People going into a consultation for a plastic surgery procedure often have many questions, one of the most common of these being the amount of time the procedure itself will take.
This question is often very fascinating, partly because under anaesthetic they won’t feel how long it takes, but also that in keeping with the traditional definition of plastic it is shaped around the complexity of the procedure that is desired.
A complex facial reconstruction will take longer than a breast enlargement, for example, and that is to be expected.
However, when people ask how long plastic surgery takes, they often do not just mean the procedure itself but the preparation and recovery time, all of which depend on which surgery you take.
Instead of providing a single answer, therefore, it is important to look at several common procedures and see how long each of these takes.
Vaser Liposuction
A highly popular minimally invasive procedure to remove stubborn fat, Vaser liposuction typically takes between an hour and three hours depending on how intense the procedure is, and whether it needs to be done under local or general anaesthetic.
Recovery times can vary considerably, from a few hours in the clinic and a few days of recovery at home to an overnight stay for more intense procedures.
Breast Enlargement
One of the most common, popular and routine cosmetic surgeries undertaken, breast enlargement surgery is a surgical procedure where implants are added to increase a patient’s bust size, alter their shape or make them even.
It can take as little as an hour to complete, although often takes around 90 minutes, and recovery is typically the same day, although if the surgery is late enough you may need to stay overnight.
It can take a few weeks to recover and have your stitches removed.
Breast Reduction
By contrast, breast reduction surgery, both for men and women, can be a bit more varied, depending on the nature of the surgery, the goals and its scale.
Typically, a breast reduction surgery can take between one and two hours, with smaller reductions taking around 60 minutes and larger reductions with no complexities typically taking around 90 minutes.
Brazilian Butt Lift
A natural-looking procedure that helps give women a fuller, rounder, thicker backside, a Brazilian butt lift is a unique surgery that provides some excellent results.
As for timescales, a BBL typically takes around three hours to perform, although it can take anywhere between two and five hours, because it involves taking fat from one part of your body, preparing it and injecting it back into the body.
It has a longer recovery time than most of the procedures mentioned so far, in no small part because this recovery process is one that can affect how you sleep and move around during the day.
For the first two weeks of recovery, you need to avoid sitting down and lying on your back, as sitting can impact the results. As well as this, you will need to keep hydrated and moving to aid with recovery.
