Planning for plastic surgery can be a long, drawn-out process with many factors to consider before actually making your appointment. You will have to determine what type of look you desire, consult a skilled surgeon, and plan for recovery. What many people forget to consider is that they will need time to heal after surgery, and that can affect your day-to-day routine for getting ready - including your routine for applying make-up.

Why Steer Clear of Make-up after Surgery?

There are a few different reasons to avoid applying make-up after surgery. First and foremost, you should treat your incisions the same way as you would treat a wound. Incisions can get infected and the use of make-up and skin care products should be avoided until the incisions have healed completely. Applying make-up, unfortunately, can expose harmful bacteria to your incisions, extending the healing time and increasing discomfort. Additionally, make-up can cause the incisions to darken, leaving darker scars. To be safe, it is best to avoid make-up for at least 14 days after surgery, or until your scars have healed.

Benefits of Avoiding Make-up after Surgery

Not only will you avoid infection and heal more quickly, but avoiding make-up after surgery is the perfect way to let your skin reset, so to speak. Just as it is important to switch up your skin care line every so often, it is also important to let your skin take a break from skin care products. There is no better time to give your face a break than after surgery. Let both your incisions and your skin heal by avoiding make-up as well as skin care products. If you are worried about not wearing make-up in public, consider taking some time off.

What about Using Make-up on Other Parts of the Skin?

If you are set on wearing make-up after your surgery, make sure to take special precautions. Do everything possible to make sure the make-up does not touch the incisions on your face. Keep in mind that the more you touch your skin, the more you will expose your skin to bacteria.

If, for example, you have undergone a rhinoplasty, you may experience some bruising under the eyes. So long as you don't risk touching your incisions, you can wear make-up on that area. If you have had surgery on your eyes, on the other hand, wait to apply make-up on all areas of your eyes until you have received approval from Dr. Paul Pin. Even if the area looks completely healed, it may need a few extra days to heal completely.

For more information about when to start wearing make-up after your plastic surgery, or about what areas of the face are safe to apply make-up, please feel free to contact the practice of Dr. Paul Pin. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.