When preparing for any sort of in-office procedure, from laser-resurfacing to peels and facelifts, the bulk of our research goes towards which products and topical treatments to stock up on and avoid to best promote skin healing and a quick, easy recovery. But we often don’t think as much about how the other aspects of our day-to-day can impact our skin’s recovery process. For example, have you ever considered how your post-procedure diet could impact how well and how quickly your skin bounces back? To ensure the smoothest recovery for your skin post-procedure, we tapped expert docs to see just how your diet could be impacting your skin recovery.
Featured Experts
- Daniel Schlessinger, MD, and Joel Schlessinger, MD, are dermatologists in Omaha, NE
- Kelly Bomer, MD, is a facial plastic surgeon in Scottsdale, AZ
Diet and Skin Healing: How it Works
While topical habits like diligent sun protection and a focus on restorative, gentle skin care can drastically improve the skin healing process, what you’re putting in your body can also help or hinder your skin recovery. “Diet can definitely affect healing post-procedure,” says Scottsdale, AZ facial plastic surgeon Kelly Bomer, MD. “It’s best to avoid foods that are toxic and inflammatory first and foremost, like deep-fried foods. Inflammatory food is a broad category, but sugar and refined carbohydrates are key inflammatory ingredients to look out for that can delay healing. Reach for healthy fresh greens, lean protein and complex carbohydrates when healing from a procedure, and keep meals not too large, as eating a meal that is too large for you causes a lot of inflammation.”
According to Omaha, NE dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD, GLP-1 use today has also prompted a need for a more honed-in understanding of how food and diet can impact your skin post-procedure. “With the advent of GLP-1s and their adoption by a significant portion of the population, there are truly concerns about lack of protein and baseline starvation for many individuals who are performing cosmetic procedures,” he explains. “This lack of baseline nutrition can delay or impede healing of the skin. Additionally, lack of adequate calories can lead to even more issues if infections arise in the areas being treated.”
So, what should you focus on when you’re meal-prepping post-procedure? According to Omaha, NE dermatologist Daniel Schlessinger, MD, “Diets that are rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K are particularly important during healing. Vitamin A can be found in liver, butter, eggs, dairy products, as well as kale, carrots and spinach, while vitamin D is generally found in fatty fishes such as salmon or tuna, but can also be found in egg yolks, mushrooms and fortified milk. Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and fatty fish, and vitamin K is in kale, spinach, vegetable oils, eggs and dairy products.”
