Pratt Plastic Surgery

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

How Old Is too Old for Plastic Surgery?

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) recommends that most plastic surgery procedures be carried out on adults who are capable of making an informed decision about a procedure based on the full range of risks and benefits. In some cases, an adult may be allowed to make that decision for a teen or child seeking rhinoplasty or otoplasty, but there is a clear standard for how young is too young for plastic surgery. But what about how old is too old for plastic surgery?

Currently, the ASPS maintains no standard for the upper age at which it recommends plastic surgery. In fact, the society's site, Beauty for Life has a page devoted to plastic surgery for people 65 & up, where it recommends not just Botox injections and injectable fillers like Restylane, but breast lift, face lift, and liposuction among other procedures.

You're never too old for plastic surgery, but there is an important caveat here. The first step to keeping beautiful is keeping healthy. If you are of an advanced age and have a poor health record, plastic surgery may not be for you. If you are susceptible to infection or blood clots or have noticed you are taking longer to heal than you used to, plastic surgery may no longer be a good option because it may be too difficult to ensure your safety.

But if you are in good health, there's no reason why you can't go on looking your best now and forever. After all, you've got a lot of life left to live- why you shouldn't keep looking as young as you feel?

To learn more about getting a procedure at any age, schedule a cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. David F. Pratt today.