Plastic Surgeon Sees Success in Combining Cosmetic Procedures

CHICAGO, IL, July 21, 2012 (Press-News.org) Patients can amplify the effects of cosmetic procedures while reducing their recovery time by undergoing multiple surgeries simultaneously, says Dr. Thomas A. Mustoe, who practices plastic surgery in Chicago.

"I've found that patients who are interested in more than one surgical procedure do well, both physically and psychologically, when we combine them," says Dr. Mustoe, who has decades of experience performing procedures such as breast augmentation and tummy tuck in Chicago. "I've heard enthusiastic comments from many of my multiple-surgery patients about the excitement they felt upon seeing a marked improvement as they healed."

That first look in the mirror after liposuction and a breast lift performed in conjunction, for example, is only part of the advantage of combining surgical procedures.

"From a medical standpoint, the main benefit lies in the shorter recovery time," Dr. Mustoe says. "For example, a breast lift requires a recuperation time of at least a week or two before the patient resumes normal activities. A tummy tuck has an even longer recovery. Combining these surgeries translates into a healing period that is simply equal to the longer of the two, rather than tacking them onto each other by having the surgeries at different times."

This can also provide a mental boost because it reduces the total amount of time that a patient must refrain from physical activities that he or she enjoys. Less recuperation time leads to patients who are overall more content with their surgery results.

"People turn to plastic surgeons in Chicago to help them feel good about themselves," Dr. Mustoe says. "I tell my patients that they can magnify their physical and mental well-being by combining treatments -- if they're already considering having more than one, of course."

This multiple-procedure approach is often referred to as a Mommy Makeover, since it can address the physical changes that frequently result from pregnancy by combining a breast lift, a tummy tuck and perhaps liposuction. Yet, combined surgeries can also benefit women and men who have lost large amounts of weight and are left with excess, sagging skin in several areas, Dr. Mustoe says.

Dr. Thomas A. Mustoe is a world-renowned, board-certified plastic surgeon in Chicago. He is an innovator in the field of plastic surgery and is one of the nation's top plastic surgery educators. Dr. Mustoe graduated cum laude from Harvard College, as well as cum laude from Harvard Medical School. He served as a Stuteville Professor at Northwestern University and Chief of Plastic Surgery from 1991 to 2010. His work has been published in many peer-reviewed publications, and he has been featured on national television shows. He offers a full range of surgical and non-surgical procedures, including liposuction, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation and BOTOX Cosmetic.