What To Expect Before And After Your Face Lift

Just like fingerprints, every face is unique. Therefore, every face responds differently to the aging process. For some people, the forehead becomes deeply lined. For others, the skin around chins and jaws begin to sag. Other still seem to show most of their again in their eyes. Of course, there are many variations and combinations of ways in which people age. Because every face is fundamentally different and ages differently, every face lift is unique to the particular needs of the patient.

The Initial Consultation: Defining Your Goals and Expectations

In your initial consultation with your plastic surgeon, you will frankly and thoroughly discuss what you hope to achieve through your face lift. During the consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your skin and the bones beneath your face. In so doing, he or she will begin to make a plan for your face lift surgery. Do your very best to make sure that you and your doctor understand one another before going forward with the surgery. Also, remember that plastic surgery is meant to offer improvements to one?s appearance, not create perfection. As any plastic surgeon worth his salt will tell you, perfection is a fantasy construct, and your aim should be to feel the best you can about the face you have.

Preparing for Your Surgery

Before undergoing any type of surgery, it is important to consult thoroughly with your physician. Your doctor will let you know if you are in good enough health to undergo the surgery and will also check to make sure that none of your medications will negatively interfere with your surgical procedure. Also, your plastic surgeon will give you advice on preparing for your surgery. Be sure to follow any guidelines regarding consumption of food, liquids, medications and vitamins.

If you smoke, be sure that your surgeon is aware of this. Smoking can inhibit the flow of blood to and through the skin. This can impede the healing process after your face lift. If you are a smoker, you will probably have to stop for at least two weeks before your surgery. It is also not a good idea to smoke directly after your surgery.

In most cases, face lift incisions are made behind and within the hairline. This is done so that scars can be hidden underneath your hair. If you tend to wear your hair quite short, you may want to grow it longer before your surgery. In so doing, you will be able to cover your sutures.

Make sure that you have a close friend or family member with you on the day of your surgery. You will need to have someone drive you home, make sure that you have all of the related medication that you need and help you for the first day or so.

After Your Surgery

As with any surgery, you will experience some discomfort after your face lift. Your surgeon should prescribe a painkiller that will help you through the worst of it. Of course, you should also expect some swelling around your face and head. This can be alleviated a bit by keeping your head elevated as much as possible and applying cold compresses.

If you have a drainage tube inserted into your skin during your surgery, this should come out within a day or two post-op. The stitches will follow about five days later. While your face may look thoroughly bruised, battered and swollen for a few weeks following surgery, the marks and swelling should soon give way to a younger, fresher-looking version of yourself.

Your surgeon will give you specific instructions about how to take care of yourself after your face lift. Make sure that you follow these directions to the letter. If you fail to follow these instructions after your face lift surgery, you could damage your face or even suffer an infection. You don?t want to increase your face lift cost - or recovery time - by having to return to the doctor for additional face lift surgery or treatment, so be sure to take great care of your beautiful new face.

The Meditational Face-lift

The benefits of daily meditations prove innumerous. Meditation can improve your concentration level and allow you to make better decisions. But just by changing the position in which you meditate, you can turn your daily healing mantra into a natural face-lift treatment.

Normally you would sit in an upright position to meditate. Now, to maximize the beautifying potential of your daily meditationals try this:

1. Gently rotate your neck in circles for one minute. Then roll your shoulders forward and then backwards for one minute. The point of these mini exercises is to relax your neck. It is almost impossible to relax your face and enjoy a natural facelift with a tense neck.

2. Next, lie on your bed and place your neck over the edge of the bed. Granted, your spiritual guru may argue against such a position fearing that you will doze off, but you can handle this.

3. Now, commence your daily meditation in this position with your head tilting downward. Remain in this position for no more that five minutes to avoid a head rush and feeling dizzy.

4. Once your arise from this position, repeat the neck and shoulder mini exercises.

Tilting your head downwards for five minutes offers several face-lifting benefits:

a. The downward position helps counter the daily pull of gravity on your skin- even if it is for just five minutes.

b. The position brings more blood to your face so that excess toxins and excess fatty acids can get transported away from your face. Puffy eyes and a double chin will certainly benefit from the removal of unwanted circulating fats.

c. Psychologically, placing yourself in a new position or a new orientation helps alter your mode of thinking. When you alter your thinking models, your brain cells work in new ways- a process that keeps you mentally young and sharp.

Now, your meditational face-lift is done. Use daily for optimal results.

Naweko San-Joyz founded Noixia- a self-service image makeover company based in San Diego. Noixia creates custom acne scar removal products for the face and body. San-Joyz has authored several books and articles that focus on do-it-yourself beauty makeovers including ?Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne? and ?Skinny Fat Chicks: Why we?re still not getting this dieting thing?. San-Joyz lives and works in San Diego, California.