If you’re thinking of plastic surgery after pregnancy, safety is obviously your top priority. Some surgeons and patients used to assume that when they combined procedures under one surgery, they were increasing the patient’s risk of complications, but recent evidence suggests otherwise.
In last week’s blog, I explained how a new clinical study I presented shows that combination surgeries have a safety profile very similar to standalone procedures. This week, I’ll show how this information fits within the “big picture” of your procedure choices.
Safe Surgeries vs. Safe Surgeons
To speak plainly: Surgeries are only as safe as the surgeons performing them.
My study looked at the complication rates of over 250 patients receiving a tummy tuck in Los Angeles along with breast enhancement at my practice, Marina Plastic Surgery Associates, over a 10-year period. The results show that combination surgeries have complication and revision rates similar to standalone procedures – when performed by skilled surgeons, in a safe setting, using up-to-date techniques.
Factors like these may increase the risk of plastic surgery after pregnancy:
- Lack of surgeon certification or sufficient training
- Failure of the surgeon to keep up with new techniques
- Failure of the surgeon to maintain high standards for staff education and training
- Poor standards for facility safety
Your surgeon will be more capable and better able to handle any complications that arise if he or she holds board certification from the American Board of Plastic surgery and stays involved with the latest research (weekend seminars aren’t enough).
Keep in mind: not all of your “safe” options are the “best” options for you. In addition, pay attention to surgeon qualifications for your safety and satisfaction with your results.
Learn more:
- Get the basics on combination surgery safety: read post 1 in this two-part series
- Read the latest on my clinical study of combination procedures
- Take the “mommy makeover” quiz
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