Planning Your Cosmetic Surgery in Time for the Holidays
Holiday gatherings, office parties, family get-togethers and seeing friends we haven’t seen in a year…all the things that make the holidays filled with fun! And perhaps a little anxiety as well…”I don’t feel older, why do I look it?” “Will my eyes sparkle in all those family pictures like they used to?”
It’s normal to use the holidays as a time of reflection of the past year. In some cases, you may you’re your outward appearance no longer matches how you feel on the inside. You may be considering a trip to your board certified facial plastic surgeon, while also planning for the holidays in a myriad of other ways!
If you look in the mirror and pull and tug at jowls, excess neck skin, or pooching around the eyes, a surgical procedure may be discussed in your consultation. If you have at least a couple of months before your events, a lower face and neck lift may be the right intervention. Patients who have a significant amount of looseness around the jawline and neck do particularly well with this kind of intervention—if you’ve been thinking about it for a while, you may be ready to take the plunge! I encourage people to make sure they have a good 6-8 weeks before important events, especially if they’re being photographed.
Heaviness around the upper and lower lids, or larger bags around the eyes may even be able to be dealt with in the office under local anesthetic! Depending on the anatomy and the exact issue, others may require anesthetic in the operating room. These types of procedures carry big bang for the buck and make a big difference in a short amount of time. I still prefer 3-4 weeks before important photos, or at least 2 weeks if just an upper lid lift is performed. This gives time for the scar to hide better, the swelling and bruising to resolve and for you to get used to a slightly different version of yourself.
Finally, injectable treatments often are best done 1-2 weeks prior to big events. Botox© can take up to 2 weeks to reach maximum impact, and having some leeway for minor touch ups is always a plus. Many patients will start planning their injections in late November or early December so that touch ups can be done and bruising or swelling has had a chance to resolve. Botox© is great to help smooth the forehead while still maintaining some natural motion, open up the area around the eyes and lift the brows. It can also be used around the chin or mouth depending on the particular anatomy and concern. Fillers can offer some subtle plumping of lips, restore some of the contours of the cheekbones and help with lines around the mouth as well. My mantra is to be conservative: we want to keep people guessing about what you’re doing to look so refreshed, not guessing about what you may have had done!
Spending time with family and friends should be rejuvenating, and shouldn’t be a time to be anxious about your outward appearance. If you’re looking in the mirror and thinking what you see isn’t what you feel on the inside, talk to a facial plastic surgeon (or two!) Make your priorities clear, and feel free to discuss the level of interventions you’re seeking (something in the office or operating room). Remember to give yourself time to recover regardless of what you choose, and ask your surgeon to be realistic about recovery, possible bruising and swelling. Then sit back while we help you find the things we may be able to do to enhance your already lovely eyes, amazing skin or fantastic lips!
Happy Holidays!
