A PRP, or Platelet-Rich Plasma, facelift is a relatively new twist on more traditional facelift methodology. Because of this, we at Atlantic Coast Aesthetics field a lot of questions about the procedure, like this one from our Facebook audience. The patient asks, “What is the best care for face after PRP? I am 66 and just trying to see what different doctors say?” Dr. Thomas A. Pane, our founder and Chief Medical Officer, saw this question as a good opportunity to discuss not only aftercare, but how the procedure works and the limitations patients can expect from PRP facelift procedures.
The first consideration is the patient’s age, Dr. Pane says. At 66, there is inevitably some loss of skin elasticity. While a younger patient may be able to receive good results from only having the PRP procedure, in which platelet-rich plasma is isolated from the patient’s own blood and then reinjected into the face, with little or no augmenting surgery, a patient of this age should not expect the same results from PRP alone. This is largely due to the skin and musculature becoming slack and losing elasticity over time, pointing up one of the more significant limitations of the procedure.
Second, the degree of surgical intervention required to tighten the skin of the face and the musculature beneath varies significantly from person to person. This is a point where age does not matter quite as much, because the primary criterion here is the suppleness of the skin and the firmness of the facial muscles. Assuming a good skin care regimen has been followed, the need for surgery in addition to the PRP procedure may be limited. To properly determine this would require an in-person consultation and evaluation of the patient’s skin, muscles and desired results to establish what the parameters for the patient would be.
There is no universally agreed upon aftercare regimen for patients who have undergone PRP, and every surgeon has a slightly different preference with regards to what should and should not be done. Dr. Pane advocates for avoiding direct sunlight and environmental factors that may irritate the face, much the same as any other sort of cosmetic surgery. If the patient is not already on one, adding in a sensible skin care plan including drinking plenty of water, using good-quality lotion or creams on the face and limiting direct exposure to sunlight can help enhance the benefits of the PRP procedure.
Because every patient and every body is different and unique, the only way to say for sure what the best approach or mix of approaches to PRP might be is an in-person consultation. This will allow the surgeon to assess the patient’s current situation and determine a plan of action that meshes well with the patient’s goals and desired outcome while minimizing the risk of side effects. Any surgical procedure does involve a certain amount of risk, but in the hands of a skilled, qualified practitioner, the potential problems associated with a given procedure are generally negligible.
As with any other form of surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, following all aftercare instructions and being vigilant for any changes that may signal a potentially dangerous side effect is crucial to assuring the best possible outcome. Changes such as unexpected or unusually severe redness, swelling, pain or drainage should be reported and checked out immediately. While these side effects are usually very mild and go away fairly quickly, it is always better to follow up on anything that doesn’t look quite right in order to rule out or treat any problems before they become more severe, with longer-lasting consequences. In addition, regular follow-up visits allow the surgeon to assess the progress of healing and determine if any course correction or changes in the aftercare methodology are required. With appropriate aftercare and maintenance, cosmetic surgery procedures are typically very safe and well-tolerated by most people, regardless of age.
If you have a question about cosmetic surgery, including options, types and aftercare, we at ACA would be glad to answer it for you! All you have to do is follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter, call us at (561) 422-4116 or email us at https://acplasticsurg.com. Your question may end up as the ACA Question of the Week, answered live by Dr. Pane in a live Google Hangout. We believe an informed patient is a happy patient, so the only bad question is the one you don’t ask! Contact us today with your plastic surgery question and get the straight talk you deserve.