If you’re considering more than one cosmetic surgical procedure, you might be wondering if you can undergo both at the same time or if a single surgery might be a better choice for you. The short answer is that you can certainly have more than one cosmetic surgery in a single visit, but the longer answer is that you should spend more time thinking about the pros and cons of this action. There are a number of factors that go into whether it’s the best option for you or not.
Whether you get the go-ahead or not is largely dependent on the procedures you’re having done and the considered advice of your surgeon. It’s important to weigh the benefits against the potential risk factors so that you can make a decision that best suits your needs as well as your overall health. There is a wide range of benefits that go along with combining procedures. Use this guide to help you learn everything you need to know.
Pros
Cost Effectiveness
One of the top reasons you may be considering combining your treatments is the potential cost savings. It’s no secret that cosmetic procedures aren’t cheap and most are not covered by insurance because they are considered elective surgery. If you’re paying out of pocket, it makes sense to figure out how to keep some cash in your bank account by avoiding combining what are generally single procedures.
Many of the fees that are associated with surgery will only be charged once if you undergo more than one cosmetic procedure at the same time. That includes the anesthesia costs since you’ll only be going under one time. You can also save on surgical staff fees and facility fees. In some cases, clinics or hospitals may offer discounts if you do more than one treatment at the same time.
It Could Be Safer
While there are some instances where multiple procedures at one time isn’t advised, in general, the less anesthesia you have to use, the safer it is. That means that doing more than one treatment at the same time means being put under fewer times, which translates into a safer end result.
While a reaction to anesthesia isn’t too common, it’s always a possibility, so subjecting yourself to it more than is necessary isn’t recommended. If surgeries can be combined, it makes sense to see if it’s feasible for you.
Shorter Recovery Time
Any time you have a surgical procedure, there’s a certain amount of recovery time you should be prepared for. Combination therapy, via combined operations, means you can recover from more than one procedure at the same time, rather than recovering from each separately. The recovery process can be arduous so saving yourself from doing it multiple times is appealing.
With a shorter recovery period, you can enjoy the aesthetic outcomes more quickly and won’t be subject to recovery restrictions for longer than is necessary. If your surgical plan can be put together to combine procedures, you can plan your recovery accordingly so that you can return to normal life as quickly as possible.
Enhanced Results
Because your surgeon can address more than one of your appearance goals by combining procedures, it makes sense that you can enjoy enhanced benefits by taking care of more than one area of concern at the same time. This is a beneficial option if you want to take care of beauty goals that go with each other, breast augmentation and a tummy tuck, for example.
A combination approach to reaching your beauty goals means you will see results in several areas at once, while also getting back to your regular life with a minimum of recovery time.
Convenience
The bottom line when saving money, boosting results and minimizing recovery time is that it’s convenient. We all live busy lives, which makes it helpful to be able to undergo multiple treatments at the same time so that there’s a faster recovery and a swift return to regular daily activities. You’ll only need one appointment to get everything taken care of.
Of course, where there are benefits, there are also drawbacks that you should keep in mind. For example, a patient who suffers from high blood pressure is likely not a healthy candidate for combining multiple surgeries.
Understanding the potential risks of combining surgeries is a valuable way to ensure that you are only piling treatments with one another if it’s safe and recommended by your surgeon. Let’s look at some of the potential cons of combination therapy.
Cons
Overloading the Body
Each procedure has its own set of recovery guidelines. For example, you will have restrictions with a breast lift that are separate to those that go with lip enhancement. For some patients, this might be too much to handle. Older individuals especially should consider the strain of recovering from multiple procedures at one time.
It’s important that your plastic surgeon has a clear picture of your medical history. Some conditions may negate the benefits of multiple treatments on the same day and physical restrictions can interfere with healthy recovery. At the same time, some bodies may simply not be able to handle more than one surgery occurring together. It’s important to follow the advice of your surgeon so you recover well and are at less risk of side effects.
Longer Time Being Under Anesthesia
If you’re having more than one surgery, you can assume that you’ll be sedated for a longer period of time. This is something to keep in mind since this can cause side effects and some people could have adverse reactions to extended time under anesthesia. For some individuals, limiting the amount of time that you are sedated is a consideration to take into account.
