These days, many patients come in for their consultations with me more informed than ever due to the wealth of plastic surgery information and images on the internet. I love these patients because our time together in consultation – and throughout the entire surgery experience – feels even more like a partnership, with both of use working towards the same (and beautiful!) goal. One trend I’m seeing is a desire to combine several procedures at once, either to reduce downtime, to achieve multiple aesthetic changes “quickly” or in an effort to reduce costs. While these are valid -- and often realistic -- goals, not all procedures can or should be combined. For example, I’ll commonly combine a brow and forehead lift, or perform a Mommy Makeover which combines a tummy tuck and breast surgery or liposuction – but each case is unique and I carefully weigh the patient’s health history and desired surgeries with the anticipated time under anesthesia and invasiveness of each procedure. While I know that the internet – and shows like “Extreme Makeover” -- can make these dramatic, whole-body surgical transformations look as quick as a commercial break and as easy as a trip to the spa, however this is not the case and following what’s recommended by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon is always the safest way to get the results you’ll love forever.
