5 reasons a plastic surgeon may not operate on you

Sep 1, 2022

Plastic surgery can do some pretty amazing things. It’s no wonder that more and more Americans are pursuing this kind of treatment in order to achieve varied aesthetic goals. The first step is to find a highly qualified plastic surgeon and find out whether you are the right candidate for the procedure you have in mind. This page highlights a number of reasons why plastic surgeons may refuse to operate on you:

1. Poor health issues

Qualified surgeons will always put the patient first and only do what’s best for you. For this reason, individuals who have physical health issues such as cardiovascular disease and lung disease may not be able to benefit from this surgery. This is so because these conditions can increase the risk of surgical complications. Similarly, individuals who have mental health issues may not be ideally suited for plastic surgery.

2. You refuse to quit smoking

As an important safety guideline, plastic surgeons recommend that you quit smoking about six weeks before the day of your surgery. If you are unable to stick to this requirement, then the surgeon may refuse to operate on you. Cigarettes and other tobacco products have compounds that limit oxygen supply and thus increase the risk of complications. Issues with cigarette smoking can also result in poor wound healing and impaired recovery after surgery. In addition to smoking, it’s also recommended that you limit alcohol intake at least a few weeks before the date of the surgery.

3. You refuse to follow the instructions of your surgeon

There’s nothing wrong with occasionally doing something unexpected, but when you’re preparing for invasive surgery, that’s not the time to do it. Your doctor will refuse to perform a procedure if you refuse to follow their safety guidelines. The same goes for recovery. If you are not willing to wear a bandage after having liposuction or if you plan to go back to the gym a week after having a tummy tuck, you may find that no surgeon is willing to take you as a client.

4. Your BMI is too high or too low

Patients who want to have their body shape improved are sometimes disappointed to learn that most plastic surgeons won’t operate unless they know that they are physically active and that they have a certain body mass index (BMI). The healthy BMI range will vary from one procedure to the other. For instance, with a tummy tuck, you may be required to have a BMI of not higher than 30. This means that you may need to shed some extra weight before you can be considered to be a good candidate for the procedure.

5. You are not old enough

Usually, there is no right or wrong age for plastic surgery. However, some procedures come with specific age guidelines. For instance, the FDA recommends saline breast augmentation implants for women over the age of 18 years. Silicone implants, on the other hand, are only allowed for women who are above the age of 22. Some procedures may be too dangerous for patients who are older, while some need to be performed before a certain age is reached in order to achieve the best possible outcome. It all depends on the specific procedure you are interested in.

Conclusion

During your initial consultation visit to Tessler plastic surgery, the surgeon will be happy to listen to your concerns and let you know whether you are a good candidate for the treatment you want to have. This one-on-one visit is also a good time to learn more about Dr. Tessler’s unique approach to different treatments.