Cosmetic plastic surgery is a procedure that is transformational and personal. The decision to undergo plastic surgery is one that can change the way you see yourself and how the world sees you!
The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery compiled statistics that showed that people between the ages of 35 and 50 had undergone the most procedures performed in 2016. They accounted for nearly 39% of the total ratio of age categories.
The popularity of plastic surgery is growing every year, with almost 2 million surgical procedures performed annually. Rhinoplasty (or nose surgery), is one of the most commonly requested surgical procedures. Over the last decade, total plastic surgeries increased by 98%, which is an immense increase considering the vast majority of plastic surgeries are out-of-pocket expenditures by patients. But behind the frequency of having plastic surgery procedures is the rising popularity of undergoing plastic surgery.
Why Has Plastic Surgery Become So Popular?
Safety is one of the reasons why plastic surgery is becoming increasingly popular, with innovative technologies and medical devices that have been developed to perform surgical treatments with greater efficiency and effectiveness. With the advances in safety measures behind many procedures and higher satisfaction rates among patients and plastic surgeons, the results are giving more people confidence to undergo procedures they might not have considered in the past, and have them more often.
Let’s look at some reasons that influence how often patients can have procedures.
Recovery Time Between Procedures Has Improved
The waiting time between plastic surgeries is a factor in how often you can have certain procedures, and it depends on how long it takes you to recover. Keep in mind though, that healing times vary from one patient to the next. Depending on issues like your overall health, adherence to your board-certified plastic surgeon’s post-op care instructions, and the specific type of surgery you’ve had, the frequency that you can have plastic surgery will be determined by those conditions.
Your Type Of Surgery Can Dictate Plastic Surgery Frequency
The specific type of surgery you have can determine how often you can have plastic surgery procedures. As a general rule of thumb, a procedure such as a breast augmentation procedure can take up to six weeks for full recovery, although some patients may return to light activities in about a week.
A full recovery from liposuction might take a few weeks, but your surgeon will likely recommend that you wait until a full recovery has been completed before you have another surgical procedure.
The more extensive and comprehensive a plastic surgery procedure is, the longer the wait time will be before you can safely undergo another procedure. Most surgical procedures require at least 6 to 12 months of extended recovery time before a plastic surgeon can go back to operate in the same area for revision surgeries.
For different areas of the face or body, surgical procedures can be performed at closer intervals. But if the procedure involves the use of anesthesia, it can increase your risk of complications during surgery, especially if you are a smoker, obese, or if you consume excessive amounts of alcohol, non-prescription drugs, or if you have extenuating health issues like diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, or high blood pressure.
Other conditions that can affect the amount of repeated surgical procedures a patient may undergo include the taking of medications that can potentially increase bleeding or conditions that involve the heart, lungs, or kidneys. Sharing all of your medication and medical history with your board-certified plastic surgeon is the best way to know what your risks are with the frequency of surgical procedures.
The Importance Of Having A Good Plastic Surgeon To Guide You
Complications can happen with any type of surgery; however, confirming your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery serves as a warranty for the type of training your surgeon has received and the type of exams he/she needed to successfully pass, in order to receive that certification.
On average, plastic surgery training includes sixteen years of post-high school education, including specific training in reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery under direct supervision. Board-certified plastic surgeons have not only met very demanding requirements in order to sit for their boards, but they have also successfully passed a written and a 2-day oral examination, being critically evaluated for their fund of knowledge, their ethical standing and their safe and effective approach to multiple reconstructive and cosmetic challenges.
The American Board of Plastic Surgery aims to produce safe, ethical plastic surgeons with an extensive knowledge of the entire spectrum of plastic surgery, who are able to represent their specialties in the highest standards.
10 Most Common (and popular) Plastic Surgeries and Their Frequencies
With plastic surgery growing in popularity each year, with almost 18 million surgical procedures taking place in the United States annually, women are no longer the only people having cosmetic surgery. Men are contributing to the boom in procedures. The following are 10 of the most common plastic surgery procedures and how often you could consider having the procedure performed:
- Liposuction – Returning to an area that has been previously undergone liposuction will be more difficult, leading to more irregularities, bumps and deformities due to the prior scarring in that area; so it is best to do it right the first time.
