Breast Augmentation Recovery

What is the recovery like after breast augmentation?

The recovery after a breast augmentation is usually considered relatively easy. Surgery is done on an outpatient basis. We allow our patients to shower starting the day after surgery. We recommend that they do not have the water spray directly on any incisions but rather let soapy water gently run over their incisions. There are no drains left in after a breast augmentation. Most patients are able to return to work in 2-3 days. The patient starts implant massages typically three or four days post op. These massages are done several times per day for several weeks.

I ask my patients to restrain from a lot of physical activity for the first couple of weeks. We then very gradually increase their level of physical activity from week 2 to week 6 at which point they have no restrictions. There is an upper extremity ten pound lifting restriction for six weeks. Certainly at all times during the recovery we remind our patients that if an activity hurts then to please not do it. Also, it is not uncommon to have transient changes in nipple sensation where there is either hypersensitivity or decreased sensitivity in the first few weeks after surgery. Should either case arise it usually resolves on its own. Some ladies after surgery even notice some swelling around their abdomen. This is most likely fluid from irrigation at the time of surgery. This resolves in a few days.

Ladies generally inquire about what they can wear soon after surgery. We recommend wearing a comfortable loose fitting shirt that buttons or zips up the front on the day of surgery. This is also a comfortable item to wear over a cami which we recommend after surgery until the first office visit. We transition ladies to sports bras after that and then over time they are back to wearing underwire bras. Many women choose a less structured bra with no wire during this period due to sports bras limiting clothing options.

**Actual Patient. For Before and After Breast Augmentation Photos click here for Silicone and here for Saline**

What is the recovery from an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?

A significant concern for any lady considering a tummy tuck is how long the recovery is.

Abdominoplasty is a procedure that can be safely and comfortably performed as an outpatient procedure, meaning that you can have the surgery and leave the hospital the same day. Performing an outpatient abdominoplasty is a change in my practice since I started using pain pumps. The pain pumps have made the recovery significantly more comfortable.

I usually advise ladies to take two weeks off of work. This advice is based on estimation of the standard desk job. A small percentage of ladies could get back quicker than that but two weeks is generally a very safe number. During this recovery I expect ladies to be able to move around at home fairly easily. By the end of two weeks their activity level usually can afford them to get back to work, depending on how rigorous the job is. The pain pumps usually are removed at day three. Drains left in at surgery will come out usually around day four or five.

As far as cosmetic recovery, a patient could have a significant amount of swelling that takes several weeks to months to completely resolve. A scar will actually take one year to fully mature though the progress is barely noticeable in the last several months. It is normal for ladies to feel a little swollen particularly at the end of the day even for a few months.

**Actual patient**

For more Before/After photos of abdominoplasty click here.

Which is better: dermal fillers or Botox?

Patients often ask me which is better for them, a dermal filler or Botox. This is a little bit of a trick question in that these are very different tools. Dermal fillers can rejuvenate by filling in lines such as the ones at the junction of the cheek and lip called the nasolabial folds. Botox is not very good for helping this. Conversely Botox is very good for smoothing some of the dynamic wrinkles between ones eyebrows that are caused by frowning. There are times where both modalities are effective, fillers and Botox. Some wrinkles occur not only when the patient animates but also at rest. I will frequently use Botox or Dysport to help paralyze the muscle and then use a filler such as Juvederm or Radiesse to fill in any residual wrinkle after the Botox has helped soften the active wrinkling.

Whether it is Botox, Juvederm, lasers, or surgery; all of these things are simply just tools to aide in facial rejuvenation.

Which one is the best depends completely on what the patient is trying to correct and what magnitude of procedure they are looking to undergo. All of these decisions are highly individualized and can be accessed during a consultation.