By Plastic Surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer.

I love seeing the boost in confidence people get after having a plastic surgery procedure, and the smile that beams on their face when they see the results of their surgery – that joy is part of the reason I became a plastic surgeon. While cosmetic surgery can go a long way towards helping people overcome issues with their body that upset them or made them feel unhappy with their appearance, the results of plastic surgery are not guaranteed to last a lifetime, and so, it’s important to follow these tips in order to maintain the results of your plastic surgery procedure.

Healthy diet and exercise are key

Even if you aren’t considering plastic surgery, this is advice everyone should take on board. Having a healthy lifestyle begins with a diet and exercise, I’m not saying you have to run a marathon weekly and eat nothing but greens all your life, but it’s important to be active regularly and to be aware of what you’re eating. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself every now and again!

This is especially important if you’ve undergone a body contouring procedure such as a tummy tuck, because the results will only last as long as you maintain a regular weight. That is why I suggest people not have a contouring procedure until they have reached their optimal weight. The same is true of fat removal procedures. While liposuction will permanently get rid of targeted fat, fat cells in other parts of the body will expand if you put on weight.

If you have a surgical lift such as an arm or thigh lift, putting on weight will re-stretch the skin again, which will obviously nullify the work.

Healthy eating and exercise will not only help you maintain the results of plastic surgery, but it has the added benefit of making you feel better in general, and improving your overall health!

As part of your recovery process, you may be told not to exercise for a set period of time; regardless of what I have said above, it is crucial that you listen to your plastic surgeon’s recovery advice.

Good skin practices

I am a huge supporter of healthy skin, and the benefits of a rigorous skincare routine, that’s why I launched my SkinDoc formula range of skincare products. Continuing a healthy skincare routine post-plastic surgery is vital as it helps combat any scarring that may occur following the procedure.

While scars are natural, and are to be expected after having invasive plastic surgery, a good plastic surgeon will ensure that the incision is made in a place where a scar would be difficult to spot. However, the healing of that scar is primarily down to the patient, and a healthy skincare routine is a part of this.

Be sure to follow all of your surgeon’s post-op advice for skin care and protect any incisions from the sun to prevent your scars from worsening.

Healthy body

I’ve mentioned before the importance of avoiding smoking, drinking and vaping both before and after plastic surgery. There are various reasons why this is important: nicotine impacts the body’s ability to heal, which can lead to prolonged recovery periods, bleeding, general pain and visible scarring, which are all things I’m positive you’ll want to avoid! There are also health drawbacks from the consumption of alcohol, which means it is best avoided.

When you have an initial consultation with your plastic surgeon, it’s important to be honest about your lifestyle habits, as this will allow them to best suggest what you need to do to have a quick and successful recovery period, which will also help you maintain your plastic surgery results.

To arrange a consultation with a plastic surgeon you can trust, get in touch with me at my office on Harley Street today.