Breast Augmentation: Cost, Reviews, Photos

Post breast augmentation recovery is usually less than a week but may be longer for submuscular placement.

I personally tell my patients to avoid heavy lifting and keep their elbows at their side for 2 weeks.

Scars heal differently from patient to patient, but usually takes months to fade. (Daniel J. Casper, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)

Using good surgical technique and principles, post breast augmentation recovery should be uncomplicated and well tolerated.

I expect my patients to be very comfortable the evening of surgery. I recommend avoiding narcotics, and many patients only require motrin.

Patients with a desk type job can be back in 2 or 3 days. By the end of the first week, most normal activity is well tolerated. I prefer patients wait a full 3 weeks before returning to heavy exercise or lifting. (Steven S. Carp, MD, Akron Plastic Surgeon)

Breast augmentation recovery

Post breast augmentation recovery is rather quick. The recovery can be longer with larger sized implants, as you would expect. Scars fade over time, and usually take about 12 months to fully mature. (Dennis Dass, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Recovery from breast augmentation

Post breast augmentation recovery varies from person to person. Typically, it is a relatively brief process that is well tolerated. For most women, there is some discomfort for the first couple of days.

This can be managed well with oral pain meds as prescribed by your surgeon. In my patients, long acting local aesthetics are used during the surgery which makes this much more comfortable.

After the first 2 days, the discomfort begins to subside, and most women are able to drive at this point. It is nice to have some help available if you have children for the first couple of days depending on their ages. The time off from work depends on your job requirements. If you have a desk job, you may be able to return after 4-5 days. Some women have the augmentation on a Friday and are back at work by Monday.

For more strenuous jobs, a week off may be necessary. I ask that patients limit any heavy lifting for three weeks time. Over time, the breasts soften and the scars fade.

While scars continue to improve for 18 months, they are usually subtle after the first month. Overall, breast augmentation is well tolerated. While I can’t say that there is no recovery time or pain, it is able to be minimized in most cases. (Jeffrey Rockmore, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon)

Post breast augmentation recovery

We get those questions quite a bit from our patients, most of which are full-time working mothers. Most of our breast augmentation surgeries are performed with the implant placed under the muscle. These patients typically will return to work in 4-7 days, depending on their profession. We ask that you do not do anything that increases your blood pressure for the first two weeks. Increasing your blood pressure can increase swelling after breast augmentation, and there is a possibility of bleeding. If that happens, your healing will be delayed. We recommend no heavy lifting for approximately four weeks. We need to make sure that the pocket and incision are completely healed before you place any stress on that area. (James Barber, MD, Pittsburgh Plastic Surgeon)

Post Breast augment recovery

Immediately after surgery when the prostheses are placed sub muscular which is generally the norm, the chest will feel quite tight from pressure on the pectoral muscle. Most women who have had children relate that it like when their milk came in. The first few days this is treated with pain medication and muscle relaxants. By one week much of the discomfort has eased.

No heavy lifting for a couple weeks, but walking and mild exercise is OK at that time. Help is required with small children during that first week. By one month you reach the stage when you start to forget they are present and are back doing most everything. (William F. DeLuca Jr, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon)

Recovery after breast augmentation

In general, recovery from a breast augmentation is relatively quick. Most women can get back to work within 3-5 days provided that you do not need to take prescription pain pills or muscle relaxants. Of course, everyone’s response to pain is different. Post breast augmentation recovery and limitations will be longer with a submuscular (under the muscle) implant placement vs. implant location above the muscle. My patients can generally resume aerobic exercise after 3-4 weeks and heavy lifting (>15-20lbs) after 6 weeks (no bench press or pushups for 8-10 weeks with placement under the muscle). Have your children climb into your lap until you can safely lift them. With regards to scarring, most breast scars heal well, but certain patient factors such as darker skin can increase the risk of thicker scars. Incision strength is maximum at 6 weeks, but the scar will continue to improve and fade up till one year. Silicone scar therapy can help improve the overall scar appearance. I recommend starting this one month after surgery. Good luck! (Matthew H. Steele, MD, Fort Worth Plastic Surgeon)

Generally, recovery time calls for plenty of rest and limited movement in order to speed up the healing process. Bandages are applied right after surgery to aid the healing process and to minimize movement of the breasts.

Once the bandages are removed, a specialized surgical bra will need to be worn for several weeks. Patients sometimes report minor pain associated with the surgery.

This pain can be treated effectively with oral medication. Overall, most swelling will subside within a month and the first few days you will feel stiff and sore in your chest area.

