There is a lot to consider when deciding how to time your plastic surgery. For one, the season may be important to you based on temperature alone. Holidays and travel are always a consideration, as well as activity limitations after your procedure. Childcare and home responsibilities are just as key as work demands, or the availability of friends and/or family to help out. Here are the main things to consider when it comes to your case.
First, know that there is no perfect time to have plastic surgery. Knowing that, some times are better than others. You can have a very successful procedure in any season, but if you are sensitive to the heat, summer may be less optimal for you. Many procedure require wearing compressive garments, and these can be very warm in 90 degree weather. Summer also usually means smaller clothing, and that can make it hard to hide the garments, the bruises, or the things like drains. Summer is also a time when people usually want to be outside and swimming, which is often not allowed within a few weeks of surgery. That being said, summer is also a time when work slows down and people are more likely to be able to take time off, as well as have fewer childcare responsibilities. So if you can stomach a few weeks of limitations and layered clothing, sometimes it is the best option after all.
The next thing to consider is work responsibilities. Make sure that you know how long you have to take off work and what your actual restrictions will be. You may be able to return to work quickly as long as you can comply with the limitations you were given. You may also want to consider if you will have any visible bruising, splints, or garments that you could not hide at your job. Finally, make sure that whatever physical demands your job puts on you will not be too much to bear when you are sore and recovering
Next comes home and family. It is very important to have childcare and homecare help when you are postop from a procedure. But every procedure is different, and for some you may actually be fine on your own. I usually recommend having someone with you for the first 24 hours at least, and then having someone around for the needed time until you are sure that you can handle everything normally. In many cases, this ia great time to have close family come visit. You can take some time off work, spend it with them, and receive their care all at once.
Holidays generally become a very large focus in the timing of plastic surgery. For some people, this is the perfect time to take off and hide at home with their bandages. Family is often present, and children do not need to get taken to school. For other people however, their own holiday related responsibilities and their desire to actually celebrate in comfort prevent them from using this time for that purpose. Half of the time, it works out just right to use the days, and the other half of the time, surgery is planned right when the trip ends.
Finally, there are some cases where life dictates what is possible. For actors, performers, and celebrities, the only possible time is in between shootings. At that point, patients often plan way ahead and schedule for the first day of the hiatus. This can lead to some last-minute adjustments, but it usually works out well. For these patients, there are generally only one or two times of year that they can do something for themselves, so getting ahead of it is the only answer.
In the end, the perfect time for plastic surgery is whatever works for you. Finances are also a consideration, and you may want to coordinate with your bonus or tax refund, or uncoordinate with other large planned expenses. But an investment in plastic surgery is an investment in yourself, and that is often the best reward.
