How Long Will the Effects of Plastic Surgery Last?

With millions of cosmetic treatments and procedures that are performed every year, plastic surgery has become one of the most popular ways to improve and maintain our physical appearance. Whether you wish to restore a youthful look to your face, increase the size of your breasts, or tone the contours of your body, plastic surgery can help you achieve your desires. Even though plastic surgery typically provides individuals with effective results that are very satisfying, potential patients sometimes ask how exactly long they can expect their new look to last.

Breast Augmentation: A breast augmentation enhances the fullness and projection of the breasts using either saline or silicone implants in the breasts. The results of breast augmentation surgery last 15 to 20 years, as long as patients maintain their normal body weight and are finished with pregnancies. This number does not take into account complications that may occur sooner, such as implant rupture.

Breast Lift: A breast lift corrects the appearance of sagging breasts and drooping nipples by elevating the breasts and repositioning the nipples to a higher position. Patients can expect their results to last years as long as they maintain a normal body weight and are done having children. Predicting exactly how long results will last is difficult in that the severity of breast sag and the quality of their skin varies. For the most optimal results, patients should be at their ideal weight before surgery, since additional weight gain or weight loss has a direct effect on the results.

Liposuction: Liposuction is a method of body contouring that is performed by removing localized fat deposits from various areas of the body. The results of liposuction are permanent barring that patients don’t gain weight. However, although liposuction removes a select amount of fat tissue from the body, it should not be viewed as a form of weight loss surgery.

Facelift: A facelift addresses sagging skin and wrinkles located between the midface and neck. The results of facelift surgery usually lasts between 5 to 10 years, although the extent of factors such as sun exposure and the natural aging process affect the overall outcome. Adding fat injections to the face at the time of facelift seems to improve the longevity of the lift.

Of course, there are many factors such as diet, disease, and sun exposure that can affect the longevity of your results. This is why I encourage you to follow a healthy diet and exercise regimen, as well as always wear broad-spectrum sun protection whenever possible.

If you think that plastic surgery is right for you or you have questions about a certain procedure, feel free to contact my Arizona practice today. You may call (480) 890-0600 or conveniently fill out our online contact form to get started. I look forward to meeting you soon and helping you get the look you want.