- Breast Augmentation – If you are happy with the way your breasts look and are not experiencing any problems, getting your implants checked every five to ten years is reasonable. Whether you’ve had breast implants for five months or five years, if something about your implants are concerning you, schedule an appointment with your board-certified plastic surgeon.
- Blepharoplasty – There’s no set maximum number of procedures you can have done on your upper lid, and you are certainly safe to undergo a revision once you are healed fully from your most recent surgery.
- Abdominoplasty – For most people, a tummy tuck is a permanent procedure. This means that once you have an abdominoplasty and recover from it, you can enjoy the benefits for decades. However, the length of time that the benefits last depends greatly on your behavior.
A tummy tuck cannot permanently combat overeating. If you overeat, the benefits will diminish. Also, a subsequent pregnancy may once again stretch the belly and abdominal muscles. If you put in the work, your tummy tuck can essentially last
a lifetime.
- Breast Reduction – Although you’ll see results immediately, remember that it can take months for the swelling to completely go down and the surgical scars to fade. The final result is generally permanent — although breast shape and size can change due to factors such as aging and weight gain or loss.
- Rhinoplasty – This is a relatively common plastic surgery procedure: an estimated 5–15% of rhinoplasty surgeries are later revised, even when they were originally done by an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon.
People seek rhinoplasty revision surgery because they’re experiencing functional issues, like a nasal obstruction that causes breathing difficulties, or when they simply dislike something about how their new nose looks.
Revision surgery is more complex than the initial procedure, particularly because of the unpredictability of secondary-scar healing. At a revision rhinoplasty consultation, your facial plastic surgeon should talk through the risks and what kind of results they can realistically achieve. It’s recommended that you should give your nose a year after your original surgery to fully heal before undergoing a revision rhinoplasty procedure.
- Rhytidectomy (face lift) – Keep in mind that no facelift surgery can promise permanent results as the face, neck, and body will continue to naturally age and be affected by gravity. While some procedure types offer longer-lasting results, your skin will continue the natural process of maturing, and you should expect even the most permanent results to last approximately 15 years.
During that time, you might find that you will want other procedures, such as neuromodulators (Botox®, Dysport®, or Xeomin®), eyelid lift, brow lift, injectable filler, skin resurfacing, and others to further enhance your results.
- Breast Lift – While breast implants come with a lifetime warranty on the implant device, they are not actually meant to last a lifetime. The natural aging process, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations can all affect the size and projection of the breasts, and replacing implants may be able to address these changes in appearance.
- Forehead Lift – Botox cosmetic injections are often the secret behind every celebrities’ younger-looking and wrinkle-free skin. With many success stories and beauty testaments affirming Botox’s fine work for reversing the signs of aging, it’s no wonder why many individuals are interested to try this injectable treatment for themselves.
A common question that interested patients may ask is how many Botox injections should they get to clear their facial appearance from forehead wrinkles. A Botox injection can last from three to four months, after which a patient can get new injections to maintain their results. According to your assigned treatment plan, your provider may recommend you to come back for maintenance injections once every three to four months.
- Gynecomastia Surgery (male breast reduction) – Gynecomastia surgery may not yield the permanent results any male patient had hoped they would. This is very important. There is a chance that man boobs could come creeping back to haunt them once again. The odds of this happening are over 10% for those within ten years of surgery.
Most surgical procedures require at least 6 to 12 months of extended recovery time before surgeons can go back to operate in the same area for revision surgeries.
The frequency of getting plastic surgery is best determined on an individual basis at the discretion of a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Kevin Tehrani at Aristocrat.
New York plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Tehrani is renowned for his mastery in aesthetic surgery. As he considers plastic surgery to be the ultimate expression of art in surgery, Dr. Tehrani relentlessly strives for exceptional care and results for his patients. He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Tehrani is the founder and director of Aristocrat Plastic Surgery with offices in Manhattan (see Manhattan Plastic Surgery) and Long Island (see Long Island Plastic Surgery). He is Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and is a member of multiple local and national societies, including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
At Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics, we believe that plastic surgery should be more than a procedure—it should also foster a sense of artistry and expression. Located in Manhattan, New York City, and Great Neck, Long Island, Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics and top New York plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Tehrani offers the best in reconstructive and plastic surgery and non-surgical treatments. Call us today to schedule a private consultation.