Featured Experts
Dr. Jerry Chidester, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Draper, Utah
Dr. Steven Williams, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Dublin, California
A major part of getting plastic surgery is simply budgeting the time to do it, since recovery times can last anywhere from a week to several months, depending on the procedure (not to mention, asking for time off from work can be tricky). And the timeline might surprise you: for instance, you can be back at your desk within a week of breast augmentation but might need an additional few days to account for swelling and bruising post-liposuction.
That said, some of it is under your control if you’re hoping for a quicker return to your usual activities. “How well patients follow post-op instructions is a huge part of a speedy recovery compared to a slow one,” says Dr. Jerry Chidester, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Draper, Utah. For instance, wearing compression garments, getting lymphatic drainage to reduce swelling, and even eating a nutrient-dense diet can help you fit a surgery into your time frame, he says. With that, here’s what you might have time for, depending on what you’re looking to get.
Procedures that require only one week of downtime
For less invasive procedures, the extent of downtime can involve a combination of swelling, the risk of complications, and your general comfort, says Dr. Steven Williams, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Dublin, California. If the pain is generally tolerable and swelling doesn’t last long, then a week can be enough time to get your procedure. (That said, keep in mind that you “do need to maintain upkeep for the recommended postoperative care,” he says. In other words, plan ahead for follow-up appointments.)
Blepharoplasty
An eye lift can help open the eye area, which is prone to sagging with age as the skin becomes more lax. One major advantage is that you don’t have to go under general anesthesia. “This can be done on a patient who is wide awake, with local anesthesia,” says Dr. Chidester. While some sutures will dissolve, those that remain can be removed after a week—after which point “you’re able to resume regular daily activities,” he says.
Breast augmentation
Unless your day-to-day activities involve heavy lifting, breast augmentation comes with a relatively fast downtime and minimal pain. “Most women are able to return to work after even a few days,” says Dr. Chidester. That said, it’s critical to pay attention to your limitations in physical activity—like visits to the gym, Dr. Williams adds.
For instance, you won’t be able to lift more than 10 pounds for roughly four to six weeks. That’s especially the case if the implants are placed under the muscles in the chest; lifting too soon can contribute to excess swelling and bruising and even hematoma (a collection of blood in the chest), according to Dr. Chidester. Plus if you get significantly larger implants, “you could potentially have a higher risk of bleeding and more swelling,” he says, adding that this isn’t always the case.
Procedures that require two to three weeks of downtime
While swelling, pain management, and the potential for complications can factor into a longer recovery time, other things can also stretch it out. For instance, when plotting out your timeline, it also helps to “focus on dressing changes, drain management, and following a postoperative physical therapy or medication regimen,” says Dr. Williams.
Liposuction
It’s entirely possible to remove a large volume of fat via liposuction and be back to your regular schedule after about a week, says Dr. Chidester, although the area “can be quite tender for patients, and there will be some swelling for several weeks,” he says. Since there might be some lingering pain, two to three weeks is preferable—which should give you enough time to get more comfortable. (However, he warns against doing things like dancing, so add even more cushion to your timeline if you have a big event, like a wedding, coming up).
The advantage of liposuction is that you can treat multiple areas at once, if you want to, without it extending your downtime. “For example, if someone has liposuction on their abdomen, the recovery time is similar to if they have liposuction on their abdomen, flanks, and thighs,” says Dr. Williams. Obviously, you might have additional tenderness in all of the areas that have been operated on, “but the body heals these areas simultaneously—and the overall recovery and downtime are the same,” he says.
Tummy tuck
An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is one of the more invasive procedures out there, says Dr. Chidester; it involves tightening the abdominal muscles and removing excess skin from the area for a smooth, contoured midsection. The first week can be intense in terms of pain and swelling, and having extra help (both physical and emotional) can be a good idea.
However, “after two weeks, most patients are able to return to work but with lifting restrictions,” says Dr. Chidester. Keep in mind though: two weeks should be the absolute minimum—even better would be to reserve three weeks for this one, just to make sure you’re up to moving around more, since (like any surgery) it comes with a risk of complications.
Facelift
If you have a few weeks to work with, you might want to consider a facelift, says Dr. Williams. The exact length of your downtime largely depends on the exact type of facelift you get, with a deep plane facelift requiring more recovery time than the SMAS procedure (which targets the more superficial fascial tissue layer).
Either way, the first week can be hard; you may be able to eat only soft foods, like smoothies and soups. But by the two-week mark, you may be able to go out and about without anyone knowing that you’ve just had surgery.
Procedures that require more than a month of downtime
Major surgeries that require extensive incisions come with more downtime, since “there can be more risk in terms of postoperative bleeding and swelling,” says Dr. Williams. That translates to a much longer recovery period. The timeline also depends on where exactly you’re getting your surgery. Generally speaking, the more parts of your body that are involved, “the more invasive we are—and the more the body has to swell and heal,” says Dr. Chidester.
Body lift
While there are a number of treatments for Ozempic-related body concerns, few beat a 360 body lift—ideal for addressing excess skin from significant weight loss, due to either GLP-1s or bariatric surgery. “These can just make it much more cumbersome for patients to mobilize, so they can lead to prolonged recovery times,” says Dr. Chidester, who notes that patients will start to feel more normal around the six-week mark—and fully back to normal, if not better, by six months out. “If this is combined with poor post-op nutrition supplementation, then the wound healing for all the areas will be delayed as well.”
Also worth keeping in mind: “Some of these procedures may be associated with higher instances of complications,” says Dr. Williams. Because of this, they usually require a closer follow-up with your physician, to ensure you get the best possible results.
