August 21, 2020
We love looking through our before and after photos and remembering the stories of all of our amazing patients (it’s no secret that we seriously love what we do). We started trying to compile a sort of “best of” list of some of our favourites, but we very quickly ran into a problem: every photo went in the “yes” pile. We think each and every one of our patients count as a favourite result. Sorry not sorry!
At the same time, we know that a lot of people are out there searching for the best before and after photos of cosmetic surgery results. Photos can be an excellent educational tool to help you picture what kind of result you like best, and since they’re so unique to each individual patient, having a chance to look through many of them can help you get a feel for how different surgical techniques and decisions can help create the look you’re going for.
We should also mention that we’re so grateful to all of the patients who have generously agreed to let us post their photos online to help out other prospective patients. Understandably, not everyone is comfortable with putting them out in public, which we completely understand. Every patient has a right to choose how private or public their experience with cosmetic surgery is. Whether you want to keep it a total secret or flaunt your new look on Instagram, all we care about is that you love your result, that you’re happy and healthy. You do you 😉
So while we could never rank our before and after photos because we would never rank our patients, we’ve got some tips, suggestions and examples we can share to help you out if you’re searching for photos now.
Scrolling through results pics on Instagram? Our own Dr. Austin has previously explained five things to look for in before and after photos, which is always a helpful guide if you’re out there browsing.
Instagram with its many filters and other photo editing apps for phones have created a sort of wild west when it comes to before and after photos (is it their facelift or Facetune that’s got them looking so good, you know what I’m saying?). Because of this, it’s also a really good idea to look at each individual clinic or surgeon’s in-house photo galleries. These are photos taken with a good quality camera in the doctor’s office from consistent angles with consistent lighting so that you get a good, realistic sense of what’s going on—an unfiltered result, basically.
That’s exactly what we offer with our before and after photo gallery. You can browse through the collection and see the results of the procedure you’re interested in, or check out the kinds of results we typically achieve across different operations. Looking at different procedures lets you see how our surgical philosophy of creating totally natural looking results guides everything that we do.
For example, here’s a small sample of before and after photos of some of our rhinoplasty patients. Notice how the same position, scale and background makes it easier to see the difference of the result. You can also see how our surgeons don’t achieve “cookie cutter” results, but rather tailor every operation to each individual patient to create that born-with-it look.
Want to see more photos? We have a much bigger selection that you can see during your free consultation with our surgeons.
Take note when you see a patient who has the same general characteristics as you in their before photos. Depending on the surgery you’re interested in, these traits might include age, features, proportions, body type, skin tone, or more specific concerns. What counts as a more specific concern? Maybe you’re interested in breast augmentation and you have tuberous breasts, or one of your concerns is significant sagging of the breast tissue. Maybe you want to have a rhinoplasty because of a pronounced dorsal hump.
Looking at photos of patients that have a similar starting point as you won’t guarantee that you’ll have the same kind of result as their after photo with your own surgery, but it will help point you to some initial realistic expectations and can provide useful information. If you do see someone who looks like you now and whose after photo is a good representation of how you’d love to look, then please bring that photo in! That can be a really helpful way to articulate your goals to your surgeon.
You can also take note of results that look less like what you’re hoping to achieve. Letting us know what you like less (and why) can also help your surgeon see your vision. From there, they can discuss your options after examining you in person.
Different surgical procedures have different healing times. Swelling and incisions are going to look one way very early on in the recovery process, and totally differently one year later. This is a totally normal phenomenon, but it can be useful for you to have an idea what that path can look like.
Breast augmentation is one surgery where the timing of the after photo is really important to note. There’s a whole phenomenon known as the “drop and fluff” that changes the way your breast implants look and feel. Right after surgery and early in the recovery process, it’s normal for the breasts to sit higher on the chest and seem swollen and tight. As your tissue heals and relaxes as your recovery progresses, your implants will shift downwards and fill out the lower part of the breast.
So if you see before and after photos taken in the first few weeks after breast augmentation surgery, you might think, “wow, that doesn’t look very natural at all.” We agree! But with time and good massage technique (Nurse Lori gives all of our patients the insider tricks) the implants will settle and soften into place really beautifully. If you see photos taken 6 months post-op—more than enough time for the “drop and fluff” to occur—you’re more likely to think, “damn, she looks amazing.” And again, we totally agree with you.
The timeline for rhinoplasty is also a bit different from other surgeries. Did you know that, while major swelling and bruising will resolve within about two weeks after nose surgery, subtle swelling will remain for several months, potentially up to a year? This often affects specific areas, like the tip of the nose, and is not noticeable to anyone except you and or surgeon. But if you’re look at before and after photos of rhinoplasty, ask if you can see results from a few months after the operation in addition to at least a year after.
So keep these tips in mind while you’re doing your research. By following this advice and putting together a small selection to show what you want to achieve, you’ll have lots to talk about with our surgeons at your free consultation.
Did we answer all your questions? Our goal is to ensure you have the best information possible to make your decision. If you still have questions, we’re here to help.
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