If you are considering plastic surgery, you are undoubtedly looking forward to changes to your body that will improve your appearance and help you feel more confident and happier in your own skin! Though waiting for this transformation can be difficult, it is best to have plastic surgery once you are at or very close to your ideal weight. Because of this, most plastic surgeons recommend that you diet and exercise to lose excess weight before your surgery. While there are some exceptions, there are many reasons to be at your goal weight before you undergo plastic surgery.
It is Always Best to Be in Your Healthiest Shape Before Any Surgery
Part of preparing your body for surgery is ensuring that it is in the best possible condition for recovery. Regular exercise and a healthy diet contribute to your overall well-being and ability to heal after surgery. For this reason, if you haven’t established these healthy habits yet, it is best to do so before you undergo plastic surgery. Though not always the case, being at an ideal weight can be a good indicator that your body is healthy enough to undergo and recover from surgery.
Being at Your Goal Weight Will Allow Your Surgeon to Optimize Your Procedure
Undergoing cosmetic surgery is an investment of your time and money in your personal appearance. When your body is at or very near the weight you’d like to be at, this allows your surgeon to optimize your procedure to give you the best possible results. Some procedures, such as liposuction, can help address “problem areas” and will significantly change your shape. And, you can obtain the best possible contour when you have lost most of the fat that you’d like to lose. If you still have a good bit of excess weight to lose, for instance, when you undergo surgery such as a tummy tuck, your surgeon would not be able to remove as much excess skin as would otherwise be possible if you were at your goal weight. For this reason, you are likely to obtain your best possible surgery results by meeting your weight loss goals prior to your procedure.
Weight Fluctuations Can Affect Your Results
After you have had plastic surgery, you want to know that your results will last. After all, you have invested money and time and will need to heal from surgery, and you don’t want your results to be temporary. However, if you gain or lose much weight after your procedure, you should expect that your results will change. Adding or removing fat to the body will shift the contours that you obtain through your surgical procedure. Because of this, most plastic surgeons recommend that you maintain a relatively stable weight after cosmetic surgery. So, it makes sense to undergo surgery after you’ve done all or most of your weight loss.
Is it Okay to Have Plastic Surgery if I Just Can’t Seem to Lose My Excess Weight?
Even though it is best to undergo plastic surgery after you’ve hit your goal weight, there are some people who simply can’t get to their goal weight through diet and exercise alone. Some of these individuals turn to weight loss surgery, which can successfully help people who have tried many other methods to lose weight. However, it takes time for the weight loss surgery to result in lost weight. Meanwhile, the weight loss creates loose, sagging skin that you may like to address through plastic surgery. Again, it is best to wait for this surgery until you have reached your goal weight.
For patients who are not at their goal weight and are not able or interested in weight loss surgery, it is still possible to have successful plastic surgery outcomes. Patients can experience improvements in aspects of their appearance through plastic surgery even if they will need further weight loss after surgery. It is best to discuss your concerns, desired outcomes, and weight loss history and goals with your surgeon so that you know what to expect, and together you can make a decision about when it’s right for you to undergo surgery.
Contact us at 952.562.5940 today to find out how and when plastic surgery may be right to help you meet your appearance goals.