Is Using a Contraceptive Safe When Planning Plastic Surgery?

Plastic surgery has become more accessible globally, encouraging many people to consider it for cosmetic and medical reasons. According to a new Cureus study, social media filters have impacted patient demands and also escalated expectations. More people are open to exploring surgical options to boost self-esteem or align their appearance with a specific mental image.

However, one must be careful when planning to undergo such a procedure. Medical practitioners typically recommend screening for physical and mental health issues. Another area of concern is contraception, an integral component of reproductive health that plastic surgery can affect.

Risks of Using Contraception When Undergoing Plastic Surgery

The challenge arises from surgical procedures that take a long time (over 45 minutes) and involve immobilization. These procedures can temporarily increase the risk of blood clots. So, even procedures such as rhinoplasty or facial reconstruction can pose this threat.

At the same time, contraception options that use estrogen may also raise the risk of clotting. These include combination pills and vaginal rings. Combined with surgical risks, they can significantly accentuate your susceptibility to blood clots. Healthline notes that many incidents of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, i.e., clots in the legs and lungs, statistically link to birth control pills.

Besides pills and rings, contraceptive injections may also be unsuitable for this time. They typically rely on synthetic hormones that suppress ovulation. Moreover, some injections, like Pfizer’s Depo Provera, have been linked to serious health repercussions. Women who file a claim for Depo-Provera side effects note that it made them susceptible to malignant brain tumors.

According to TorHoerman Law, the manufacturers could be held accountable for negligence and failure to warn the users. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical sector has more examples of such stark oversights that can endanger one’s health.

Moreover, the research on the possible impact of certain drugs in sensitive circumstances like plastic surgery remains limited. It is also why not everyone may need to stop taking a contraceptive pill before cosmetic surgery. Everyone’s risk profile is different. Your medical team will assess yours based on your health parameters and smoking habits, among other determinants.

Safe Contraception Options When Considering Plastic Surgery

Since contraception is often a long-term and continuous component of many women’s lives, changing it requires thought and planning. It is not as straightforward as skipping your hormone pill before the procedure.

Timing Pills Correctly

You may be able to continue with your standard contraception choice if your medical professional deems it suitable for use before and during surgical procedures. In the case of pills, doctors generally recommend stopping them a few weeks before the scheduled event.

For example, your surgical team may instruct you to discontinue the combined pill four weeks before an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. It has become a popular procedure among many new moms, with some influencer circles labeling it a “mommy makeover.”

Kidspot features a mom’s experience of tummy tuck: a confession about losing sensation and feeling strange down there. That’s not to say unpleasant experiences are the norm, but one can do without additional stress.

You can resume your routine after the surgery is complete but at the recommended time, which is usually 2-3 weeks later. During this time, you will likely have regained mobility, so your risk of developing clots is no longer elevated.

It is crucial to remember that the gap days leave you at risk of unplanned pregnancy. Abstinence is always an option, as is reading your menstrual cycle and predicting “safe” days. The latter is not foolproof, as it can be tricky to precisely predict ovulation and the window during which the chance of conception is high.

Barrier methods

Contraceptive options like condoms are considered safe for most scenarios. You can adopt them as your primary birth control method at this time, even if you typically prefer the pill. Notably, their effectiveness may vary with usage. They have a higher probability of failure if not used correctly.

Why not try other barrier methods as a backup? For example, you can use a spermicide or a cervical cap. WebMD has a helpful list of birth control options that don’t involve drugs or surgeries. In fact, many people who are on the pill also use options like diaphragms and sponges as a backup to stay more in control of their reproductive choices.

Undergoing plastic surgery does not have the stigma or stress it once did. More people use it to modify facial features they are unhappy with, while others address deformities or scars from traumatic events. Choosing to go under the knife requires you to be cautious and mindful.

Contraception, seemingly a routine part of many women’s lives, may not strike you immediately as something that plastic surgery may impact. Trust your medical team to help you make the optimal decisions for your reproductive and overall health, even as you focus on aesthetic upliftment.