Breast Enhancement Surgery: The Recovery Process

Believe it or not, national statistics on breast enhancement surgery show that almost 400,000 people underwent the procedure in 2008. If you’re planning on having it done, you should know that you’re in good company. More importantly, however, you should avail yourself of any and all uninformed or partially informed information about the surgery, about preparation, and about the recovery process. Not everyone recovers at the same rate, and different techniques will shorten or lengthen the time period it takes. What follows are some things you should know about recovering from breast enhancement surgery.

The major factor that will play a part in how your recovery goes is what form of breast enhancement you choose to have. Whether receiving silicone or saline implants does not make much of a difference, but the way in which they are implanted may. Some surgeons prefer to place the implant above the chest muscle, just under the tissue and glands. Others prefer to make the placement underneath the chest muscle. This is called subpectoral placement, and many women find that it looks more natural when put there. However, subpectoral placement will typically make for a more painful recovery that lasts longer. Discuss these options with your doctor during your consultation.

Part of shortening your recovery time and ensuring a successful operation is on you, the patient. You should make sure you are well rested and have been eating in a healthy manner in the days leading up to the procedure. If you are a smoker, you should think strongly about putting down the cigarettes for a few days before the surgery. Nicotine has a constrictive effect on the blood vessels and can make both the surgery and the recovery more dangerous than it needs to be. If you are taking any medication, including an aspirin regimen, you should tell your doctor and see what he recommends when it comes to taking it in the lead up to your surgery.

After your breast enhancement operation, your doctor will prescribe some pain medication for you to take. Many people hear about others developing an addiction to these medications and feel obligated to try to take as little as possible. This can be a bad decision. If you are in pain, you should take the medication prescribed to you (in the proper dosage at the proper times, of course). The first week will be the worst when it comes to discomfort. After that, the pain will ease up and you will feel more comfortable about getting back to your normal routine.