Plastic surgery is never something to rush into — or something to be pressured into by someone else. There’s a lot that goes into the process of choosing the right surgery for you, choosing the right surgeon, then ultimately scheduling the procedure.
If you’re starting to seriously consider surgery, but aren’t sure what procedure is best for you, these plastic surgery questions can help you narrow things down and make a good choice.
What Do You Want From the Surgery?
First things first, it’s important to think about your goals and what you hope to gain from having surgery. Do you want to look more youthful? If so, how and where? Do you want to change the size or shape of your breasts or are you hoping to slim down in one area?
Knowing what you want from a procedure allows you and a surgeon to narrow down your options. For example, several surgeries can help take the years off of your appearance.
But each type of anti-aging procedure focuses on a different part of your face. For example, blepharoplasty can reduce sagging and drooping in the eyelids, giving you a more youthful appearance. A facelift also helps you look more youthful, but it does so by reducing sagging in the lower portion of the face.
Likewise, both a breast augmentation and a breast lift change the appearance of the breasts. But the two procedures do different things entirely. One increases the size of the breasts while the other changes the position and shape of the breasts.
How Extensive Do You Want Your Results to Be?
Another thing to ask yourself when deciding on the type of plastic surgery that’s best for you is how dramatic or extensive you want the results from your procedure to be. In some cases, “mini” versions of certain anti-aging procedures are designed to produce more subtle results. Usually, “mini” surgeries are recommended for people who are just beginning to notice signs of aging or who want a slight change.
On the other side, there’s also the option of combining certain procedures to get more dramatic results or to fully achieve the results you’re after. For example, you can combine an eyelid lift with a facelift to rejuvenate the entire face. Likewise, you can combine breast augmentation and breast lift to get the results you want.
Have You Explored Non-Surgical Alternatives?
In some cases, plastic surgery isn’t the best answer. Depending on your needs, the time you can allow for recovery and a host of other issues, a non-surgical treatment might be the better option for you. Although the results from a non-surgical treatment, such as an injectable filler or Ulthera might not last as long as the results from surgery, the fact that the procedures are minimally invasive, cost less upfront and don’t require much, if any, time to recover, can make them more appealing for some people.
Are You Emotionally Ready for Surgery?
Although asking yourself if you are emotionally ready to handle the demands of plastic surgery won’t tell you which surgery is best for you, it will help you decide if any surgery is appropriate for you. Being emotionally ready for surgery can mean being ready to handle the recovery process, which can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the type of surgery you decide to have.
Emotional readiness also means being prepared to cope with the changes that occur after surgery. It can take some time before you see the results from surgery, and some people do look worse before they look better, thanks to swelling and bruising. That can be a quite a shock, so it’s imperative that you be prepared to handle it.
Are You Physically Ready for Surgery?
A similar question to ask is if you’re physically ready to for surgery. Physical readiness means not smoking and not having any untreated or uncontrolled medical conditions. If you’re thinking about a body contouring surgery, it also means being at or very close to your goal weight. If you’re considering a mommy makeover, being physically ready can mean being finished having children and finished with breastfeeding them.
Your plastic surgeon can help you figure out the plastic surgery questions to ask to narrow down your options and can help you understand how your answers influence the procedures that might be best for you. In Houston, Texas, Dr. Paul Vitenas is a top-rated, board certified plastic surgeon who will work with you to help you decide which surgery best meets your needs. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Vitenas, call 281-484-0088 today.
