When one thinks of the holiday season, they often conjure up images in their mind of shopping, decorating their home, office parties, and family gatherings. The holidays are a precursor to celebrating the New Year.
While these festivities move full steam ahead, a recent press release floating around cyberspace indicated that the month of December is also one where there is a marked increase in plastic surgery procedures.
Reporter, Rachel Gross from Slate, indicated to her readers that when she first saw the press release, she thought it was gag of some sort. But as she read on, she realized it was anything but a joke.
She wrote, “People really do get more plastic surgeries in December. Surgeons consistently report a surge in people coming to them for procedures at this time of year, with treatments and surgeries often increasing by 20 to 30 percent.”
So why is this so?
According to the research consensus on this subject, December affords so many people long stretches of vacation time, particularly toward the end of the month. For an operative facial procedure such as a lower limited facelift, temporal lobe lift, eyelid surgery, or neck lift surgery, there is some bruising and swelling which can last up to two weeks. Following this downtime, people can return to work with limited swelling and any residual bruising can easily be camouflaged with a touch of makeup.
And operative facial rejuvenation procedures are actually the most sought after during the month of December. During the holidays, avoiding co-workers and others during the recovery stretch can be done far easier than the rest of the year.
And for those interested in body contouring procedures such as a breast augmentation, a patient can be back to the workplace or even be part of the holiday festivities a week or so after her procedure.
And speaking of the holidays, gift buyers such as significant others are purchasing a “treatment gift certificate” for whatever procedure their recipient wants.
While operative procedures were mentioned in the research and media, it’s also important to point out the large role cosmetic injections have made in the world of plastic surgery. Many have opted to have either fillers or Botox done in the early part of the month to have them looking their best during the holidays.
Cosmetic injections require no downtime. Minimal redness and bruising may be apparent for some a couple days following the procedure. A skilled hand such as a board certified plastic surgeon or one of their highly skilled injectable nurses adeptly deliver fillers and Botox for optimal results and minimal side-effects such as bruising.
While one group has benefited from these liquid facelifts, others have chosen a series of chemical peels before the holidays so their facial canvas is smooth and luminous. Generally, it’s recommended to have a chemical peel about two weeks before an event.
The holidays are a time for celebration, but it also seems it is the time for someone to celebrate themselves through their own gift of aesthetics.
