After facial surgery, such as LASIK, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, microblading, or laser treatments, face wash is prohibited during the first 1-2 weeks to keep the affected area dry and speed-up the healing process. However, those with oily and acne-prone skin may have difficulty keeping their face clear during that period.
Then why can’t we wash our face right after facial surgery? It is because tap water contains contaminants, particularly bacteria, which may cause wound infection, and likely slow down the healing process. Sterile normal saline solution is a recommended solution for wound cleansing.
Sterile normal saline solution is also a gentle alternative to tap water for face wash after surgery, since it is isotonic and free of bacteria.
So if you feel the need to wash your face during the first few weeks after facial surgery, give sterile normal saline solution a try, you may find that you want to use it for facial cleansing every day afterwards. You can use it as often as you like without having to use soap and water.
