Holiday Plastic Surgery

One of the biggest reasons people delay getting a facial plastic surgery procedure is due to the downtime required to heal. For some, it’s the time taken off of work and lost wages. For others, it’s not wanting to use vacation time to recover from an elective procedure. Some also have a difficult time finding a friend or family member who can take time off to help during the recovery process. But what if you can combine an extended holiday with your facial plastic surgery procedure? Is holiday plastic surgery right for you? Consider the pros and cons of holiday plastic surgery and discuss scheduling questions with Dr. Hecht, our staff, and your chosen caregiver.

The Pros of Holiday Plastic Surgery

The holiday season is full of “free” days off of work and school. Four days off during Thanksgiving and extended time off for the Christmas holiday mean no lost wages or missed classes for both patient and caregiver. This is why many patients opt to have their facial plastic surgery procedures at the start of their holiday break.

The Drawbacks of Holiday Plastic Surgery

While the holidays can basically feel like free time for recovery, there are a few drawbacks to having your facial plastic surgery during the holidays that you should be prepared for. While you’re recovering, you will be limited in your ability to participate in certain activities. If you’re expecting to be in a full house during your recovery, with a lot of visitors, it could also be difficult to get the rest necessary for faster healing. Finally, while recovering from facial plastic surgery, you might not want to be in family photos during holiday celebrations like family meals and opening gifts (if you’re feeling well enough to participate). Depending on how important that is to you, it’s worth considering before scheduling your surgery for this time period.

Is Holiday Plastic Surgery Right For Me?

If you’re concerned about missed work or school, or you can only get a trustworthy caregiver during the holidays, it’s worth considering a holiday plastic surgery procedure. It’s important to discuss dates with your preferred caregiver to ensure that time period works for them, and equally important that wherever you are recovering will be quiet and restful. While we all enjoy being around little ones during the holidays, recovering from surgery isn’t a great time to catch up with rambunctious preschool aged nieces and nephews who haven’t seen you in awhile. Keep this in mind as you consider a holiday plastic surgery procedure.

Other Times to Schedule a Facial Plastic Surgery Procedure

If the fall and winter holidays don’t work for you, there are other times of year that can be a good choice to have facial plastic surgery. College and high school students, in addition to teachers and other school employees, choose spring break and summer vacation for their facial plastic surgery procedures. Others will combine an extended weekend with vacation or sick days to take time off from work to recover from facial plastic surgery. Then there’s simply using vacation time and unused sick days for facial plastic surgery recovery. It’s all up to you how you want to schedule your time off to recover from your own facial plastic surgery.

What About Non-Surgical Treatments?

If you’re considering a non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedure such as laser skin resurfacing, Botox, or medical-grade skin care treatments, your recovery time will be substantially shorter and less restricting. In this case, the most important scheduling consideration is making sure that common side effects such as facial redness, swelling, and bruising have subsided prior to an important event. For injectables, full results are visible within 2-3 weeks. Laser skin treatments and chemical peels can take a week or more to heal. Discuss timing considerations with Dr. Hecht during your consultation.

Schedule a Consultation for Facial Plastic Surgery in Scottsdale

Before we can schedule your surgery, a consultation is required to understand the scope of your surgery and if you’re a good candidate. Schedule a consultation with Dr. David A. Hecht, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Scottsdale, AZ to find out if facial plastic surgery is right for you.