Plastic Surgery: Healthy Eating for a Faster Recovery
Any type of surgery relies on your body’s ability to heal itself afterwards. When your body is healthy and functioning at its ideal level, your healing and recovery can be much easier and faster. This is especially true for facial plastic surgery. Your face has delicate tissues, and the way these tissues heal can greatly affect your final results. While the incisional wounds from a plastic surgery are clean and minimized compared to an accidental skin injury, your body will still rely on key functions to repair itself once any type of trauma has occurred. Your diet can play a significant role in your recovery rate and can even minimize scarring, swelling and discomfort.
What Bad Eating Habits Can Do?
Bad eating habits can wreak havoc on your post-surgery healing process. In fact, the wrong foods can:
- Worsen inflammation
- Decrease collagen synthesis
- Slow down your body’s immune reaction
- Weaken connective tissues
The Power of Nutrition to Heal Better and Faster
Don’t wait until your surgery to start eating better. It is important to fuel your body prior to your facial plastic surgery. Avoid the foods that trigger inflammation, which is often processed foods, high carbohydrates and even dairy in some people. Instead, load up on fruits and veggies for antioxidants and Vitamin C. Berries are an excellent choice! In addition, don’t deprive your body of protein, it will need the extra power and energy to overcome the trauma of the surgery and accelerate healing.
After your surgery, you should focus on getting three main categories of foods in your diet each day if you want to promote an ideal healing experience.
- Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables: When the body has inflammation, which it will after any type of surgery, it will naturally produce more free radicals. By eating more antioxidant-rich foods like spinach, kale, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, you can regain better oxidative balance.
- Vitamin A-rich foods: Vitamin A is known for its ability to boost epidermal (skin) growth, which is a powerful factor after a facelift, eye lid lift, cheek augmentation or any other facial plastic surgery. Vitamin A is also an immune-booster and anti-inflammatory nutrient. Consider leafy greens, carrots, and squash as good options.
- Vitamin C-rich foods: This is a critical nutrient after plastic surgery. Your body will use it to produce collagen as well as aid in stabilizing this collagen as your wounds heal. In addition, Vitamin C will protect your immune system to ensure your body stays healthy and focused on healing after plastic surgery. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits as well as broccoli, cauliflower and bell peppers.
To learn more about how you can boost your plastic surgery recovery, please contact Dr. Ben Talei. We want each patient to have a superior experience both in the office and while they are healing at home.
