How Long Will I Have to Stay Home After Plastic Surgery?
Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica
Plastic surgery procedures achieve stunning results but require some social and occupational downtime. The beginning stages of the recovery process require time for your body to heal, and you should arrange to be absent from work and social obligations during this time.
Los Angeles-area plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim can determine the best procedure for your aesthetic goals and explain what to expect in the recovery process. Please contact E. Kim Plastic Surgery today to learn more.
Downtime for Plastic Surgery
Following is a list of some common plastic surgery procedures, and how long each procedure will require you to stay at home. It is important to note that recovery varies greatly from person to person, and you may find your downtime is shorter or longer than what is listed here.
- Breast surgery: Breast augmentation and breast lifts require 1-2 weeks of downtime. For breast augmentation, downtime will depend greatly on the incision type and the placement of the breast implant. Placement beneath muscle often requires more recovery time than placement above the muscle.
- Body contouring: For liposuction, downtime depends mostly on the extent of the treatment area. Most modern liposuction techniques require only local anesthetic, so there is no general anesthesia recovery. Most patients return to work in less than a week. For a tummy tuck, downtime is usually two weeks.
- Rhinoplasty: Rhinoplasty recovery depends greatly on your specific procedure. Many rhinoplasty patients return after a week, when bandages are removed. Other patients prefer to wait two weeks, when the signs of surgery are less obvious.
- Facial plastic surgery: For a facelift, bruising and swelling will reduce within two weeks, when most people return to work. Many non-surgical facial treatments, like BOTOX, require no downtime at all.
Social and Occupational Downtime
Social downtime will be determined by your own comfort level. Some patients will not feel comfortable having dinner with friends until all swelling and bruising have subsided. Other patients may wait until they feel up to socializing and then use makeup to conceal remaining bruising and scars.
All of these procedures require more time off from work if your job duties require heavy lifting or strenuous activity. Computer-based jobs can often be returned to sooner because these occupations do not require physical exertion.
Learn more about how to prepare for plastic surgery.
If you are interested in a plastic surgery procedure and live in the Beverly Hills, Santa Monica or Los Angeles areas, please contact experienced plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim to schedule a consultation.
