When's the best time to get cosmetic surgery?

There are lots of important factors to consider when thinking about having cosmetic surgery, in particular the timing of your surgery and timescale of your recovery. Many patients have busy work and family schedules and need to consider when the best time to get cosmetic surgery  is based on their lifestyle. 

Things to consider when planning cosmetic surgery:

• Recovery time - The length of time you may be required to stay at home during your recovery can differ per procedure. Some procedures have a quicker recovery period than others, however, it is important you follow your surgeon's advice and not rush back to everyday activities too quickly following your procedure.

• Time off work - You will be required to take a period of time off work for your post-op recovery. This can range from 1 week or longer, depending on the nature of your job and if you are required to carry out physical duties or heavy lifting.

• Childcare - Depending on what procedure you have undergone, you may need to arrange childcare to help assist with your children and meal times (especially if they are young). Breast surgery patients may have a limited range of movement and should not carry out any heavy lifting during their recovery. 

• School holidays - You may need to factor in school holiday dates into your surgery schedule to avoid being in recovery during the school holidays. 

• Any future holidays - Following cosmetic surgery there are certain restrictions on flying and holiday activities such as swimming and being in direct sunlight can impact your scar healing and recovery. It is essential that you follow all your post-op medical advice, therefore you should plan your procedure around any holidays you have planned to avoid any cancellations or not being able to enjoy your trip to its full potential.  

• Saving for the procedure - The cost of cosmetic surgery varies per procedure and we understand that the cost of your procedure can play a big part in the decision making process. There are many different ways to fund your procedure, some patients may choose to save up to pay for their procedure in full, and others may choose a finance option but need time to save for their deposit. Therefore, it’s important you consider how you are going to fund your procedure before booking.

Cosmetic surgery recovery times: 

The recovery time period is an essential part of the cosmetic surgery journey and MYA recommends that patients take a minimum of 1-2 weeks off work depending on the procedure they undergo, this allows patients time to recover and recuperate from their surgery.

During this time off work, patients shouldn’t be resuming normal day to day activities, it’s important to rest and let your body heal!

• Breast surgery such as, breast enlargement, breast uplift, breast reduction, tubular breast correction and implant removal and reaugmentation surgeries have a recovery time of a minimum 6-8 weeks.

• Rhinoplasty surgery has a recovery time of 6 weeks and patients should expect healing to continue for up to 1 year post-op.

• Facial surgery such as a face lift or a face lift combined with a neck and chin lift have a recovery time of 3 months.

• Vaginal surgery such as labiaplasty has a recovery time of 6 weeks.

• Body surgery such as tummy tucks and liposuction surgery have a recovery time of 6-8 weeks.

Winter is a great time to have cosmetic surgery for the following reasons:

You are healed in time for summer

MYA strongly advises that patients do not fly for 6 weeks after their procedure, therefore by booking your procedure date in the winter months, you are allowing a long period of time to recover and heal from your cosmetic surgery. By the time summer approaches you will be well past the 6 week healing period, and you can use your recovery time to look at holiday deals and start planning your next exciting trip!

If you are planning to have breast enlargement surgery and book your procedure in the winter, you can plan your holiday around your recovery and this means you won’t need to worry about your scars getting wet if you go swimming in the sea or worry about having to stay in the shade while your new boobs are healing. That being said, we do recommend patients always wear a high factor sun cream on their bodies and faces and cover any new scars with sunblock or plasters to avoid sun damage till they are 1 year post-op.  

Winter is the season for taking it easy

During the winter months we all overindulge a little and our exercise routine usually goes out the window. Following cosmetic surgery, you are advised not to go back to the gym or partake in physical activities until 6-8 weeks post procedure, so why not fit your procedure in at a time that you are likely to be taking it easy anyway; and there’s no need to worry about being in a bikini anytime soon!

Extra Christmas holidays

Due to the Christmas holidays, most people have more time off work in the winter months. Either your holiday allowance has just renewed, or you’ve stockpiled it up for some much needed time off during the festive season.

Due to the extra bank holidays and some offices closing over this period, you might find that you may not need to take extended leave from work while you recover from your procedure – which is always a bonus, and you can save those extra holiday dates for the summer.

Make the most of the downtime

It’s important to make the most of the downtime during your recovery and not rush back to normal activities such as housework… who’s complaining about that?

Taking time to slow down and relax is a lot easier in the winter months when the social calendar finally starts to slow down and you are happy to spend more time at home. It’s difficult to feel guilty for spending all your time snuggled up indoors binge-watching TV series when it’s freezing cold and chucking it down with rain outside, so sit back and enjoy the downtime and give your body a chance to recuperate!

No need to worry about buying a whole new wardrobe

Another good thing to remember about having your procedure in winter is that you are most likely going to be wrapped up in jumpers and long sleeves, so you don’t need to worry about buying a whole new wardrobe to cover your post-op garments and bras. If you are planning to have rhinoplasty surgery in winter, there's no need to worry about wearing sunglasses when your nose is healing because let's face it, they won't be needed!

Treat yourself

Over the festive period we spend all our time planning surprises for our loved ones, but what about planning something for you to look forward to. Book your procedure this winter as a gift to yourself - you deserve it! Speak with one of our friendly MYA experts to find out more or BOOK your MYA procedure for the New Year!