Plastic Surgery On The Elderly: If You’re In Good Health, Why Not?

Bydragha

Everyone deserves to feel confident in their bodies. That includes feeling confident at any age. Issues with your confidence in your appearance can pop up in when you’re 18 and when you’re 68, and no matter when it occurs it can still affect your quality of life.

Yet traditionally, plastic surgery was only performed on younger men and women – those under 50 that wanted to improve their appearance. It was not necessarily seen as an option in men and women over 50, and certainly not in those over the age of 65.

Studies Show That The Elderly May Not Be At Risk for Added Complications

 

There is no invasive plastic surgery procedure that doesn’t carry some degree of risk, no matter your age and those that are in ill health are especially at risk for complications from plastic surgery. But for those that are in good health and over the age of 65, there is some good news.

One recent study found that the elderly do not appear to be at any greater risk than younger patients going through the same surgery. In other words, whether you get a breast augmentation at 25 or 65, there appears to be no significant difference in overall safety, risk of complications, or negative outcomes. Indeed, even patients over 80 did not appear to have any additional risk.

What This Means for Plastic Surgery in the Elderly

 

Keep in mind there are some limitations to this study, including:

  • Self-Limiting Sample – Those that are not in good health are unlikely to receive any plastic surgery procedures. Thus the sample in this study is limited to those that are in good enough health for plastic surgery. If your health or weight is a problem because of your age, you may not be a good candidate for plastic surgery.

  • All Surgeries Have Risks – All surgeries carry risks. So it’s important to remember that although risk didn’t increase, you do have to weigh the risks of surgery with your desire to see an improvement in your body. Make sure that you have thought about the implications before undergoing treatment.

  • Different Procedures Are Requested – Also, the elderly tend to request different procedures than younger patients. The elderly are far more likely to request a facelift, for example, than a breast augmentation. It’s possible that those specific requests are safer for the elderly than some of the requests generally made by the younger population.

Nevertheless, this is a good sign for elderly patients that have been considering plastic surgery. There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful about safety and outcomes. This is one of the first large studies that has shown that plastic surgery may be safe in those over 65, and as more studies are completed, so too can more elderly patients that are interested in plastic surgery seek it out without worrying about the effects of their age on complications.

If you’d like to learn more about plastic surgery procedures available in Orange County and Los Angeles for elderly patients, contact us today at (949) 644-2442.

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