If you have to split the two surgeries up of tummy tuck and breast lift, which is better to do first?

Hello, Gmom! This can be understood in two ways. First, there is no 'absolute' correct answer as to which surgery should occur first. Planning for each of these steps is important, and they should fit into your home and work schedules. There is more pain and more downtime following the abdominal surgery. The lifting and mobility restrictions are correspondingly more severe and longer. In our practice, we advise patients that it may be 4-6 weeks before you can resume your normal activities, but we do not want patients exercising until 8 weeks, and strenuously exercising until 12 weeks. For most patients, the breast lift procedure is far easier postoperatively. There is less postoperative pain and it tends to resolve much more quickly (almost always). There is very little interruption of their normal activities such as walking, sitting, etc. There are limitations on using your upper body for several weeks, but much, much less that the tummy tuck. So these considerations should be taken into account. Second, that having been said, I would prefer to do the abdominal surgery first because the skin tightening will pull on the lower breast fold (the inframammary fold) and give me a better idea where the fold will be. Often the fold needs to be raised or lowered to achieve the correct proportions for the breast shape. Just some thoughts. Best of luck! Respectfully, Jules A Feledy, Jr, MD American Board of Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgery

Which procedure to do first is strictly your choice. It makes no difference. Which ever area bothers you the most is the area I would fix first.

Good luck,

Greg Sexton, M. D.

Columbia South Carolina