Again, you can work this out with your surgeon, who can give you recommendations based on your health status and the work you’d like to have done. Combination treatments aren’t right for everyone and it’s important to only proceed under the advice of your medical team.
Increased Risk of Complications
When you undergo more than one procedure, you are also at an increased risk of complications since each surgery carries its own set of risks. This could be as simple as increased swelling, but may also be more serious, such as in the case of infection at the surgical site. You may also experience higher levels of pain if you have procedures in more than one area of your body at the same time.
Another complication to keep in mind is the risk of impact on future surgeries. The combination work you have done may interfere with other treatments you have planned so it’s vital to plan well so you can coordinate when to undergo each procedure and with which other procedures to combine.
What Cosmetic Procedures Can Be Combined
If the prospect of combining your treatments sounds alluring, make sure you fully understand what you’re getting into before you move ahead. Some procedures work well together, while others may not. Familiarity with this is vital so that you can work with your surgical team to make viable combinations.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are a very popular way to restore a youthful appearance by reducing sagging skin, deep lines and the appearance of wrinkles. The treatment outcomes you can expect with dermal skin fillers are positive when combined with several other procedures and you might find them marketed as a facial rejuvenation package.
Dermal fillers work well with Botox, chemical peels and laser resurfacing. This allows you to blur wrinkles, while also enhancing the overall look and feel of your entire face with the anti-aging benefits you can expect to experience.
Other Potential Combinations
Most plastic surgeons are comfortable with combining two surgeries, but most don’t like to do more than that at once, due to the risks listed above. In general, there are some that go together well and others that don’t. Liposuction and a tummy tuck are two treatments that are commonly combined, as the work is often done in the same area of the body and combining abdominal surgery with fat removal at the same site is effective and makes sense to do at the same time.
Rhinoplasty and chin augmentation are also commonly combined, again because they are done on the same area of the body so can be done together to save time, money and reduce the number of days of downtime required, while also controlling the risk of adverse side effects. Many patients also choose to undergo a breast augmentation and breast lift concurrently as it allows for both procedures without having to have a repeat surgery in the same location.
Surgery Combination Packages
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Mommy Makeover. This treatment combines breast surgery, a tummy tuck and liposuction all at once. So named because the target patient is a mother who has finished being pregnant and breast feeding and is ready for a body transformation as she gets older.
A less heard of procedure is called the Daddy Makeover, which combines several treatments to turn back the hands of time. In either case, more than two treatments are provided, which means this comprehensive practice isn’t right for everyone.
Weight Loss Procedures
If you are using cosmetic surgery for weight loss purposes, there are a couple of viable combinations. As mentioned above, liposuction and a tummy tuck are one of the most common surgical mixtures. The goal is to remove fat, but also to make use of body contouring enhancements to reach cosmetic goals. In some cases, excess skin removal is used after significant weight loss to help with body contouring.
Facial Combinations
Many patients want to have amazing skin so are looking for specific treatments that target dry skin and skin tightening. Very often these are laser treatments. A facelift and eyelid lift are commonly combined procedures, as are a facelift and a neck lift. An eyelid lift is sometimes combined with dermal fillers. Combining facial procedures has plenty of benefits since recovery will be evident on the face. Limiting recovery time by mixing treatments is a good choice for many patients.
Moving Forward with Surgery
Making a consultation appointment before surgery is the first step to arranging your combination treatments. This allows you to discuss what you’d like to have done with your surgeon so that you can determine a plan of action, as well as go over the potential adverse side effects and risks of going ahead with multiple surgeries.
At your consultation, your surgeon will assess the areas of your body where the treatment will be performed and will discuss your health status. It’s important to be honest during this appointment so that your surgeon can give you an accurate picture of the risks and outcomes of the surgeries.
As you can see, there are loads of benefits that go with combining your plastic surgery procedures, but there are also some considerations to keep in mind. Carefully weighing the pros and cons isn’t something you should take lightly. Your body is important and you want it to look great, but you also need to stay healthy and functioning to enjoy the outcomes. Make sure you put an adequate amount of thought into your decision.
Do you need help making the right choice? Do you have more questions? Contact Z Center for Cosmetic Health and we can help you decide which procedures are right for you and can help you create the ideal treatment plan for your needs.