If you are dissatisfied with your profile and wish your breasts had more volume, breast augmentation is the cosmetic answer. Whatever your reason for wanting more breast fullness, The Institute of Aesthetic Surgery in Celebration, FL is here for you to provide the best possible care and results. If your augmentation is coming up, or if you’re just interested in what it will entail, knowing how to prepare for a breast augmentation procedure can give you peace of mind.
How to Prepare for Your Breast Augmentation Procedure: 4 Tips
1. Prepare Your Body
Pre-Surgery Blood Work
Some weeks before your surgery, we will do some routine but necessary blood work. This has to happen early so there’s plenty of time to evaluate any issues and help you be as medically ready as possible. We’ll check your electrolyte levels, creatine, hemoglobin, and your blood clotting ability to make sure everything is within the normal range. If there’s anything out of that range, we’ll let you know and help you take the necessary steps to correct it.
Two Weeks Before
At this point, you will need to stop taking certain medications and supplements that could interfere with your surgery or recovery. This is the time to stop drinking alcohol and replace those drinks with water. Alcohol thins your blood, which means you’ll take longer to heal and may bruise unnecessarily. Extra hydration nourishes your body and makes it ready for a quick recovery.
This is also when you need to stop smoking if you haven’t already. Nicotine is very hard on the body at any time, but never more so than when your body is trying to heal. It can create all kinds of unwanted complications for you, so be ready to stop smoking for at least a month before and after your procedure. Since you’ll be pausing the habit for that long, this is a great time to consider stopping it altogether! You’ll never do anything better for your body than to stop a smoking habit.
Finally, you’ll need to stop taking any drugs or supplements that could thin your blood and complicate the procedure. This includes any over-the-counter painkillers other than Tylenol, many prescription medications, and supplements like St. John’s Wort, green tea extract, and ginkgo biloba. We’ll give you a full list at your consultation.
The Night Before
The night before your breast augmentation procedure, it’s important to clean yourself with antibacterial soap and refrain from drinking or eating anything until after your surgery. Don’t even chew gum or take a few sips of water. It’s always safest to do a procedure when your stomach is completely empty. A good night’s sleep will also help your body prepare!
2. Prepare Your Home
The first few days after your procedure, you’ll want to rest comfortably. You can do that best if your home is prepared. Think about the way you’d like things to be if you had a cold and could spend the whole day in bed: that’s how to prepare your home to make it perfect for you.
Prep the Kitchen
Stock up on healthy foods you enjoy and a few small treats. It helps to prepare meals in advance and freeze them so you don’t have to worry about cooking anything for the first few days. If your relatives or friends volunteer to bring round some meals: take them up on it! If you have kids or other family living with you, be sure to consider what they’ll need so you can be at peace knowing they’re eating well while you’re resting.
You should not be bending over or lifting your arms above your head while you’re recovering, so make sure everything is on a shelf where you can easily reach it.
Prep Your Bedroom
You’ll want to wear comfortable, easy-to-access clothes for the first few days, so make sure your comfy shirts and open-front robes are all where you can reach them. Then, consider what you’d like to have around you while you rest. What kind of pillows make your bed a cozy haven? Remember that you won’t be able to sleep flat for a few weeks, so a wedge pillow could be a good investment. Where can you place the remote control so you have easy control of the TV whenever you want to watch a favorite show?
If you have some favorite books and magazines, put them near the bed along with some chargers for any devices you enjoy using. It might help to move a small table into the room temporarily so you have more space for things you want. Finally, if you don’t already have them, now is a good time to get an ice or gel pack, or even a few bags of frozen peas, which can make you more comfortable immediately after your augmentation.
Prep Your Bathroom
When you wash after your augmentation, you’ll want to avoid getting the area overly wet. A handheld shower nozzle and a shower chair can make it much easier to manage this. You should also get some travel-sized shampoo and conditioner so you won’t have to lift any big bottles.
It can’t hurt to have extra personal items in the bathroom placed where you can easily access them. This isn’t the time you want to have to dig around under the sink for another box of tissues or some tampons!
