Preparing Yourself Mentally for a Facial Contouring Procedure

Plastic surgery brings exciting changes to your appearance. As you get ready for your procedure, expect to have lots of feelings: excitement at the prospect of a rejuvenated appearance, anticipation for surgery day, and maybe even a touch of nervousness for the unknown of recovery. 

Recovery is the most challenging part of plastic surgery for most patients. But with proper preparation, it can be a positive experience. These tips will help you prepare yourself mentally for recovery after your facial contouring procedure at MAE Plastic Surgery in Chicago.

Set Your Expectations- Be Realistic

What will I look like after facial contouring? Having realistic expectations for your results is essential to being happy with your outcome after facial plastic surgery. Talk with your surgeon about your expected results. Find out how long it will take for post-operative swelling and bruising to resolve. Ask specific questions and expect specific answers.

Take Care of Your Body

The mind and body connection is more powerful than you may think. Taking care of your body has positive impacts on your mind— and vice versa. As you get ready for plastic surgery, start practicing healthy habits like eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking less alcohol, and getting plenty of sleep. If you smoke, it is time to quit. Smoking constricts the blood vessels and can slow healing after plastic surgery. We ask all our surgical patients to stop smoking several weeks before surgery and to avoid using nicotine products throughout recovery.

Ask Your Questions

Many patients have questions as they prepare for facial contouring surgery. You may be wondering why Dr. Epstein recommended structural fat grafting over facial implants or if non-surgical procedures like Morpheus or Thread Lifts could work as effectively as a facelift. 

If you have any questions, we want to know. Asking your questions and getting answers will help you feel more confident and comfortable as you prepare for surgery. During recovery, if new questions come up, give us a call. We’re always happy to answer your questions about pain management, activity restrictions, or anything else that comes up during your healing phase.

Trust Your Surgeon

Plastic surgery is a bit of a waiting game. When you first remove those bandages, you won’t look anything like the results you hope to achieve. You may have residual bruising and swelling, and your incisions will be dark and red. Getting through the recovery period requires quite a bit of trust in your surgeon and their results. 

As you look for a plastic surgeon in Chicago, take your time. Meet with several candidates until you find a surgeon that helps you feel comfortable and confident. We recommend working with a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Epstein.  Choose someone that has performed your desired procedure many times. Make sure you look at before/after photos to ensure you love the results you see. 

Facial contouring can improve your face’s shape and appearance by removing unwanted fat under the chin, tightening up loose skin, and creating attractive contours on the chin or cheeks. When you work with a trusted surgeon, you can feel confident that your beautiful results will soon arrive. 

Contact MAE Plastic Surgery to schedule your consultation with Dr. Michael Epstein: (847) 205-1680.