Breast Enlargement

• General
• The Consultation
• The Operation
• After Surgery
• Recovery
• Gallery

The day after your breast augmentation surgery you may be able to go home, depending on the degree of pain you are experiencing. If you do leave the hospital that day it is very important that you have a responsible adult who is wiling to stay with you through the day and your first night at home.

During the early weeks of your recovery there are certain things you should expect:

• Many people are able to drive after two to four days, depending on their level of discomfort. One consideration is that wearing a seat belt may be uncomfortable. For your own safety, it is far better to delay driving until you can wear a set belt than to rush into driving and not wear your belt.
• It is usually recommended that air travel be postponed for a month after surgery. For more on why this is advised, please see the Frequently Asked Questions page on this web site.
• As with any surgery, pain may occur in the area for some time. Most commonly this resolves in a few months but it can last longer in some instances and may require special treatment.
• Even if your discomfort is limited, you should not assume that you are healing faster than normal or ready to exercise. Exercising too early can cause seroma, a collection of clear fluid around your implant, which may require drainage. Most cosmetic surgeons recommend you refrain from upper body exercise for the first three weeks. After this time you can start exercising gradually, with the goal of being back to your normal activity level after six weeks.
• There may also be changes in nipple and breast sensation. These are usually temporary.
• It is also fairly common for the skin above the incision to feel a bit numb for some months, but this rarely extends to the nipple.
• Complete loss of sensation is more common in large volume augmentation because severely stretched nerves have more difficulty recovering. Some patients experience increased sensation, which can last for as long as three months.
• The most common complication following breast augmentation is capsular contraction, a condition in which the scar tissue around the implant shrinks, squeezing it so it feels firm or even quite hard.
• Most capsular contracture stems from the use of smooth shell implants. With modern textured surface implants the incidence is low, probably around 5%. It is not known why this condition develops in some cases and not others.
• Extreme athletic activity, such as marathon running, is definitely a factor, however normal activities such as aerobics or badminton do not appear to cause this problem.
• If it is necessary to relieve the firmness of a contracture, it may be appropriate to surgically release the capsule under general anaesthetic. Several medications that have shown positive effects on capsular contraction are currently under trial.
• Infection is fortunately very rare after breast augmentation. Should it occur, it will exhibit itself by swelling and redness appearing up to three weeks after surgery. Should this occur, the implant will be removed and the infection allowed to clear before the re-insertion of a new prosthesis.