bruising won’t look completely healed in the first 6 months, but you’ll probably be the only one to notice their slight effects. Any tightness will resolve as you get more comfortable in your new youthful skin.

Choosing a triple board certified surgeon, such as myself, ensures the Facelift surgery will be executed with precise artistry and safety. Your self care during recovery is just as significant of a role in the successful outcome. Remember that even as you’re feel much better in the months following your Facelift, it’s important to continue to be as diligent with the good skin care habits that have been necessary for healing.

You want to protect your investment and take the best care of your skin so that the results will last as long as possible. Let’s talk about how we can partner in the process of an amazing rejuvenating Facelift to turn back the clock a decade or two. Winter is a great time to get the process started. Schedule your consultation at www.davinciplastic.com today.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

A Facelift is a well thought through investment. Knowing how to care for the investment leads to its ultimate success and your happiness with the results. In our post operative preparation consultation, you will be given details on the proper care during your Facelift surgery recovery. Today I’ll cover some of that process and the recovery timeline.

The First Week

A helpful companion should be with you from the time you’re out of surgery until at least the first 24 to 48 hours. They can help remind you of care instructions, ease you into the routine, and look after you in the initial period of getting used to recovery.

You shouldn’t be in a lot of pain because the medication will help with that, although you might feel some nausea or fatigue. Proper incision care should help the stitches to not feel itchy. Don’t be alarmed that your swelling and bruising will seem to get worse on day 3 or 4 before it starts to get better. Also, healing doesn’t always happen equally on both sides of the face, so one side may stay bruised or swollen a little longer than the other. Be sure to report any fever or unusual bulges. We’ll check everything to make sure its healing well when we have our 1 week follow up appointment to remove any staples.

You may feel well enough to move around the house a little bit after a day or 2, which is good for circulation, but during the first week you’re taking it real easy. It’s a good time to catch up on your audio books, movies, scrapbooking, organize the junk drawer or other light household chores.

Second Week

You’ll start to see some real progress in the healing during the 2^nd and 3^rd weeks, even though there will still be bruising on the face and neck, and likely around the ears and eyes. You will probably feel well enough for an outing, but its ok to want to stay out of the public eye until the bruising and swelling further resolve. However, if you’re getting cabin fever and must go out, there are clever makeup tricks to cover the bruising up to the edge of the incision.

It’s important to have some mild activity throughout the day to help with circulation, so do not stay on bed rest. Keep yourself moving by taking a short walk if the weather is cool enough, by doing some light housework or organizational projects. Healthy circulation will help your healing, but more movement isn’t necessarily better. Avoid overexertion or any strenuous activity.

It’s normal to feel strange sensations, such as tingling or burning as the nerve endings are firing off. It’s also normal to have numbness or not have any feeling in the area yet. More than likely you’ll feel some tightness for a while. These effects are still the very early stages of Facelift recovery. Next blog will continue into the later stages.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought it would be appropriate to address common questions I get about breast cancer and implants. It is very wise to address all angles of questions about your Breast Augmentation so that you can have complete confidence and peace going into the surgery and from there on after.

Do breast implants cause cancer?

No. Breast implants are one of the most rigorously studied medical implants. Expansive medical studies of women with and without breast implants show no difference in cancer. There is not a higher of a prognosis of any kind or size or frequency in the group with breast implants. Therefore it is safe to conclude that the breast implant itself is not the cause.

Do breast implants prevent breast cancer detection?

No. The methods for breast cancer detection, such as self examination, ultrasound and mammography, are not hindered by breast implants. You should perform regular self exams to know your breasts before and after your augmentation. If the implant placement is below the muscle you should have no problem with palpating the breast tissue around the implant. It is also recommended for women over age 35 to have a mammogram before receiving implants in order to have a baseline comparison.

When receiving a mammogram, it is important to select a radiologist who is experienced with the methods necessary for an effective reading of breasts with implants. They should be competent in the Eklund technique and oblique view mammography.  Whether the implant is placed subglandular or submuscular, the Eklund technique significantly increases the amount of breast tissue that can be scanned.

Will mammograms damage breast implants?

This is very unlikely. When in the hands of an experienced radiologist, the pressure exerted by the mammogram should not be enough to burst the implant. Both Silicone and Saline implants are designed with the durability to withstand pressures and compression.

Does breast augmentation with fat grafting prevent cancer detection?

While fat grafting as a form of Breast Augmentation doesn’t prevent cancer detection, it makes detection more complicated. The die off rate of fat cells leaves behind irregularities within the breast tissue and calcifications that can look very much like breast cancer. Fat grafting is not causing cancer, however it is easy to mistake the fat calcification for cancer calcification. The truth usually needs to be clarified via biopsy, although it can cause much worry in the mean time.

How much of a risk is a Breast Augmentation regarding the likelihood of cancer?

If you have a Breast Augmentation with implants, you no longer can get good enough cancer detecting results with a regular 2 view mammography screening. However, the specialized methods, such as the Eklund technique, are available to still get a good view of the breast tissue hidden behind the implants. Studies demonstrate that there is no proven additional risk of getting breast cancer if you have breast implants, but you need to take advantage of the additional techniques for detection.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

In the hands of a triple board certified surgeon like myself, you know you’re giving yourself the best chance possible for wonderful cosmetic surgery results. Learn more about my triple board certification and credentials here. As much as I can do a fantastic surgery for you, what happens after the surgery room is up to you and your body.

In addition to following our post operative care instructions, you can give yourself the best chance possible for healing properly by allowing for enough recovery time and taking these measures:

• Rest and relax (binge watch a new show on Netflix)
• Don’t lift anything beyond prescribed weight limits
• Take time off from work
• Enlist someone to help you with physical tasks and emotional support
• Eat well, including healthy fats from avocados and salmon
• Drink a lot of water

So what does allowing for enough recovery time look like? Here is a break down by the most popular surgeries, so that you can start planning for the ideal time in your schedule. First we will start with the face and then the next blog will cover the recovery for the most popular body procedures.

Rhinoplasty
Remaining upright, on pain meds, and out of sight for at least a week will be your post surgery recovery for Rhinoplasty. Except for the necessary post op visits to remove your packing and splint, you’ll want to take it real easy. There will be significant bruising and swelling around the eyes and midface for at least a week. While you’ll likely feel able move around by the end of the week, you’ll probably want to plan to stay out of work, order take out and delivery groceries for 1 to 2 weeks. Swelling and bruising will settle down by a month, but depending on the degree of nose alteration, it could be up to a year until things look and feel like the new normal.

Facelift
Your first 1 to 2 nights should be spent with someone to help you. While you should definitely be resting, you can get up to walk around to help with blood circulation for healing. The swelling and stitches along your hairline will require you to take 2 to 3 weeks off of work. After that you can cover most of it with styling your hair and makeup while you continue to recover for the rest of the month. You will probably look a little swollen or tight for a few months, but the final results of healing should be complete within a year.

Jaw and Neck Liposuction
For a facial procedure, this has a relatively quick recovery time. It’s normal to have bruising and need to wear a compression chin strap for a week. Bruising often travels down the lower neck and even into the upper chest. Sutures are removed within 3 to 5 days and the scar under the chin isn’t ever visible in a normal profile view. Any muscle weakness affecting the lips should subside in 2 weeks. You should be happy with the swelling usually resolved by 3 months.

Steven Davison, M.D.

Triple Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon