Is mini facelift and breast augmentation with lift too much discomfort in recovery for 1 surgery?

Question

Getting mini facelift SMAS and lateral platysmal tightening, little lipo under chin. Also , getting breast augmentation saline under muscle with lift. Planning on all in one surgery but wondering if discomfort after surgery will be too much. Dr. said should take approximately 3.5 hours. Healthy 47 year old woman.

Marc DuPéré, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.In my practice, I like to keep the surgical procedure under 6 hours after which, complications such as infections, vein clotting, pneumonia, etc. increase.I don't claim to be the fastest surgeon and the combination of all listed procedures would be more than 3,5 hours in my hands.  There is a lot of sowing involved.That being said, it would be under 6 hours.  I include fat grafting and anterior neck muscle repair.You will be amazed to see that facial surgery is not very painful.  You might have some discomfort behind the ears where the SMAS is anchored.The breast lift is also not very painful.Breast augmentation is, however, more tender, especially when done under the pectoral muscle.  This will be the limiting factor in the first few days of your surgery.The body tends to feel the one area where the pain is most.Good luck with your procedure!Best regards.

Miguel Delgado, MD · Answer

Combination of surgeries is very common as long as the patient is in good health. Be sure to pick your surgeon carefully, make sure he/she is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and view many before and after pictures. Good luck!

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

We actually perform quite a few of these procedures at our clinic - facelift/neck lift with breast surgery.  It's not too much surgery not is it too much pain.  As long as your surgeon is able to do both in a reasonable time.  Some may take longer with each part and I personally do not recommend going over 4 hrs for an elective case as it increases risk of complications such as infection and blood clots.

John J. O'Brien, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. If your general health is good and you can plan appropriately in terms of any post-operative recovery I do not believe that this is too much to do in one operation. Quite frequently we will perform multiple procedures on appropriately screened patients. Discussed all of this at length with any potential treating plastic surgeon. Best of luck.

Marc Pacifico, MD, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Many thanks for posting your question.Whilst it is possible to have this combination of procedures in one sitting, it is quite a lot to recover from. Personally, this amount of surgery would take me more than 3.5 hours if I was working alone, so perhaps your surgeon will be working with a colleague, or the facelift will be "mini" as you suggest - but what exactly is meant by that is unclear.I would discuss in depth with your surgeon what exactly is planned, and what outcomes to expect, as well as the longevity of the result.Good luck

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA · Answer

The time for your surgeon to perform these procedures sound reasonable and the plane is reasonable.  Whether this is too much based on anticipated pain is very subjective.  Only you will ultimately decide if it was too much.

Paul Wigoda, MD · Answer

The amount of discomfort a patient has after surgery depends not only on the patient's tolerance for pain but the surgeon's technique. My patients typically have virtually no pain after an augmentation, with or without a lift. Similary for a facelift, the pain should be minimal afterward. Its reasonable to do them both together if you have no other medical contraindications. I question the time estimate of 3.5 hours to do an adequate job on both procedures if its being done by one surgeon. Best of luck.Paul Wigoda, MDpainlessbreastimplants.com

Todd C. Miller, MD · Answer

Hi rn2013, it is definitely possible to do both procedures in the same surgery. However, that can be a lot to recover from. You want to put yourself in the best position possible to heal. If you are overwhelmed with discomfort following surgery it may make you more susceptible to post-operative complications. I also question the ability to complete both procedures in 3.5 hours unless two surgeons are working together.

Samir Shureih, MD · Answer

Facelift done properly and with attention to fine details takes 3.5 hours.Breast augmentation with breast lift another 3.5 hours.Unless two surgeons (Plastic Surgeons) working at the same time.In plastic surgery , different than any other surgery, attention to fine details is the most important for achieving the best cosmetic results.Running through a procedure is the cause of having revision surgery so often.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

A mini lift and a breast augmentation can be performed at the same time. In our practice, we do not perform mini lifts, because they only give mini results  and do not last  very long. We also do not use painful pressure wraps after a facelift, and use drains  which are much more tolerable. A facelift in our practice takes anywhere from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours to perform under a general anesthetic.

Is mini facelift and breast augmentation with lift too much discomfort in recovery for 1 surgery?

Answers (10)

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