The Pros and Cons of Getting (and Giving) Plastic Surgery during the Holidays

The holidays are a time for family and friends as well as a time for gift giving. Traditional gifts include clothes, food and toys. However, gifts for adults now include the gift of plastic surgery. It has been estimated that around a third of plastic surgery procedures happen in the last quarter of the calendar year because of the extra time off work thanks to the holidays. In addition, the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) reported in 2016 that cosmetic surgeries and treatments increase by almost 25\\% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. Gift cards are a popular stocking stuffer to pay for nonsurgical treatments such as Botox. More involved surgical procedures such as a facelift or breast augmentation are popular during the holidays because patients have extra time to recover out of the public eye.

Let’s take a look at the people that get, and give, plastic surgery during the holidays!

People that get Plastic Surgery during the Holidays

When it comes to giving plastic surgery as a holiday gift, the most common buyers are husbands and the gift cards are often given to their wives to have breast augmentation. The main difference is that younger husbands often give cosmetic surgery like breast augmentation as a surprise while older couples often discuss having plastic surgery before the gift cards are given to the wife of the couple.

Communication is Key with Plastic Surgery

Communication is a key element in determining if plastic surgery is the correct choice for a holiday gift. This means couples should discuss the topic in advance and come to a mutual agreement about the surgery. In addition, the potential patient should meet with a plastic surgeon in advance to discuss the pros and cons of the desired procedure. An experienced and board-certified plastic surgeon will meet one-on-one with the potential patient to make sure the desired plastic surgery is their idea and not something they are being pressured into by a spouse or partner. If the surgery is simply the idea of the spouse or partner of the patient, that is not the correct motivation to undergo plastic surgery.

In addition, a patient wanting to have plastic surgery because they say they are dissatisfied with their current look is also not a very good reason for the person to have plastic surgery. There have been stories of husbands thinking they are doing the right thing by getting plastic surgery for their spouse because of the numerous times the wife has mentioned how much she dislikes the look of a certain part of her body. The husband bought her a plastic surgery gift card and the wife was insulted and upset by the thought of her husband not liking a certain part of her body.

Besides communicating with the patient so the person is mentally prepared for the changes made by plastic surgery, it is important for the person to also be an ideal physical candidate. The patient needs to be in good physical condition with no lingering medical issues or immediate medical problems that need to be addressed before the plastic surgery can take place.

Popular Surgical and Nonsurgical Cosmetic Surgery during the Holidays

During the holidays, there are multiple surgical and nonsurgical procedures that patients like to have performed to augment their appearance.

Fillers and Botox are two of the most popular nonsurgical treatments during the holiday season. Many patients even have these treatments before Christmas because they want to refresh and rejuvenate their look for holiday parties and the many photographs that will happen during the parties. Fillers can restore lost volume in the face as well as plump the lips and fill-in areas with facial lines. Botox can reduce or eliminate frown lines and wrinkles and give a person a more youthful appearance. The results are almost immediate and the recovery period is only a few hours to a few days.

Surgical procedures are also popular thanks to the increased amount of downtime enjoyed by patients that are off work for the holidays, Any bruising and swelling from a surgical procedure will likely be gone in a week or two which means patients will be ready to see family, friends and their fellow workers when the New Year begins. Some of the most popular surgical procedures when it comes to plastic surgery for the holidays include breast augmentation, breast reduction, liposuction, tummy tuck, neck lift, facelift and upper blepharoplasty. All of these procedures have a recovery period that is lengthier than nonsurgical treatments so patients like to have them during their holiday break so they can relax and recover away from the view of their peers.

First Step in the Holiday Plastic Surgery Process

The first step in undergoing holiday plastic surgery is to schedule a consultation appointment with a board-certified doctor. The plastic surgeon will examine the patient to make sure the person is in good health and also discuss the best options to achieve the desired results. Once the doctor and the patient are on the same page, the final decision can be made about undergoing plastic surgery during the holidays.

MA