Ask Dr. Pane! How long should I wait to have another plastic surgery procedure?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get at Atlantic Coast Aesthetics is, “How long should I wait between cosmetic surgery procedures?” Dr. Thomas A. Pane, our founder and Chief Medical Officer, addressed this in a recent Instagram Live broadcast, because it is such a common question and the ramifications of it can be severe, as we discussed in a previous Ask Dr. Pane segment. As a double board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Pane always places the safety of patients uppermost in mind!

As a general rule, and particularly if you’re going to undergo liposuction in the same areas, Dr. Pane says six months between aesthetic plastic surgery procedures is a good starting point. By installing wait times between procedures, patients find they have reduced recovery time, a lower risk of postoperative complications and sometimes even find the other procedures they had planned are no longer necessary. Especially in planned combination procedures such as a Brazilian butt lift and a tummy tuck, many patients find after having the BBL, the skin shrinks and tightens enough to produce a satisfactory result for the patient without needing the second procedure.

As Dr. Pane explains it, “If you do the BBL first and think you need the tummy tuck, maybe you don’t need the tummy tuck. Maybe the skin shrinks down well enough and you don’t get it all, so great. You saved yourself a second procedure. After lipo alone, you don’t get the same kind of totally flat result of a tummy tuck. If you have stretch marks and things, you can tell it’s not going to be completely smooth.”

Part of the reason a second procedure may not be necessary is the way they define “success” in their own mind and eyes. “Sometimes if lipo gives them a good shape in a shirt or a dress, they may not care as much what the skin looks like. Some people say, ‘I’d rather have a little wrinkling here than a scar.’ And again, it’s your belly, so you have to define what the success rate is. It’s not me saying, ‘Well, you have to get…’ The results you get will be dependent on your anatomy to start with,” Dr. Pane says.

When considering multiple procedures with your cosmetic surgeon, you should always consider which one is the most important or urgent and which ones can be delayed, put off or canceled if needed or desired. In the example Dr. Pane gave above, the patient went for a BBL with fat injection using adipose cells harvested from the abdominal area. This produced a result which to the patient was sufficient to obviate the need for the follow-up tummy tuck procedure. Unlike some medical professionals, Dr. Pane says this is “Great!” He would much rather err on the side of one cosmetic surgery procedure when and where possible, rather than push for a mommy makeover or other combination procedure which increases the recovery period and risk of complications to the patient.

This is not to say a combination procedure cannot be done. The patient’s overall health, medical history, age, personal habits and other factors must be taken into account when determining what can and cannot be safely done. However, Dr. Pane stresses the patient’s health and safety must always be the overriding factor. Thus, it may be possible to do a BBL with fat transfer and a breast augmentation with breast implants at the same time, whereas a BBL and breast lift with a body lift and tummy tuck might push the boundaries of what the patient’s physiology can safely cope with during and after the procedure. The patient information obtained during the initial cosmetic surgery consultation can help to determine which cosmetic procedures and treatments may be best for your situation.

Atlantic Coast Aesthetics and Dr. Pane proudly offer cosmetic treatments and procedures including but not limited to:

• acne treatments
• arm lift
• body contouring
• breast reconstruction
• female and male breast reduction
• brow lift
• chemical peels
• dermal filler
• ear surgery
• eyelid surgery
• facial implants
• hair transplant
• neck lift
• neck liposuction
• nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation
• revision rhinoplasty
• skin resurfacing
• spider vein treatments
• tattoo removal
• thigh lift
• and more!

For more information about how ACA can help you achieve the body you’ve always wanted, click here to contact us or give us a call at

 (561) 422-4116. We welcome any questions or concerns you might have, and are always happy to address your interests regarding cosmetic surgery. Remember, at ACA, we believe the only bad question is the one you DON’T ask!