It's widely accepted now that multiple plastic surgery procedures can be done at one time. This is a very compelling notion for many who are considering surgery for two leading reasons: time and money.
A variety of candidates for cosmetic surgery are interested in more than one procedure--men and women who have lost weight, people who are aging and women who want to restore their pre-childbirth body. What could be better than getting it all done at the same time and facing just one recovery period? And isn't it that much easier to hand over the money when you're paying for the anesthesiologist and surgical suite just once?
As cosmetic surgery becomes more routine with each passing year and more people elect to go under the knife, the body of knowledge regarding what's safe grows larger and larger. Several studies have been done that demonstrate that certain combination surgeries are quite safe. Breast surgery and abdominoplasty are a classic combination, for instance, and many times a little liposuction can be performed in the same procedure. This popular combination is marketed far and wide as the "Mommy Makeover." Cosmetic surgeons often perform several facial operations in one go as well. And it's not unusual for patients to have breast surgery and an arm lift, or brachioplasty, at the same time.
With that said, it's far from automatic that any patient can have any combination of procedures safely. If you're considering combination plastic surgery, you should know there are a few factors to take into account.
First, most plastic surgeons will keep maximum surgical time to between five and six hours for a healthy patient--limiting the time the patient lies motionless under general anesthesia and minimizing blood loss. This approach helps decrease the risk of post-surgical blood clots and poor wound healing. If you're a patient with certain health conditions, such as diabetes or a circulatory disorder, or if you smoke or take certain medications, you may be limited to even more conservative surgical plans (and some surgeons may not view you as a candidate at all).
Second, your plastic surgeon will consider the discomfort you're likely to experience in recovery. Some will go to great lengths to try to accommodate your wishes for multiple procedures, but many surgeons will refuse certain combinations based on how difficult your post-surgical period will be. For example, if you're considering a butt lift or butt augmentation and a procedure on your breasts or abdomen, you will then be healing on both sides of your body and resting comfortably after surgery might be next to impossible. Many surgeons refuse to perform a combination like this one.
Similarly, many cosmetic surgeons are extra careful about combining arm lifts with certain procedures for the lower part of the body, such as a thigh lift, reasoning that the more tender your lower half the more you will need to use your arms to get up and get around. For though you will be resting a good portion of your post-operative period, your surgeon will want you to be able to move around to improve your circulation and decrease the risk of blood clots and pneumonia.
The bottom line is that you are an individual, complete with your own unique medical history and body characteristics. You also have job requirements, a personal life and budget to think about, as well as the goals and priorities you have in mind as you consider cosmetic surgery. It's essential to consult more than one plastic surgeon who makes a sincere effort to understand all these aspects of your life and counsels you about a surgical plan that puts your safety first.
References:
http://www.marinaplasticsurgery.com/plastic-surgery-news/news-tummy-tuck-breast-augmentation.cfm
http://www.realself.com/question/wise-procedures-surgery