Florence Mussat, M.D.
680 N Lake Shore Dr. #1030 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 751-9000

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Month: December 2017

Why Winter is the Perfect Time for Breast Augmentation

For many women, having breast augmentation surgery is a dream come true. Whether you’re seeking to have irregularities in your breast shape corrected, want to restore lost breast volume, or you’re simply tired of feeling self-conscious about having small breasts, this procedure can be life-changing. Alas, breast augmentation also carries some negative connotations, largely left over from years past when celebrities getting over-sized implants was common. Naturally, then, not every woman wants to share the fact that she’s had breast implants with the world.

If you can relate to this desire for privacy, or you’re simply curious about when the best time to recover from plastic surgery is, then you’ll be interested to know that wintertime offers some unique recovery advantages.

 4 Reasons to Schedule Breast Augmentation During the Winter

  1. Free time is plentiful for most of us.

After the rush of the holiday season ends, most people just want to rest and relax. As such, you’ll probably find that you have fewer work commitments and social obligations in January and February. Business slows down, and if you live in a cold climate, chances are good that most of your friends and relatives simply want to stay inside until spring. It’s also common for people to take some vacation time right after the holidays, so no one will wonder why you suddenly need to book two weeks off of work. All of these factors set up the ideal conditions for plastic surgery recovery.

  1. You can get away with wearing additional layers.

You’ll want to “cover up” after having breast augmentation surgery, for a few reasons. One, most women want to hide their surgical incisions while they’re still healing. (These scars will take a few months to completely fade, too, so midwinter is a great time to book breast augmentation. By the time it’s warm enough to even think about wearing a bikini, your scars will barely be noticeable.) Two, you’ll probably experience some swelling for a few weeks after breast surgery—and this can have the effect of making one’s breasts look too large. Thick sweaters are a great way to mask this swelling. Three, many breast augmentation patients find that their implants look much more “natural” once they have had a few months to settle. This is because gravity will pull the implant down slightly while your natural breast tissue heals, mitigating the overt roundness and highness of freshly-placed implants.

Finally, keeping incisions covered while they are healing is an essential step toward minimizing scarring. If incisions are exposed to sunlight while they are still pink, they can become damaged by the sun. This sometimes causes the development of dark scar tissue that does not fully fade away. By having breast augmentation surgery in the winter, you virtually guarantee that your incisions will stay protected by sweaters and jackets. Just remember to avoid the tanning bed, too; any form of ultra violet radiation has the potential to darken scar tissue.

  1. You can use the holidays to help you finance your surgery.

If you feel comfortable talking about your wish to have breast augmentation surgery with your friends and family members, then you may be able to enlist their aid in financing your surgery. You can ask people to contribute money to help cover your surgical costs in place of purchasing you Christmas gifts, for example. You can also ask for plastic surgery gift cards if you’re lucky enough to have very generous friends or family members.

  1. Your recovery will be more comfortable.

While most women don’t experience a great deal of pain after having breast implants inserted, even a little bit of pain can become very irritating if you’re physically uncomfortable. Many women have reported that the heat bothers them more while they’re healing from plastic surgery. Sweat, too, can cause healing incisions to itch more severely. Likewise, the additional layers of clothing needed to protect still-healing incisions can become suffocatingly hot in the summer. You’ll therefore probably find that your recovery is more comfortable during the cooler months.

Not everyone makes an ideal winter plastic surgery candidate. If you enjoy winter sports or prefer to travel to a warmer climate every year, then you may find scheduling breast augmentation during the winter months is inconvenient. If, on the other hand, your favorite thing to do is “hibernate” until March, you might as well spend all of that downtime working on your physique. Having a shapelier body to look forward to will be just another reason to eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring.

Can I Get Plastic Surgery Without Looking Overdone?

The “overdone plastic surgery look” is an accidental trend. It is definitely easy to spot someone who has had “work” done. Worried that your plastic surgery results will look unnatural? Here are a few tips to help you out. Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to want to keep your procedure a secret.

What Actually Makes Plastic Surgery Look Overdone?

The most significant piece to the puzzle of having great, natural looking plastic surgery is your surgeon. There are several different factors that create the ideal surgeon for the job. The first is that your surgeon should be board-certified. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, board-certified surgeons must complete medical school, 3-5 years in a residency training program, and pass a stringent oral and written exam on a certain specialty.

It is important that your surgeon has trained specifically for this area and has developed their skills for plastic surgery. Your surgeon should have a portfolio of success stories and they should have performed your procedure a significant amount of times. Practice makes perfect! In addition to their skill, your doctor should also work in an ASPS accredited hospital or facility. An accredited facility or hospital will have the appropriate, top of the line equipment and tools available.

There are some other factors that can make someone look overdone. For one thing, is important that the procedure be completely customized. Meaning, your procedure should be unique and tailored to your specific appearance. For example, the famous actress Christie Brinkley has to experiment with her Botox injections to finally get the results that she wanted.

Another aspect is time. Give yourself time and have patience. Slower is always better. Too many procedures at one time can lead to someone looking like they have had plastic surgery. Have a few small procedures when you are starting out and go from there. You might find that you like what you the less invasive procedures provide instead of going to more extreme ones.

What Are Non-Surgical Procedures?

Botox and dermal fillers are often referred to as minimally invasive procedures. There is a common misconception that fillers and Botox are the same, but they are not. Botox is used is typically used in the area of the forehead, eyebrows, and outer eye area to smooth lines and wrinkles. Fillers are smooth gels used to bring volume to the face and smooth out wrinkles.

All of these procedures, when done correctly, will look natural. Again, it is important to have a physician that knows what they are doing. Each person’s face is different; therefore, their procedure will be different than anyone else’s procedure. If a doctor does not pay specific attention to the patient’s case the result can come out unnatural and highly noticeable.

Can Surgical Procedures Look Natural?

The easy answer is yes! Many patients prefer the “natural” look in modern plastic surgery. Again, it is important to have a surgeon that knows what you want and knows how to get those results. Your surgeon also needs to be able to customize your surgical procedures towards your unique anatomy.

Which Surgical Procedures Can Look Natural?

A great surgeon will be able to make any kind of surgical procedure look natural. Breast augmentation is the insertion of breast implants. A breast lift will improve the look of drooping breasts. A reduction will, of course, reduce your breast size to a more natural looking appearance. Breast reconstruction is typically used to rebuild your breasts if you have had a mastectomy. Fat grafting provides volume to a particular area of the body that lacks it. Liposuction is used to remove fat from unwanted areas. Tummy tucks are commonly performed on patients who want a more athletic tummy. Facelifts can bring a more youthful look on the face. Finally, Blepharoplasty is used to bring a younger look to the eyes.

How Do I Know Which Procedure to Get?

If you do not know which procedure you want it is important to talk to a professional before making any decisions. Your doctor will tell you if your expectations are realistic and what procedures you can undergo to help you achieve your goals.

So, remember to take it slow. There is no need to rush plastic surgery. Take it one procedure at a time. Ask your questions and do your research so that you can make the right decisions.

To learn more about natural-looking plastic surgery results from a skilled surgeon, contact Dr. Florence Mussat for a consultation.