There are many misconceptions out there about plastic surgery, but perhaps the most pervasive and dangerous is the idea that plastic surgery is an easy shortcut to achieving your aesthetic goals, a way to get the body you want without having to go through diet and exercise. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although cosmetic plastic surgery procedures like breast augmentation, abdominoplasty (a tummy tuck), or the increasingly-popular Brazilian butt lift can do a great deal to shape and contour the body, they all work best when the patient is already at or near their ideal goal weight. I always stress to my patients that plastic surgery should never be seen as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, but as a way to compliment and refine an existing diet and exercise routine. Moreover, even when patients do work hard to prepare before undergoing a plastic surgery procedure, they might not always consider the time they need to spend healing and recovering afterward. This is a profound mistake, since proper post-surgical care and follow up contribute significantly to optimal plastic surgery results.
People often have unrealistic expectations about the time it might take to recover after a plastic surgery procedure, in part because there is a temptation to lump all procedures into a single category. Doctors may even contribute to this misconception by suggesting that recovery might take only “two weeks,” regardless of the specific procedure involved. The truth is that every procedure is different and no two patients ever heal in exactly the same way. Depending on the individual factors involved, some patients may need a month, two months, or maybe even six months to a year before they’ll feel fully return to normal. Watch as a colleague and I discuss what a patient should expect while recovering after plastic surgery in this video I filmed for the Plastic Surgery Channel.
It is completely natural to be excited after undergoing plastic surgery, but you should take care that your eagerness to show off your results doesn’t jeopardize your recovery. Listen to your body, give it what it needs to recover at its own pace, and above all follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions. I believe that attending all of your follow-up appointments and carefully following all the recommended guidelines are vital to ensuring that your recovery goes as smoothly as possible and that your results meet, or even exceed, your expectations. Open communication is the key to successful plastic surgery, so ask questions and take advantage of my knowledge and expertise.
If you are interested in the many different facial rejuvenation, breast, and body contouring cosmetic plastic surgery procedures that I perform, you can learn more in my blog or by following me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+ to get all the latest plastic surgery news and updates.
You can also contact me, Dr. James Namnoum, to schedule a full plastic surgery consultation where we can discuss your goals and find out what plastic surgery can do for you.
