Techniques in plastic surgery have improved significantly over the years. Rather than perform a full facelift on most patients, plastic surgeons now have individual procedures that can focus on smaller areas. For example, we perform blepharoplasty to correct eyelid sagging and bagging. Brow lift surgery addresses a drooping brow line and, possibly, even those frown lines that won’t go away. To add to the value of cosmetic surgery itself, several nonsurgical techniques are also used, often in conjunction with surgical procedures. After a facelift, a patient may have dermal fillers to round out their cheekbones. But what about combining two or more surgical procedures into one process? Is that safe, and is it worth it?
Experienced plastic surgeons are careful about combining plastic surgery procedures with any other forms of treatment. This is not because of a safety issue but because there are limitations in various situations that must be taken into consideration. If you are interested in multiple procedures, consult with a plastic surgeon who has conducted several combined procedures throughout their career. Here, we discuss why combining can be a good idea.
Less Anesthesia is Better
One of the primary advantages of combined procedures, from a surgeons standpoint, is that multiple techniques can often be conducted in a manner than saves time compared to performing techniques independently. By undergoing anesthesia only once, the patient faces fewer risks of complications. The body recovers better, too. During the consultation for plastic surgery, a surgeon determines the proper amount of time a patient can be under anesthesia. With this time limit as a guide, the surgeon can then determine if two procedures can be combined and completed within that frame.
Time-Savings
A big benefit of combined procedures is that patients only have to recover once. The body doesn’t take longer to heal multiple areas; it works just as efficiently as if only one area were treated. To undergo a facelift along with blepharoplasty, for example, would not increase recovery time. Within about three weeks, patients will reach a substantial reduction in post-operative swelling and bruising. During this time, they also have the same number of follow-up visits that they would have if only one procedure were done.
Lower Costs
While cost has nothing to do with whether or not it is safe to combine plastic surgery procedures, it is an advantage worth mentioning. Orchestrating multiple procedures during one surgery, there is less anesthesia used, less surgeon and operating room time, and fewer tools used. This can add up to significant savings.
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Plastic surgeries like breast augmentation and breast lift make sense to go together in many situations. However, the choice to combine procedures ultimately comes down to patient