How do I prepare for a breast augmentation?
Your surgeon will provide thorough preoperative instructions, answer any questions you may have before your surgery, take a detailed medical history, and perform a physical exam to determine your fitness for surgery.
In advance of your procedure, your surgeon may ask you to:
- Stop smoking before undergoing surgery to promote better healing.
- Avoid taking aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory drugs, and some herbal medications that can cause increased bleeding.
- Hydrate before and after surgery for safe recovery.
- Wear a special bra to expand the skin and tissue around the breasts and prepare them for the fat injection (for breast augmentation using autologous fat transfer).
To help detect and track any changes in your breast tissue, if you are over 40 years of age, your aesthetic plastic surgeon may recommend:
- A baseline mammogram before surgery.
- Another mammogram a few months after surgery.
Breast augmentation is usually an outpatient procedure. You’ll need to arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery and stay with you at least the first night following surgery.
What can I expect the day of my breast augmentation?
Be sure to consult with your surgeon before your surgery so you have the most accurate expectations.
- You may have your breast augmentation in an accredited hospital, free-standing ambulatory facility, or office-based surgical suite.
- Breast augmentations typically take at least one to two hours to complete, but it may take longer if you are also getting a breast lift.
- The surgeon will administer medications for your comfort during the procedure.
- General anesthesia is common for breast augmentation procedures. In some instances, the surgeon will use local anesthesia or intravenous sedation too.
- For your safety during the surgery, various monitors will be used to check your heart, blood pressure, pulse, and the amount of oxygen circulating in your blood.
- Your surgeon will follow the surgical plan discussed with you before surgery.
- After your surgery, you will go to a recovery area for continued monitoring.
What can I expect if I’m getting breast implants?
- After your surgeon inserts and places the breast implants, they will use sutures to close the surgical incisions.
- Many surgeons will wrap your chest area with a gauze bandage or dress you with a surgical compression bra to provide support and assist with healing.
- You may need to have drainage tubes for a short time following surgery.
What can I expect if I’m getting a breast augmentation using fat transfer?
Breast augmentation with autologous fat transfer requires two procedures: liposuction and fat injection.
- Using liposuction techniques, your aesthetic plastic surgeon removes your fat cells from a predetermined location with a cannula and closes your liposuction incisions with sutures.
- The surgeon then processes the fat.
- Finally, the surgeon injects the fat into your breasts.
- You will need to wear compression garments over the liposuction areas and your breasts.
You likely can go home after a short observation period unless you and your aesthetic plastic surgeon have made other plans for your immediate postoperative recovery.