I would recommend setting aside about 2 to 3 weeks for recovery. The time it takes scars to fade depends on your healing process and the technique your surgeon uses. (Jimmy S. Firouz, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Breast implant / fast augmentation recovery

Depending on the implant size and placement above or below the muscle, your recovery will vary slightly. In doing mostly “dual-plane” augmentation where the implant is partially covered by muscle in the important upper half of the breast, giving a more natural look, lifting and driving restrictions are in place for at least a week.

Actual arm and chest exercises are limited for the first 4-6 weeks. Getting back to work is usually dependent on when you are off your pain medications and whether your job requires physical labor. Most women are back to office jobs in a week. Each recovery is different, and depending on the size/placement of implant you choose, your surgeon will give you a better estimate on healing. (Deborah Pan, MD, New Haven Plastic Surgeon)

Fast recovery breast augmentation

The time required for recovery from breast augmentation varies between patients. In general, you need to take it easy for 5-7 days. You can do your activities of daily living and walk as much as you want.

Your stamina will be reduced during this time. Most people are able to return to their normal life in this amount of time, including light exercise (no lifting). Be sure to carefully discuss this with your plastic surgeon. (Dustin L. Reid, MD, Austin Plastic Surgeon)

What to expect after breast augmentation (fast recovery)

Most patients need to take one week off work. If heavy lifting or extreme physical activity is part of your job you will require a return to light duties only for a period of time. I ask my patients to avoid cardiovascular and gym activities for 6 weeks. One of the concerns after any surgery is the potential of bleeding. Any activity that increases your heart rate can put pressure on the little blood vessels that are healing.

Too much activity may result in a hematoma, or bleeding inside the breast cavity. Pain management is easily handled with oral pain medications, ice and elevation. Most patients have discontinued all pain killers by day 6 to 8. The chest will continue to feel tight until the tissue has time to stretch and accommodate the new fullness. This can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months depending on the patients anatomy before the surgery. (David K. Ward, MD, Surrey Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Augmentation Fast Recovery

4 days to recover from your Breast Augmentation surgery, 21/2 weeks for exercising and 1-2 months for the scar (Jhonny Salomon, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

Fast Breast Augmentation Recovery

The recovery following a breast augmentation is much smoother for most patients than they anticipate. The recovery is easier with lesser downtime for patients with implants placed over the muscle (sug glandular / sub fascial) as compared to under (sub muscular).

The other factors that can impact the post op recovery are the size of the implant & the tightness of skin envelope. Intra op we prefer to give an intercostal nerve block to the patient at the end of the surgery,which considerably alleviates the pain in the immediate post op.

You can expect temporary soreness, swelling, a change in nipple sensation and possibly bruising for 2 – 3 weeks. A return to work, if not physically strenuous, is possible in a few days. Most of your discomfort can be controlled by anti inflammatory / analgesic meds prescribed by your PS post op. The post op advise is determined by wether the implants were placed below or above the muscle. Showering is permitted between 3 – 7 days following surgery. Driving can be permitted right away (sub glandular) & after 2-3 weeks (sub muscular). Upper body exercise is allowed after 3-4 weeks. Its best to avoid physical contact, for 2-3 weeks after surgery. You can expect your scars to fade over 6 months to a year. (Sameer Karkhanis, MD, India Plastic Surgeon)

Quick breast augmentation recovery: What Can I Expect?

Do not fear for quick breast augmentation recovery is not that long. I like to tell my patients that (depending on job duties) one may go back to work after a good long weekend.

I have a lot of patients that have B Aug surgery on a Friday and go back to work on Monday. You just have to keep in mind that everyone’s pain tolerance is different.

Most of our patients never had to take their pain med, only the muscle relaxer. One must be cautious of lifting, straining, pulling or pushing over 10-15 lbs for the first couple of days to week. A good scar usually begins to fade after several weeks especially if you have a history of great scarring.

A scar, however, doesn’t reach its full maturity until a year. Make sure to use a great scar care cream on your incisions. (Shelby Brantley, MD, Jackson Plastic Surgeon)

What is down time after breast augmentation?

Everyone is different. A couple of factors that come in to play in regards to down time is the starting place. If you start with hardly any breast tissue then there will be a bit more pain because of the amount of stretching is required to fit the implant in.

If you have some extra skin already there then down time is much less. Everyone handles pain differently as well. We call in a pain medication prescription for our patients but most of them do not even finish taking those. They are up and around in 3-4 days. There are some restrictions post augmentation however. We ask our patient to avoid lifting, pulling or pushing anything over 5 lbs for the first 3-4 weeks.

