Reasons to Get Plastic Surgery During Cooler Weather

January 14, 2019 Norman H. Rappaport M.D.

If you’re thinking about refreshing your appearance, winter is an ideal time to undergo surgical cosmetic procedures and nonsurgical skin treatments. Life slows down a bit, allowing patients to take time off from their regular activities to recover. Cooler days mean warmer clothes, which provide more coverage from sun exposure and can conceal compression garments that are often worn during the recovery period. Additionally, the cooler months tend to move people indoors, further reducing sun exposure. At the Houston Center for Plastic Surgery, under the expert guidance of Dr. Norman Rappaport, we offer a variety of cosmetic procedures and nonsurgical treatments to enhance your appearance and get you ready for summer.

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in the United States. Patients love how breast augmentation gives them a fuller bosom, a more youthful appearance and a shapely figure. Breast augmentation may be performed as a single procedure, or in combination with another surgery like a breast lift to improve overall results. Dr. Rappaport will evaluate your current breast tissue, listen to your goals and consider various breast implant characteristics to create the optimal breast enhancement plan for you.

Dr. Rappaport uses the Crisalix 3D system to give you a better idea of what your body will look like after your breast augmentation. By uploading photos of your body into the Crisalix system, Dr. Rappaport can create a 3D simulation, allowing you to “try on” breast augmentation options and use them to help you make a more informed, confident decision.

Breast augmentation is an outpatient surgical procedure performed using general anesthesia. After breast augmentation surgery, you will be given a support wrap to wear, which minimizes swelling and promotes the healing process. Minimal discomfort after surgery can be effectively managed with non-narcotic oral medications. You will be up and around on the evening of your surgery and can return to most regular activities within a few days. Light exercise is usually resumed after three weeks. The best part about having breast augmentation in the winter also means that your breasts will be fully healed and ready for more revealing summer clothes.

Liposuction

Another surgical procedure that is at the top of everyone’s list is liposuction, a minimally invasive treatment designed to remove excess fat cells from the body. The benefits of liposuction include:

Permanent removal of stubborn, unwanted fat pockets
A smoother physique
Clothes fit better and look better
Immediate, noticeable results

The procedure is performed with local or general anesthesia, based on the patient, the size of the treatment area and as recommended by Dr. Rappaport. A thin cannula, or tube, is inserted under the skin to disrupt fat cells and gently suction them out of the body. Most patients return home the day of the procedure.

There can be minor swelling and bruising in the treatment area following the procedure, and a compression garment should be worn after surgery to aid in healing and to help protect the treatment area. Winter clothing will also cover and protect the area while concealing the compression garment and any bruising or swelling. There is minimal downtime following liposuction; however, we recommend that patients slowly ease back into exercise or exertion.

Facial Rejuvenation

Aging, heredity and sun exposure can have a negative impact on nearly every aspect of your face, from your skin to your eyes, making you look tired or older than you really are. If drooping skin on your eyelids or other areas of your face is bothering you – either aesthetically or functionally – Dr. Rappaport offers a variety of surgical and nonsurgical options to address your individual issues. For severely sagging skin on your face, a facelift can restore a smoother, younger appearance.

To address excess skin on the upper or lower lids that make you look tired or angry, eyelid surgery, refreshes the eyes and gives them a lively and more youthful appearance. Dr. Rappaport also has extensive experience in chin augmentation, rhinoplasty and brow lifts, and each procedure can be used alone or in combination with other treatments to freshen up your appearance, leaving you looking like a more rested version of yourself.

Each of the above surgeries requires general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, and patients typically return home the day of the procedure. Undergoing facial rejuvenation during the winter is optimal because you will need some downtime afterward – up to two weeks, depending on the extent of your surgery. After that, makeup can hide any temporary discoloration or bruising that remains following your procedure. Exercise is not recommended for at least three weeks to allow adequate time for healing. The cooler months tend to mean more time indoors and less exposure to the sun, which will ultimately help reduce sun exposure and other environmental factors from adversely affecting your results.

Nonsurgical Procedures

Cooler weather tends to bring people indoors and encourages clothing that provides more coverage when outdoors. These behaviors minimize sun exposure, which is imperative if you have a cosmetic skin treatment. Skin treatments often involve some degree of skin resurfacing, which can leave the treated area tender and thus more susceptible to the damaging rays of the sun. Less sun exposure means that your skin will heal better and further avoidance of the sun can help your results last longer.

Our MedSpa offers a variety of nonsurgical procedures to refresh and rejuvenate your appearance:

IPL Photofacial: Delivers intense pulsed light to minimize age spots, improve rosacea, reduce redness, treat acne, reduce pore size and reduce the appearance of broken capillaries.
Botox: Precisely placed injections relax facial muscles and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles that develop as a result of repetitive facial movements.
Dermal Fillers: Plumps lips, cheeks and sunken areas of the face while smoothing out deep facial lines through strategically placed injections.
Kybella: A series of injections that kill stubborn fat cells under the chin, revealing a smooth jawline and eliminating a pesky double chin.
Ultherapy: Ultrasound energy is used to stimulate collagen production on the brow, chin, neck and décolletage, which tightens and firms the skin without surgery, downtime or recovery time.
Medical Microdermabrasion: Mechanical exfoliation that removes the top layer of skin to smooth and soften your complexion, decrease pore size, improve uneven pigmentation, and reduce the appearance of fine lines.
Chemical Peels: Stimulates cell rejuvenation and brightens skin by removing the outer layer of dead skin cells.
Medical Facials: Rejuvenates your appearance through a combination of micro-exfoliation, deep cleaning, aromatherapy and skin care products.
Dermaplaning: Removes facial hair and dead skin cells from your entire face, revealing a smooth and radiant complexion.

Schedule a Consultation

The cooler months are the perfect time to enhance your appearance and prepare to flaunt your best self during the fast-approaching days of summer. To learn more about the surgical procedures and noninvasive treatments we offer, call the Houston Center for Plastic Surgery at 713-955-7281 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Rappaport.