As far as plastic surgery practices go, I am proud to say that mine is a rather seasoned one. With over 20 years in Scottsdale and Mesa, I continue to have the privilege of treating many women and men —helping them achieve their goals of a happier more confident self. I have consulted with countless patients over the past 2 decades, and a question that I often hear is:
“Should I combine multiple procedures into one surgery?”
When it comes to plastic surgery, combining certain procedures is often a good idea for a number of reasons including reduced risk and less downtime.
In the right hands, plastic surgery is extremely safe. Board certified plastic surgeons such as myself have the requisite training and take patient safety very seriously. Having your procedure performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon with a board certified anesthesiologist, in an accredited surgery center that has been specifically designed with plastic surgery patients in mind, further minimizes unlikely risks and complications.
Some may think that longer, more complex procedures are riskier than multiple shorter ones, however, while extremely rare, most issues occur while patients are being put under or brought out of anesthesia—that being said, it is statistically safer to go under general anesthesia than it is to drive a car.
Your risk of infection and your total downtime are also generally reduced when procedures are combined.
Dramatic Results
Wouldn’t we all like to go gently off to sleep and wake up to a more rested more youthful version of you?
While I don’t have a magic wand, my surgical instruments can often achieve the closest real-world outcomes possible, especially when I combine certain procedures into one surgery. In fact, one of my most popular procedures, the “Mommy Makeover” is actually a combination of procedures done during one surgery to help undo some of the unwanted changes that often come as a result of childbearing. A Mommy Makeover may consist of a combination of breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck and/or liposuction. In some instances, an arm lift and thigh lift might be performed as well. Every patient is different; thus each mommy makeover is individualized to help the patient achieve her goals.
Other combination procedures I might recommend include:
Breast lift/Breast Augmentation
- I often recommend a breast lift along with a breast augmentation because for the right patient these two procedures combined will often produce the best results.
Facelift/Neck Lift
- I love this combination as it addresses signs of aging from the collarbone up completing the transformation to a more youthful and vibrant you.
Facelift/Eyelid Surgery
- Both my male and female patients often opt for this combination. A neck lift or brow lift can often be performed in the same surgery as well.
Tummy Tuck/Liposuction
- Goodbye unwanted belly and back fat. Goodbye love handles. For many patients, this is a winning combination— allowing them to regain a more youthful and flattering figure while also removing stubborn unwanted fat that generally can’t be addressed through diet and exercise alone.
Combining procedures can also have an added benefit of bringing costs down for the patient. Having only one surgery allows for only one recovery, which in turn requires only one leave of absence from work and usually a faster return to other daily activities.
Is a Combined Procedure Right for You?
Depending on the combination of plastic surgery procedures you are hoping to have, the criteria that help determine who is a good candidate will differ. For a mommy makeover, for example, you’ll want to make certain you are finished having children as additional pregnancies can essentially undo the results from your surgery. Good “mommy makeover” candidates are healthy, finished having children and are at or near their ideal weight.
For breast procedures, surgical results may be affected by the changes to the breast tissue that often occurs during pregnancy and lactation. Breast reduction surgery can also have an impact on milk production– a consideration if you hope to breastfeed after having breast reduction surgery.
Even though combining plastic surgery procedures has many benefits, not all cosmetic procedures can be performed simultaneously especially in certain circumstances. For example, “total body lift procedures” especially for those who are considered MWL (massive weight loss) patients or who still have a high BMI after weight loss often need to be performed in 2 or more stages.
For those interested in seeing what plastic surgery options or combination procedures are best for their individual needs, I invite you to call my office to schedule a personal consultation with me. I look forward to seeing you for a private and confidential consultation where we can begin discussing your goals in greater detail.
Categorized in: Surgical Procedures
