At my Boston plastic surgery practice, the popularity of breast augmentation continues to increase. This surgery has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of any cosmetic procedure, and for good reason. Advanced breast implant technology has enhanced surgeons’ options for creating natural-looking results, and modern surgical techniques and pain management protocols have made the recovery process safer, quicker, and more comfortable for most patients.
Questions about recovery are some of the most common questions I hear. Most patients are pleasantly surprised to learn that recovery is generally comfortable and uneventful for patients who follow the post-op instructions my practice provides. Following the 5 tips detailed in this blog post can also help improve the chances that your recovery will go smoothly.
1. Ask for help: You’ll need someone to transport you to and from the surgical center. You’ll also need someone to help at home. In the first couple of days, having someone to prepare meals, retrieve a book or the remote, and be there “just in case” is a great source of comfort and aid. Also, it may help to arrange for someone to care for your children and pets while you heal.
2. Create a relaxing environment: I always encourage my patients to prepare a comfortable, relaxing place where they’ll spend most of their time as they recover. This can be done the day before surgery. Make sure you have easy access to bottled water, healthy snacks, reading material, pillows, and any remotes or electronics you’ll need.
3. Time off work: Even though many of my breast augmentation patients in Boston feel ready to return to work after about 3 days, plan to take at least 1 week away from work if you have an office-type job. If your job requires physical exertion, expect to take more time off. We schedule all surgical procedures for Tuesdays and Thursdays, so most breast augmentation patients can return to work on Monday morning following the surgery.
4. Plan ahead: Fill your prescriptions before the date of your surgery. Think about anything else that might be essential immediately after the procedure–surgical bras are something you’ll want to buy ahead of time. Planning ahead will help reduce stressors during your recovery.
5. Follow instructions: I’ve created a detailed list of instructions that, when diligently followed, help improve the likelihood that your recovery will go smoothly. These instructions cover pain medication, caring for your incisions, bathing, and more, and I provide them at your pre-op appointment.
It is important to understand that the recovery process is unique for each patient. Additionally, the recovery for patients whose implants are inserted below the chest muscles (submuscular placement) is typically more involved than for those who have above-the-muscle (subglandular) placement. However, the benefits of submuscular placement make this the preferred method for most surgeons.
If you’re considering breast augmentation, I encourage you to browse the photo gallery showing before-and-after photos of my actual patients. This can give you a good idea of the kind of results you can expect when I perform your breast augmentation.
When my friend told me about her desire to get a breast surgery, I immediately wanted to learn more. She is not good with things like pain so I thought I would research to make things easier for her. I will let her know to take time off work to rest.
I think it is great that one of your suggestions is to plan for the surgery ahead of time. When my wife went through her breast augmentation surgery she wanted to make sure that everything with the house and kids was taken care of ahead of time. I did what I could to keep the house in good shape and get the kids to where they needed to be so that she could relax while recovering.
I’ve always felt rather insecure about my bust size, and I’d like to finally do something about it. So I need to find someone who’ll be able to do a breast augmentation for me. Thanks for pointing out that I should do things like buying surgical bras and
This is some really good information about breast augmentation. My sister is thinking about getting that done this summer. So, I liked that you pointed out that a thing she can do to make recovery easier is to make sure that she has at least three days off from work right afterward. It does seem like overexerting herself after that type of surgery could be bad.
Good Post! Any medications you will need to take on a daily basis. If you take vitamins or supplements, you should also put them beside your bed.
I never would’ve thought about purchasing procedural surgical bras for the post-operation recovery, but it makes sense because of how sore the breasts would most likely be after the surgery. My wife has been considering getting breast augmentation surgery, as she has been complaining to me recently that her breasts are making her uncomfortable and hurting her chest. If she decides to get the surgery, I will definitely remember to invest in a surgical bra to aid her recovery!
Thanks for these recovery tips after a breast augmentation. It’s good to know that the person should try to take a week off of work, maybe more depending on the job. If that’s the case, it also sounds important to make sure that the person spends that week off really relaxing, especially if it can improve their recovery from the surgery.
I’m considering getting breast augmentation surgery but I want to make sure that I am fully prepared for the recovery so that it all goes smoothly. I really like what you said about preparing a relaxing environment at home. It’s such a good idea to have your snacks and entertainment close by so that you don’t have to strain yourself while recovering.
Thank you for pointing out the importance of preparing a calm and relaxing place to spend time in after the surgery as it will help a lot in the person’s recovery. My friend is planning to give breast augmentation a try, and she wants to know how to recover faster. Since she is exposed to stress in her current home and job, I think this tip is the most important thing she should be mindful of.
It sure was lovely and helpful when you suggested getting all the medication that the person will use after the surgery as well as the items that she will need in order to reduce the stressors. My sister is the type to get stressed out easily, so simple things like this will surely help her out. I will mention this to her so she can prepare early for her breast augmentation surgery to be done next month. Thank you!
I am glad you mentioned to take time off work. I wasn’t sure if I should or not. Thanks for the tips on breast implant recovery.
I appreciate you saying that the person needs to find a relaxing environment where they can spend most of their time in order to encourage faster healing after the breast augmentation surgery. I will keep this in mind since I know that will be one of my problems after the surgery. It might be good that I isolate myself from everyone at least a week or two after the procedure for maximum effectivity.
My friend is as flat as a board, so she’s been thinking about breast augmentation. I like how you mentioned that she should prepare a comfortable, relaxing environment, as it will help her be more comfortable. These tips will really help my friend prepare for her breast augmentation surgery, so thank you for sharing this.
That is really interesting that many patients feel ready to return to work after 3 days. Though it would be nice to get back into work, it would be important to rest for a week as a doctor says. That way someone could heal up properly and be fine.
Hi! How much was your TOTAL COST? I’d like to get implants after losing a lot of weight but am concerned about TOTAL COST from 1st visit surger, anesthesia, implants themselves, surgeon, operation, hospital costs, meds etc and Drs appt costs to last visit? I really NEED them as hubby is totally disinterested in sex with me now.
Thank you for your question. The cost of breast augmentation surgery varies between $7500 and $8500. If a lift is needed this would change the cost. That being said I think that it is important to do the surgery for yourself and no one else. Wishing you the very best.
I like your advice about making a detailed list of instructions that would help me recover properly and quickly and diligently follow them all. My boyfriend is paying for my breast augmentation surgery that we plan to schedule this March. I’ll take note of the tips you mentioned here to ensure the recovery period will go smoothly. Thanks! https://ekoplasticsurgery.com/breast-augmentation-palmdesert/
Thank you for your note. Wishing you the best of luck! – Dr. Christopher Davidson