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Recovering From Breast Enlargement

Augmentation mammaplasty, or the enlargement of the breasts through surgical implants, is performed by plastic surgeons for women desiring fuller breasts or a restoration of their volume after weight loss, pregnancy, or the effects of aging, gravity, even sun exposure.

And like many cosmetic procedures today, breast augmentation, or breast enlargement, has become increasingly sought after, now ranking as one of the most common of all elective plastic surgeries. Deciding to have breast implants is invariably followed by a rush of excitement in anticipation of an improved physical appearance. It should also entail careful selection of a breast enlargement surgeon who is licensed, qualified and competent in breast enlargement. Once the surgery is performed, however, it’s just as crucial that the recovery and after-care processes are clearly understood and complied with by the patient.

Explicitly following the surgeon's instructions, furthermore, ensures that the skillful medical techniques used to satisfy a patient's desire for fuller breasts will provide optimal results that last well after the healing process. What follows, therefore, is an overview of what to expect during the recovery process, the general timetable for healing, and some important elements of personal care. While it will help to clarify post-procedural protocol, it should be emphasized that all after-care should be carried out within the context of follow-up appointments as designated by the surgeon. Thus, monitoring progress is also an underlying agent of successful recovery. Typically, breast enlargement is but a one to two hour procedure. While surgical methods and types of implants vary and are dependent upon factors like desired shape and size and individual anatomy, augmentation mammaplasty requires an incision being made in the breast or armpit area. This allows each implant to be inserted into a pocket created by the surgeon in the breast tissue.

While sutures are used to close incisions in breast tissue, sutures, skin adhesive or surgical tape are customarily used to close the outer skin incisions. When non-dissolving sutures are used for incision closure, it is vital that they are not disturbed prior to being removed 7-10 days after surgery. To be sure, following the surgeon's advice is critical for proper healing of scars resulting from necessary incisions of the skin.

While the scars will fade gradually over months, they may take as long as a year to be completely refined. To promote effective healing so that scars are more undetectable, incisions should not be subjected to excessive force or abrasion, and motion should be limited during the recovery period too.

Additionally, though most people can return to work within 3-7 days, there should be no strenuous lifting or activity for three to four weeks, as it can not only delay healing but also damage the implants. While each person's breast enlargement recovery experience varies due to individual factors, there are some shared elements.

One is the post-operative drowsiness caused by anesthesia; this sleepy state necessitates arranging for someone to drive the patient home and stay with her overnight. In most cases, a shower may be taken the next day, with bleeding and infection very uncommon. A post-surgical recovery period of 24-48 hours with swelling and pain or soreness, followed by an extended reduced-activity period of several days, can be expected, nonetheless. Though some swelling can be expected to endure in diminishing degrees for several weeks, most of it subsides within a few days. Throughout the recovery phase, physician instructions will specify caring for the breasts, medications to be applied or taken to decrease pain and risk of infection and assist healing, and when to return for follow-up visits.

These visits will vary by physician and procedure, with some requiring a next-day appointment for removal of an ace bandage placed around the chest at the time of surgery, for instance. Based upon progress witnessed by the physician during recovery visits, recommendations will also be made for resuming exercise and normal activity levels. Additionally during recovery, some surgeons will advise wearing, per their instructions, special bras or compression garments to support healing, provide comfort and support, minimize swelling and help maintain implant position. By knowing what to expect during recovery from breast augmentation and carefully following physician instructions from the outset, patients can anticipate satisfying results with the eventual settling of the implants and subsequent cessation of swelling. Even though the breasts will continue to change shape over time, the overall effect achieved with breast implants is long-lasting when proper after-care is taken.

This unquestionably can add a new dimension to how a woman looks on the outside.

Even more importantly, perhaps, might be how she feels about herself on the inside as she enjoys fuller, shapelier breasts throughout her life.

 

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