Timing Your Cosmetic Surgery

Making the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery can be exciting and daunting all at the same time. You probably have a long list of questions and concerns for our staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery when you come in for your initial consultation visit. You may wonder about possible risks or side effects, how long it will be until you see the final results from your surgery, and what you can do to speed the healing process and minimize scarring. Our staff is more than happy to answer these questions for you.

However, there is another consideration when looking at undergoing cosmetic surgery - how best to time your procedure. While you may think that other factors in your life have no bearing on when to schedule your cosmetic surgery, the opposite is true. Below are just a few examples of such factors.

Baby Makes Three

If you are considering undergoing a tummy tuck and breast augmentation or breast reduction (sometimes referred to as a “mommy makeover”), you will need to plan around any pregnancies or breastfeeding you have recently undergone. The main reason for this is that your breasts and abdomen will change dramatically in shape and size during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Although they will shrink in size after delivery and breastfeeding, they will not necessarily revert back to their original size and shape. In fact, it may take as long as six months after you stop breastfeeding for your body to settle into its post-pregnancy state. If you schedule your surgery too soon after you are done breastfeeding, your surgeon may not have an accurate assessment of your body shape. As a result, you may not be completely happy with your final results from your procedures. Instead, wait those few extra months to be certain that your breasts and abdomen are not likely to change shape much further before scheduling your surgery.

Wedding Bells

For many people, being able to show off the results from their cosmetic surgery is one of the main motivators behind their decision to go under the knife. However, these results will not be instantaneous, and may require careful planning if you want to do a big reveal for a special event, such as your wedding. If you are planning on having cosmetic surgery in order to look at your best in your wedding dress, consider that you may need as much as two to three months to see the final results from your procedure. When you factor in that most wedding planners suggest you order your gown at least eight months prior to your wedding day, you are looking at scheduling your surgery a year before your wedding.

Big events, such as pregnancy or marriage, take months (if not years) of advanced planning. In many ways, cosmetic surgery can also be considered a big event in your life. You should give it the same consideration when scheduling your surgery date. Approaching your cosmetic surgery as one big event may make it easier for you to fit it into your schedule so that you can have the time you need to heal and get the best possible results.