Men and women turn to plastic surgery for many different reasons. A common reason, however, is to boost their confidence by enhancing and defining the appearance of their body contours.
Most of these patients link this desire to the summer months when they can show off their physiques in bathing suits, shorts and sundresses. Unfortunately, plastic surgery is something of a multi-step process in that it requires planning, a surgical date and a recovery period. This recovery period can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.
To ensure that your recovery will not interfere with your summer plans, consider scheduling your plastic surgery procedure during the winter so that you have plenty of time to heal. By planning ahead, you can enjoy the warm, summer months participating in something you love, not spending it recovering inside on the couch.
While scarring is an inevitable part of plastic surgery or any other type of surgery, the scarring is always at its worst initially after the procedure. Even after the wound heals, scars will be red, raised and swollen.
While it can take years for all of the discolorations to fade to their final appearance, a significant amount of scar healing happens in the first few months. By choosing to have your surgery during the winter, you are giving your scars ample time to heal and fade before summer, when you may want to show off your figure and expose the areas where scarring is present.
This timing can be especially beneficial for procedures such as tummy tuck surgery, breast augmentation and liposuction.
Just as scars can take months to lose their initial redness, swelling can be present for the same amount of time. Most swelling subsides after a few weeks, but the rest of it can take up to six months to fully dissipate. The presence of this swelling affects the overall quality of your results and hinders the appearance of your final contour.
Plan for your surgery early so that all of the expected swelling is gone before summer.
Even after you have been cleared to return to your normal activities and routines, you may still experience the visible effects of the recovery process. Winter allows for easier concealment of these recovery effects. Long sleeves, loose sweaters and scarves all enable you to hide the treatment areas until you feel ready to show off your results.
If you think that plastic surgery might be right for you and your aesthetic goals, be sure to meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon for a consultation. You can use the ASPS Plastic Surgery Connect referral service to find ASPS member surgeons in your area.