The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Timing Cosmetic Procedures - Thursday, April 03, 2008

There are many occasions when people want to look their best. Sometimes people want to try and improve their appearance for their wedding (or anniversary), for a class reunion, or for a tropical vacation. However, many cosmetic procedures have a lag time before their full aesthetic effect is realized. This is true even for so-called noninvasive procedures. For example, laser skin resurfacing will sometimes leave your skin looking red or "sunburned" for a period of time before your skin heals and takes on the smoother, brighter, more even appearance that is the desired result. To make sure you look your best for that occasion, here's how long before you should have the procedure done:

• Chemical peel--2 weeks
• Botox or soft-tissue fillers like Restylane--3 weeks
• Sclerotherapy (spider vein treatment)--3 weeks
• Laser Skin Resurfacing--2 to 3 months
• Facelift--2 to 3 months
• Breast augmentation--3 to 4 months
• Liposuction--3 months
• Abdominoplasty--3 months

As you can see, there is a significant gap between the surgical and the nonsurgical procedures. A good rule of thumb is that the more dramatic the results, the longer in advance you have to plan on having the procedure.

If you have a special occasion and want to put your best face forward, please contact the Centre, P.C. today to set up a consultation.