Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation Recovery
After reading this page, be sure to visit Tips for Getting the Best Result from Breast Augmentation to learn how to reduce your pain and speed your recovery.
Anesthesia:
Your procedure will most likely be performed under general anesthesia. Some plastic surgeons offer breast augmentation under sedation anesthesia, but if so, be careful. In some cases, these plastic surgeons are using so much sedation that it is actually safer to use general anesthesia. In other cases, they use sedation anesthesia because their office is not approved for general anesthesia. In some of those cases, they may have difficulty achieving adequate comfort for you, and this means you could endure pain during the procedure. There are some plastic surgeons who capably perform breast augmentation under sedation anesthesia, so be sure to ask about your doctor's experience with this.
Location of operation:
Your procedure may be performed in your plastic surgeon's private operating room or at a nearby hospital or surgery center. If performed in your plastic surgeon's office, be sure to ask whether the office is certified and by whom.
Length of surgery:
The actual procedure takes 1-1 1/2 hours. However, the length of time you will be in the operating room will be longer. This is because once you are transferred to the operating room, it takes awhile to get you ready for surgery. You will have monitors placed. You will then be sedated or put to sleep. Then you will be "prepped" which means your skin will be carefully cleansed to rid it of normal skin bacteria. After that, drapes will be placed around your body and the surgical "field" will be set up. After your procedure is over, your skin will again be cleaned and a dressing will be applied. You will be awakened and monitored until stable. Finally, you will be transported to the recovery room. For these reasons, your procedure could be scheduled for anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
Length of stay:
In most cases, you will be allowed to go home the day of surgery.
Discomfort:
Discomfort is mild to moderate
following implant placement over the muscle and moderate to severe
following implant placement under the muscle. There are a number of ways to reduce your discomfort, and you should ask your surgeon about them. (Also, see Tips for Getting the Best Results from Breast Augmentation).
Swelling:
Swelling is least if the implants are placed over the muscle and most if the implants are placed under the muscle. Regardless, it is usually at its peak 3-5 days after surgery and thereafter improves. If your implants are over the muscle, 75% of the swelling will be gone in 2 weeks and the rest will resolve over the next several weeks. If
your implants are placed under the muscle, 75% of the swelling will be gone in 2-4 weeks, and the rest will resolve over a few months.
Bruising:
Most women do not bruise after breast augmentation. If you do, however, do not worry, because it is not unusual and does not affect your final result. If any exists, it improves within a week or so.
Shower:
Most plastic surgeons will let you remove your bandages and shower within a few days.
Stitches:
Most surgeons use stitches which absorb and do not require removal. If your surgeon uses stitches that require removal, do not be critical or suspicious, as this is not uncommon. If stitches are to be removed, they will be removed in 5-7 days.
Back to work:
You may return to work in 4-7 days if the implants
were placed over your muscle, and 7-10 days if the implants were placed
under your muscle. If your job requires lifting, you may return to work in the same time frame but will probably have lifting restrictions.
Resume exercise:
Most plastic surgeons will ask you to stop all exercising for 1-4 weeks after implants have been placed over the muscle and 2-8 weeks after implants have been placed under the muscle.
As a side note, Dr. Loftus has found that women planning to have implant placement under the muscle have less pain and a speedier recovery if they can stop pectoral exercises 4 weeks before surgery. This includes bench press, fly, and push-ups.
Final results:
Will be seen after your swelling has resolved (see above).
Travel after Surgery:
Dr. Loftus has found that most women can travel safely within a few days of breast augmentation surgery. Because women travel from all over the country to see her for breast augmentation, she has many patients who would like to travel home shortly afterward, and this has not been a problem.
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