Facial plastic surgery

If you’re considering facial plastic surgery, Dignity Health Medical Foundation is the place to turn to. Our surgeons take unparalleled care and pride in their work.

Our team is highly trained and experienced in the art of facial surgery and can help give you that more youthful look you’ve been dreaming of, without drastically giving you that “plastic surgery” look.

They will work tirelessly to strike a balance between your dream look, your natural facial structure and various surgery options to give you the most natural look possible.

When you opt for facial plastic surgery at Dignity Health Medical Foundation, you can be assured you will receive the utmost attention and care.

Our surgeons deliver patient-focused service, working to make sure your needs are met and that you’re getting the most dedicated care possible before, during and after your facial plastic surgery.

For trusted and experienced allies on your journey toward facial plastic surgery, Dignity Health Medical Foundation surgeons can help. Call now to schedule a consultation!

Incisions and suture lines are a necessary part of surgery. These lines take many months to heal fully. Part of the healing process requires proper cleansing and care. There is no guarantee as to what a scar will look like once it has fully healed, however, the following instructions are important to achieving optimal outcomes.

• Keep your incisions clean. Apply bacitracin antibiotic ointment (or double-antibiotic ointment) three times per day after first cleaning the incision with a Q-Tip and a mixture of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water.
•  You may shower right away, provided you place a thick layer of bacitracin antibiotic ointment over the incision and direct water away from the incision.
•  Do not immerse the wound in water (i.e. swimming, hot tub, or bath) until at least 14 days after your surgery.
•  Direct trauma and physical stress may result in a separation of the wound edges or a wider scar.

Depending on where your sutures are, they may be removed as early as 5 – 7 days after surgery. Once your incisions have healed, applying a simple skin moisturizer is recommended. This aids in softening the scar and may alleviate any itching in the surgically treated area. Good choices include fragrance-free moisturizers like Eserine®, aloe vera, and Vaseline®. Vitamin E oil is acceptable, although about 15 percent of people experience a local allergic reaction.

Scars take from 8 – 12 months to assume their permanent appearance. In general, scars will only be assessed for surgical revision after this time period. In the 12 months following surgery, you must wear a water-proof sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 at all times when in the sun, or wear protective clothing. New scars are very sensitive to sunlight and sun damage may result in permanent changes in scar color or quality. Scar massage is an important component of long-term care and is usually started two weeks after surgery.

Rarely, a scar will take on a nodular, bumpy, raised or thickened appearance; the scar formation may be hypertrophic or keloid. If this should happen, please contact our office. There are treatments that may be effective to flatten and improve the scar as it is forming. There is no reliable evidence that starting scar treatments will make what would have been a normal scar “heal better.” Therefore, these treatments are recommended for patients with a history of problem scars or for those who are developing a problem. However, if you wish to treat your scar we would recommend Scarguard® and ScarFade®.

Do not resume or begin smoking (or using other nicotine products) after surgery. This can reduce the oxygen in your blood and greatly impact your ability to heal. While it is advised for your overall health that you quit smoking entirely, it is imperative that you do not smoke whatsoever until your incisions have fully healed.