When heading back to the gym build your tolerance back up. Do not go on a 10 mile run on your first way back. Build up your tolerance again. (Frederick Lester, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)

Quick Recovery After Breast Augmentation

This is a commonly asked question; Breast Augmentation under the muscle is a relatively quick recovery. You should expect some discomfort or soreness; often time’s patients will take a mild pain medication, but are off of it within a few days. You should be driving within 2-3 days as long as you’re off of all narcotics. You should be getting up and walking around normally the very next day, going for walks for exercise (flat surfaces, keeping heart rate minimal) at 3 days post-op.

You can start light exercise like treadmill or elliptical after two weeks post-op, keeping in mind you should not be lifting or doing anything that is working your pec muscles. Of course every surgeon has his or her own protocol so mark sure to follow your doctors instructions. (Milind K. Ambe, MD, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)

Quick recovery breast augmentation

You will be sore after your breast augmentation. Many women compare the pain to that of being engorged. Most of my patients need help at home for 3 or 4 days.

Most folks are back at work in about a week. Despite what you may read out there, this is a relatively well tolerated procedure with an exceptionally high patient satisfaction rate! Best of luck, Christopher Davidson, M.D. (Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS, Boston Plastic Surgeon)

Breast augmentation with breast implants recovery.

I tell my patients to plan on a serious two week recovery and four more weeks of limited upper arm activity. So time off from work depends on your jobs requirements.

The concept is that when an implant is placed under the muscle you will need to limit your arm activity to prevent bleeding that can cause capsular contracture. The exact postoperative instructions depend on your board certified Plastic Surgeon. (Laurie Casas, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Augmentation Recovery Time

Recovery from a breast augmentation procedure under general anesthesia with conservatively sized implants is usually in the area 2-3 days.

The remainder of the day of surgery is required to recover from the effects of anesthesia and the next day or two is required to allow your tissues to adjust to the implant device.

There will be a sense of tightness and soreness thast is usually well managed with prescription pain medication within a day or two.

Within three to five days, there should be minimal discomfort that is controlled with over the counter medication. Return to work of a light duty nature is possible by the third day.

Wearing a supportive surgical bra and avoiding any heaving lifting and extremes of motion for up to one week. Basically, allowing your pectaoralis muscles to rest and heal.

Scars do best when they are not irritated. Avoid an underwire bra for 3-4 weeks. Fading of the scar usually occurs in 4-6 months.Be well and good luck! (Morgan E. Norris, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Recovery and Downtime After Breast Augmentation

I love this question! I have developed a protocal in my practice that allows my patients to go out to dinner the night after surgery and return to work in three days. It involves a preoperative regimen of non-narcotic medication and an all natural herbal/nutritional pack started two days prior to surgery.

Intraoperatively, I use special techniques to limit injury to the surrounding tissues and periostium of the ribs, which is particularly sensitive. I inject a new anesthetic into the tissues that is slow released over three days.

Finally, I have a postoperative regimen designed to reduce pain and get you back to normal activities as quickly as possible. When I call my patients the evening after surgery, they are up and ready for dinner. They often go out that evening or the next. (Brian Reedy, MD, Reading Plastic Surgeon)

Recovery time varies

Depending on the patient and the type and made of the implant, Recovery time might vary, the most important time is the first week were there is a greater risk for infections. Pain has been reported by some patients and antibiotics are recommended to avoid infections.

The scaring process also depends on the skin type but generaly begins to face as it matures, some scaring creme or losion applied after the first month will help aliviate and avoid permanent scars unitl it fades out. (Jonathan Fisher, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

We’ll Help You Through the Process: Briefly, Here’s What to Expect…

You ask one of the most frequent questions about Breast Augmentation, and your surgeon should thoroughly explain, answer your questions, give you written information and instructions, and remain available to you after the procedure. Generally, our patients:

• Recover at home for a few days.
• Switch from prescription meds to Tylenol over several days.
• Return to work in less than one week.
• Maintain full range of motion, but limit strong lifting for 3 weeks.* Walk and do easy activities all along, but avoid workouts for 3 weeks.
• Early breast swelling and tightness softens in few weeks.
• Final shape and softness in few months.
• Bra shopping in 6-8 weeks.
• Temporary tingling, shooting sensations, partial numbness common, but minor.
• Postop visits at 1 & 3 weeks, 3 & 9+ months to answer questions.
• Implants should last decades, but time & gravity gradually change breasts.
• Finally, if symptoms aren’t as expected, we want to hear about it and help. (Sutton Graham II, MD, Greenville Plastic Surgeon)

Breast augmentation recovery

Breast augmentation has one of the easiest recoveries of all of our surgeries. Most patients take off a long weekend before going back to work. Some patients even take one day. My staff has done it and come back to work (surgery) then next day! (Frederick G. Weniger, MD, FACS, Hilton Head Island Plastic Surgeon)