# Skin Care Before and After Plastic Surgery: Sun, Retinoids, and Warning Signs > How to care for your skin before and after facial plastic surgery: sun protection, skin barrier, retinoids and acids, acne and infection, gradual product reintroduction, and warning signs. - Author and medical reviewer: Dr. Walter Zamarian Jr. — CRM-PR 17.388 | RQE 15.688 - Published: 2026-02-19 - Updated: 2026-10-24 - Language: en - Canonical HTML page: https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/blog/skin-care-before-and-after-plastic-surgery/ - Topics: geral **At a glance:** Before surgery, protect your skin from the sun and tell the team about any irritation, wounds, or infection. After surgery, follow the incision-care instructions and resume cosmetic products only when cleared; acids and exfoliants should not be used to try to speed up healing. On skin that has been cleared for sunscreen, the [American Academy of Dermatology recommends a broad-spectrum product with SPF 30 or higher](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/how-to-select-sunscreen); your individual instructions may be stricter. Fever, increasing pain, spreading redness, or discharge need to be evaluated. Skin is the living covering of a surgical result. In procedures such as a [facelift](https://deepplanefaceliftbrazil.com/) or [blepharoplasty](https://deepplanefaceliftbrazil.com/surgery/blepharoplasty/), the technique repositions or reshapes deeper structures, but skin quality influences swelling, bruising, scarring, pigmentation, and comfort during recovery. I am Dr. Walter Zamarian Jr., a plastic surgeon in Londrina, Brazil, CRM-PR 17.388 and RQE 15.688, and a member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). I have performed more than 8,000 operations over two decades. Today, by deliberate choice, more than 90% of my surgeries are deep plane facelifts with fat grafting, at a pace of about three per week (roughly 150 a year); fat grafting is not added to every case. I see skin preparation as part of surgical safety, not as a cosmetic detail. ## Why does skin matter in facial plastic surgery? Facial plastic surgery works on different layers depending on the procedure: skin, subcutaneous tissue, fat, muscles, septa, cartilage, bone, and ligaments. When the skin is very irritated, sunburned, affected by dermatitis, inflamed acne, or infection, the risk of discomfort and poor healing may increase. Balanced skin tolerates dressings, tapes, hygiene, air exposure, and the gradual return of topical products better. That does not eliminate risk, but it reduces avoidable factors. Skin preparation should therefore be planned before surgery and adjusted afterward according to how you are healing. ## Skin care before surgery ### Sun protection: the most important step Sun protection is one of the pillars of preoperative care. Skin that has had intense sun exposure may show inflammation, pigment changes, and lower tolerance to procedures. In general, I recommend avoiding sunburn and using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 50 or higher, especially in the weeks before facial plastic surgery. A hat, sunglasses, and avoiding strong sun help as much as sunscreen. This is particularly important for blepharoplasty and facelift surgery, and for any laser treatment, peel, or dermabrasion that is planned at a separate stage of the treatment plan. In my practice, dermabrasion is used only for scar revision, not for acne or acne scars. I do not offer laser treatments or aesthetic peels; their mention here is educational. ### Skin barrier and hydration The skin barrier is the skin’s ability to hold water and protect itself from irritants. Skin that is dry, stinging, or peeling may react more to cleansing, antiseptics, and dressings. Simple hydration with well-tolerated products is usually more useful than a long, aggressive routine close to surgery. Patients with rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, or very sensitive skin need an individual strategy. The goal is to reduce inflammation before the operation, not to start several active ingredients at once. ### Retinoids, tretinoin, and acids Retinoids, tretinoin, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and other active ingredients can be useful in some skin-care plans, but they should not be started or intensified without guidance in the period close to surgery. In the right context they can improve texture and cell turnover, but they can also irritate, peel, and sensitize the skin. In practice, the decision to continue, pause, or restart acids and retinoids depends on the procedure, your skin type, the dose, your tolerance, and how close surgery is. The same applies to laser treatments, microneedling, peels, and related dermatologic procedures. ### Acne, dermatitis, wounds, and infection Inflamed acne, folliculitis, active herpes, open wounds, significant dermatitis, or infection should be evaluated before surgery. Sometimes it is wiser to treat the skin first and operate later, because active inflammation can increase the risk of infection, pigmentation, wound separation, and unfavorable healing. Isotretinoin deserves special attention. Your history of use, the dose, how long you have been off it, and the type of procedure need to be discussed case by case. This is not a topic for a generic rule, because it involves skin, mucous membranes, healing, and the risk of irritation. ## What to avoid before surgery Avoid tanning, sunburn, aggressive exfoliation, at-home peels, picking at blemishes, irritating hair removal in the area to be operated on, and switching to many new products at the last minute. Your skin should arrive stable, not in crisis. Smoking and nicotine also impair microcirculation. This matters a great deal in plastic surgery, because the skin needs oxygen and nutrients to heal. Tell the team about vaping and nicotine patches or gum as well: the plan for quitting should be agreed with the team, without changing any treatment on your own. ## Skin care after surgery ### The first days: simple hygiene and protection In the first days, the focus is on protecting the operated area, leaving dressings in place as instructed, controlling swelling and bruising, keeping clean according to your instructions, and not irritating the skin. Active products, acids, and retinoids generally should not be resumed on your own initiative during this phase. Small deviations from postoperative instructions can affect healing, swelling, hematoma, seroma, infection, and your return to activities. ### Reintroducing products gradually Once the skin has closed, there are no significant scabs or irritation, and you have medical clearance, your routine can be resumed gradually. Gentle cleansing, moisturizer, and sun protection come first. Later, if appropriate, active ingredients such as retinoids and acids can return at a lower frequency while you watch how your skin tolerates them. A common mistake is trying to speed up recovery with many products. After surgery, irritated skin is not a sign that treatment is working. Stinging, persistent redness, heavy peeling, and itching may mean your routine needs to be simplified. ### Sun, pigmentation, and scars Early sun exposure can darken scars and promote pigmentation, especially in skin prone to hyperpigmentation. Strict sun protection, once you are cleared, is therefore central to postoperative skin care. How a scar looks depends on technique, genetics, tension, location, blood supply, inflammation, smoking, sun exposure, and local care. My article on [facelift scars](https://deepplanefaceliftbrazil.com/blog/facelift-scars-what-to-discuss-before-and-after-surgery/) explores this relationship in more depth. ## Skin warning signs after surgery Contact the team if you have fever, progressive pain beyond what you were told to expect, spreading redness, foul-smelling discharge, wound separation, blisters, darkening of the skin, persistent bleeding, a significant allergic reaction, or a sudden increase in swelling. These signs should not be managed with cosmetic products alone. Also watch for intense itching, persistent stinging, and significant peeling after products are reintroduced. These signs help distinguish an expected recovery from irritation, allergy, or a complication that needs evaluation. Sometimes the right course is to pause active ingredients, simplify the routine, and investigate contact dermatitis or irritation. ## Skin care does not replace surgical safety A good skin-care routine helps, but it does not replace a correct indication, a medical assessment, tests, a hospital setting, an anesthesia team, and follow-up. My article on [realistic expectations, limits, and risks in plastic surgery](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/blog/plastic-surgery-realistic-expectations/) explains how these factors work together to reduce avoidable complications. Realistic expectations matter here too. Skin care can improve the biological ground for recovery, but it does not change genetics, aging, baseline collagen quality, or the anatomical limits of each procedure. The core message is practical: before surgery, the skin needs to be calm, protected, and free of active inflammation; after surgery, it needs time, appropriate cleansing, sun protection, a gradual return of active ingredients, and medical follow-up. ## Frequently asked questions ### What sunscreen should I use before facial surgery? In general, I recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 50 or higher in the weeks before facial plastic surgery, together with a hat, sunglasses, and avoiding strong sun. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad-spectrum protection with SPF 30 or higher; your individual instructions may be stricter. ### Should I stop retinoids or acids before surgery? Do not start or intensify them close to surgery without guidance. Whether to continue, pause, or restart them depends on the procedure, your skin type, the dose, your tolerance, and how close the operation is, so the decision is made individually. ### Can I have surgery with active acne or a skin infection? Inflamed acne, folliculitis, active herpes, open wounds, significant dermatitis, or infection should be evaluated first. Sometimes it is wiser to treat the skin and operate later, because active inflammation can increase the risk of infection, pigmentation, and poor healing. ### When can I go back to my usual skin-care routine? Only after the skin has closed, there are no significant scabs or irritation, and you have medical clearance. Start with gentle cleansing, moisturizer, and sun protection; active ingredients can return later, at a lower frequency, if appropriate. ### Should I add products to try to speed up healing? No. Follow the care plan prescribed by your team. Adding many products, acids, or exfoliants on your own can irritate the skin. Stinging, persistent redness, heavy peeling, and itching suggest the routine needs to be simplified. ### Which skin changes after surgery need medical attention? Fever, progressive pain, spreading redness, foul-smelling discharge, wound separation, blisters, darkening of the skin, persistent bleeding, a significant allergic reaction, or a sudden increase in swelling need evaluation by the team. ## Medical sources and further reading - American Academy of Dermatology. [How to select a sunscreen](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/how-to-select-sunscreen). - American College of Surgeons. [Surgical wound care](https://www.facs.org/for-patients/recovering-from-surgery/home-skills-for-patients/wound-management/surgical-wound-care/). - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [About surgical site infections](https://www.cdc.gov/surgical-site-infections/about/index.html). - American Society of Anesthesiologists. [Smoking, anesthesia, and healing](https://madeforthismoment.asahq.org/preparing-for-surgery/risks/smoking/). --- Medical information for educational purposes. Suitability, risks and treatment planning require an individual consultation.