Body Contour Surgery- How Much is Too Much

Whether a mommy make-over or full rehab for a major weight-loss patient, body contour surgery is the most powerful tool for removing or lifting excess skin and fat on the abdomen (abdominoplaty/tummy tuck), breasts (breast lift/mastopexy), thighs (thigh lift), arms(arm lift/brachioplasty) and back/buttocks. Many consultations in our practice are focused on how much surgery to do in one operation. Some procedures go together very well, like liposuction hips with a tummy tuck, or tummy tuck and breast lift together. Advantages of combination procedures include:
1. single recovery period
2. lower cost- if procedures are compatible, once you are in the operating room it is cheaper to keep operating than to make a second trip
3. immediate gratification
There is no simple answer to how much is too much surgery at one time, but to optimize safety and provide an acceptable recovery experience we consider your overall health, the cosmetic goals, the volume of tissue involved, the amount surgery of time, your willingness to accept overnight stay or hospital surgery, and whether procedures are compatible. Inner (medial) thigh lift in particular can be difficult to care for after surgery and is prone to infection, so we don’t like to combine it with other procedures. Getting comfortable after an operation on your back and front is going to be tougher on you than separate procedures, and so your toughness/determination is also a factor we consider.