Should I stop tanning before my mommy makeover?

You should really ask your plastic surgeon his or her opinion regarding this, but you should likely be fine tanning before your surgery.  However, you should keep in mind that tanning is very bad for your skin and will produce more skin laxity and wrinkles long-term as well as increase your risk for skin cancer.  After surgery, it is going to be very important to avoid tanning or at least keep the scars covered from UV exposure for upwards of a year after surgery.  Your plastic surgeon will make specific recommendations.  Best of luck with your surgery!

Dear Mom of Two, Tanning before surgery should be fine but be careful about sun burns. Following surgery however I don't like my patients tanning and exposing any area with a surgical incision to sun or tanning beds bc of healing and pigmentation that occurs with exposure. You can eventually tan again if you wish but wouldn't recommend it after surgery for several months. Best of Luck 

Hello Mommyoftwo.Tanning before the operation will likely not affect your healing. However, a serious burn (if you over do it) could delay your surgery until the skin heals. Since you want the best results, I suggest you ask your plastic surgeon about preoperative vitamins and supplements which can aid in healing.Best wishes, Dr. ALDO 

Thank you for your question. There is no medical reason that tanning before surgery poses any risks, although i would recommend to avoid getting surn burn. Also avoid going under the sun to get a tan after the surgery for at least 6 months to help with scarring. Combination procedures can give powerful results but SAFETY is KEY.  You definitely have to choose your surgeon correctly and make sure that he/she has the training and experience to meet your goals with absolute safety.  Don’t settle for less than a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with specialized expertise in this procedure.

This question is best answered by your surgeon, but most will agree that avoiding the tanning beds is best for your skin due to risk of burning. After surgery you will need to protect the surgical area from the sun for several weeks. Your incisions should be sun protected for up to a year to avoid hyperpigmentation. We encourage using sunscreen every day for your skin's health.

It would be a good idea to ask you own surgeon's opinion about discontinuing tanning at a tanning salon before surgery. In general, we know that tanning damages the skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer and causing premature wrinkling and pigmentation irregularities. My advice to my patients who want to be darker, is to switch to spray tanning, which if done skillfully looks great and is safe.

Tanning before surgery should be no problem.  I agree that after surgery, any uv exposure to your surgical incisions could affect wound healing and scarring in a negative away so I would recommend avoiding tanning for several weeks after surgery.

Thank you for the question! There is no reason for you to stop tanning prior to a mommy makeover. Naturally, you should take precautions to avoid sunburns. After your procedure, however, you should suspend tanning because it involves ultraviolet radiation, which may adversely impact your scars and other areas of your skin.
An in-person exam with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the best way to assess your needs and obtain expert medical advice. Best of luck!