Cosmetic Surgery

Sandpoint, Hayden, Coeur d’Alene and North Idaho

Patient Safety

Patient safety is one of my top priorities during all of the procedures I perform. I believe that true safety can only be achieved if you are well-informed as a patient, and we work together. Your overall health and the things that you do before and after your procedure have an impact on the safety of the operation itself, your recovery, and the final outcome.

Foods and medications

Some foods and medications act as blood thinners and should be avoided before and after surgery. I will provide a complete list of these foods and medications well in advance of your procedure. In addition, I need to know every medicine, herbal therapy, and topical skin treatment you currently are using in order to ensure that you continue or stop the appropriate medications at the right time.

Smoking rule

Smoking impedes circulation, wound healing, and revascularization. It increases your risk of infection, tissue death, scarring, blood clots, heart attacks and stroke. It causes your skin to prematurely age. If you are a smoker, you absolutely must refrain from smoking and using any nicotine products, including a patch, for at least four weeks before and four weeks after elective surgery.

Sun avoidance

The sun can be your worst enemy after a cosmetic procedure. Sun exposure during healing can permanently darken scars, and it contributes to overall skin aging and skin cancer development. If you are having a skin care procedure, such as a chemical peel, you must avoid the sun before and after your procedure or you may experience permanent skin discoloration. I will provide you with instructions for sun avoidance which are specific to your procedure.

Hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives

Hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives can increase your risk of developing blood clots. It is very important that you inform me if you are using or have recently stopped using either. I may ask you to stop using hormone therapy or oral contraceptives around the time of your procedure.

Pre-op mammograms

It is recommended by the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) for women to have annual mammograms beginning at age 40. I believe that it is very important to have a baseline mammogram before any breast surgery. Therefore, If you are 35 or older I may ask you to have a preoperative mammogram before surgery and recommend following up with a postoperative mammogram.

Obesity

Obesity greatly increases the risks of all types of surgery. This includes problems with anesthesia, pneumonia, blood clots, infections, poor healing and other serious risks. I do not perform elective cosmetic surgery on morbidly obese patients for this reason, but I will work with you to find help losing weight. In most cases, it is advisable to reach your goal weight prior to elective body contouring or breast surgery, as the outcome will be much better and last longer.

Importance of full medical disclosure and following all instructions

It is absolutely critical to your safety that I have all of your medical history. Any exclusion can create life-threatening risks, such as allergic reactions and adverse drug interactions. It is also very important that you follow all of the preoperative and post operative instructions. If there is something that you do not understand, please ask!

The need to stage procedures

Many patients choose to undergo a combination of procedures at the same time in order to speed up the process and go through the postoperative healing phase all at once. In many cases, we can combine multiple procedures. However, some operations involve a long surgical time under general anesthesia or place great stress on your body during recovery. For your safety, there are some procedures that I prefer to stage, depending on your health, age, body type, and the nature of the surgery. In these situations, I believe that your body must have a chance to heal before you can safely have surgery again, or the outcome will be better if we stage the procedures.

How to minimize the risk of blood clots

Although it is very rare, the development of a blood clot in a vein after surgery can be fatal. There are several precautions that I take during your procedure to help avoid the formation of blood clots, but there are also some things that you must do. Compression stockings on your legs and early ambulation are methods of reducing the risk of blot clot formation. I will talk to you about when to get up after surgery and walk (usually the day of surgery!). This does not mean I want you to get up and do the dishes or go jogging. You must avoid strenuous activity, but you will be required to move around to keep your blood circulating properly. You will receive instructions about when to get moving and when you can get back to your daily life prior to surgery.

Dr. Michelle Spring provides surgical expertise and exceptional patient care in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in Sandpoint, Ponderay, and all of Northern Idaho. With extensive training in breast surgery, body contouring, and facial surgery, she offers cosmetic procedures with an emphasis on natural results, safety and personal attention to your individual goals. If you are considering cosmetic surgery, learn more by viewing our Before and After Gallery or FAQ's page, and contact Dr. Spring today to schedule your initial consultation.

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