3. Prepare Your Family
Think of your breast augmentation procedure as a holiday. Whatever the makeup of your family, talk with them in advance about what you’ll need from them and how they can help you. They will likely be anxious to make things easier for you, but unless you tell them how that can happen, they may not be able to!
If you have young children, arrange for family or hired help to care for them for a while so you can get your rest and avoid lifting a toddler. If you have pets, make sure you arrange for someone to walk, feed, and play with them so they’re not tempted to jump on you and can get the stimulation and care they need.
4. Prepare for the Day
To be ready for your breast augmentation procedure, start by filling all your prescriptions in advance so you can go straight home afterward. Lay out some comfortable, loose clothing that you don’t have to pull over your head to get on. A zip-up hoodie or a favorite shirt that fastens with buttons is perfect. Finally, it’s important to arrange for someone to drive you to and from your procedure and stay with you for the first 24 hours if you live alone.
A Few FAQ
How Long Will It Take to Recover?
It’s hard to say definitively how long any individual person will need to make a full recovery. For most people, it will all be over in just a few weeks. If you are having particularly large implants, it could take a bit longer. There are some factors that are out of your control (and ours) when it comes to recovery, like genetics, age, and skin elasticity. When you talk with us in the consultation, we can give you a better idea based on your personal situation.
When Can I Get Back to “Real Life?”
Again, the situation is different for each person. If you have an office job that doesn’t require you to move around much, you should be able to go back to work very soon. If your job requires some reaching, you’ll need to wait for about two weeks. If you have to regularly lift anything heavier than five pounds, you can go back to work about six weeks after your procedure.
As for exercise, you should be walking immediately after your surgery: as soon as you can! Walking is good for you and will enhance healing. Save the intense exercise for the six-week mark, though. That includes anything that would cause your breasts to move a lot, like jogging and any weight lifting.
Will I Be Able to Breastfeed After an Augmentation?
In most cases, this is no problem. There are several implant placements to choose from, and most of them won’t interfere with your ability to breastfeed. If you choose a peri-areolar surgery, there is a risk of breastfeeding issues. Talk to us more about this at your consultation if you’re concerned.
Will My Breasts Feel Normal When It’s All Over?
In most cases, nipple and breast sensations return to normal after an augmentation. Again, each person is different, so it may take a few weeks to a few months for things to feel normal again.
Does This Procedure Increase My Cancer Risk?
Breast cancer is naturally a worry for all women, but studies show there’s no increased risk if you have a breast augmentation procedure. Other studies have proved that having a procedure also doesn’t make it harder for your doctor to detect a tumor. Finally, studies have shown that the chance of obtaining remission for those who do get cancer is the same for those who have had a breast augmentation as for those who haven’t.
How Old Is Too Old for This Procedure?
Most women who get an augmentation do so in their 30s, but it’s not at all uncommon for women in their 40s and 50s to do so. If you’re older and experiencing sagging, you may consider getting an additional surgery to lift the breasts. We’ll discuss all your options with you at your consultation and help you find the right choice for your specific goals.
How Long Will It Take to Soften Up?
After an augmentation, you’ll notice that your breasts feel firmer than normal. This will go away, but the timeframe depends on your unique situation. You should feel soft again in just a few weeks, but it may take a few months.
How Long Will an Augmentation Last?
Augmentations last around a decade, though the situation is always different for every individual. Some women have actually enjoyed their augmented breasts for as long as 25 years without a problem. We’ll talk to you about how to keep tabs on what’s happening and steps to take to keep your results for as long as possible.
The Institute of Aesthetic Surgery
At The Institute of Aesthetic Surgery, your comfort and safety are our priority. We love how aesthetic procedures don’t just change a person’s look: they can change your whole outlook on life. While cosmetic procedures have sometimes gotten a bad rap, when you do them every day you come to realize how life-changing they really are. When we look good, we feel better and more confident. We go about life with a better outlook, and that improves relationships, self-esteem, and even career prospects.
We’re Ready to Hear From You
Visit The Institute of Aesthetic Surgery in Celebration, FL today to learn more about breast augmentation and any of the procedures and treatments we offer. We’re waiting to take your call and can’t wait to get started on a fulfilling journey helping you.