Exposure to Sun After a Facelift: How to Stay Safe

Making the decision to have a facelift procedure is never entered into lightly. You’ve likely done some long and hard thinking about the implications of undergoing such a dramatic surgery. And once you’ve had a facelift, you’ll want to do everything in your power to ensure that your skin stays in excellent condition to make the pleasing results lasts as long as possible. One of the best ways to achieve this is to know the effects sun exposure can have on your rejuvenated, fresh-looking face.

Here’s what you should know:
Avoid Sun Exposure for the First Two Weeks Post-Surgery
Exposing your face to the sun immediately following a facelift procedure is one of the worst things you can do. Sun exposure increases swelling and bleeding, and the sun’s heat can lead to inflammation. What’s more, UV rays can worsen scarring by altering the pigmentation in your skin and make scars look more prominent.

Keep Covered
You can’t stay indoors all the time, so when you do go outside, use a wide-brimmed hat or visor to protect your face, and wear sunglasses to shield any incisions around your eyes. Scarves are another good way to protect your facelift incisions from exposure.

Think Shade
Choose the shadiest spot you can when enjoying the great outdoors. Shade from tall buildings is a good option, but if a tree is more appropriate in your surroundings, that will work too. It may not cover you completely, but it’s better than sitting in full sun.

Sunscreen, Always!
Never put sunscreen on facelift incisions that have not fully healed. This can cause infection and scarring. But once the incisions have healed, make it a point to apply a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every day to protect against harmful UV rays.

Limit Sun Exposure in the Coming Months
While you should stay out of the sun completely the first two weeks after surgery, that doesn’t mean you can be a sun worshiper after this time period. To really protect your skin from sun damage, try to avoid direct exposure for several months after surgery.

Please click here to view before and after images of a facelift procedure. For more information about the benefits of facelift surgery, contact Dr. Lalla today at 973-324-9455.