{"id":27093,"date":"2023-12-21T14:21:17","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T22:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=27093"},"modified":"2024-01-02T11:02:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T19:02:07","slug":"what-to-do-before-getting-plastic-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/what-to-do-before-getting-plastic-surgery","title":{"rendered":"6 Things to Do Now If You Want Plastic Surgery in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Featured Experts<\/strong>
Dr. Brandon Richland<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Fountain Valley, California
Dr. Norman Rowe<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

If you’re ready to take the saying “New Year, new you” in a more literal sense—like finally springing for the rhinoplasty<\/a> you’ve always wanted or getting liposuction<\/a> to take care of that workout-resistant area—then it’s incredibly helpful to plan ahead.<\/p>

After all, plastic surgery can be a big medical procedure, and one for which prepping in advance can give you the best possible experience in terms of scheduling, recovery, and final results. Here, we asked surgeons to share what you should do now if you plan to get a nip or tuck in 2024.<\/p>

Get to a healthy weight<\/h2>

As well known as it is important, being at a healthy weight is critical ahead of any surgery, plastic or otherwise. “This not only helps decrease your risk of complications but also allows the plastic surgeon to shape your tissues more easily—leading to a better result,” says Dr. Brandon Richland<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Fountain Valley, California. <\/p>

Plus, depending on your surgery, it can make a big difference in your satisfaction. “There is a limit to how much tissue and weight can be removed per surgical session,” says Dr. Richland. “For liposuction, this limit is five liters—about 11 pounds—so if you are closer to your healthy goal weight, the results will be much better.”<\/p>

Also worth noting: even if you’re already at a healthy BMI, eating a healthy, balanced diet and regularly exercising can “help incisions heal,” says board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Norman Rowe<\/a>, who practices in New York City.<\/p>

Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/div>

Stop smoking or vaping<\/h2>

In breaking news to no one, smoking<\/a> is terrible for your overall health—and an especially bad idea if you’re planning to get plastic surgery. “The nicotine and carbon monoxide in smoking leads to poor blood circulation, which can result in higher incidence of complications, such as the death of fat cells, or fat necrosis,” says Dr. Richland.<\/p>

It can also interfere with the healing of any post-op incision. This interference “directly correlates to incision-healing complications and adverse scars,” says Dr. Rowe. Ultimately, the sooner you stop, the better—although you’ll still have some risks just from having smoked at all compared to nonsmokers.<\/p>

And the same goes for vaping, says Dr. Richland. Sami Sheen, the 19-year-old daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, publicly shared that she had to kick her vaping habit ahead of getting breast augmentation<\/a>.<\/p>

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