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How to Reduce Pain and Recovery Time After Breast Implants Surgery?

Some women have said the pain of getting implants is extreme and others say it is only mild. Why is there a difference? Are some doctors using a different method? What can be done to minimize pain and downtime during breast implants recovery?

Asked 39 months ago by lil in whittier,ca

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pain recovery

Pain Pump

I have used pain pumps for the past 5 years and feel the difference it makes is well worth the $250. It is a device that delivers numbing medication to the area without making you sick to your stomach. It runs automatically, for 2 to 3 days, when you need it most. Many patients take over the counter pain medication with the pain pump, avoid the side affects of prescription pain medications. Ultimately, the most important variable is going to a board certified plastic surgeon, certified... more

Julius W. Few, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Recovery Following Breast Augmentation

Every patient’s pain threshold is different. The method used could also affect patient discomfort. Generally implants placed below the muscle and large implants that cause more tissue stretching are associated with a greater level of discomfort. Appropriate pain management is really patient dependant. Pain pumps can help with managing the pain in the first few days but some of our patients prefer and do fine with just prescription pain medication. Downtime after breast implant... more

Jeffrey Weinzweig, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Pain control after breast augmentation

There are many methods available and each surgeon will have their own routine and preferences. Generally, however, the immediate breast implants recovery period is only about 2-3 days for most patients before you return to your daily activities and have minimal need for pain medication. There are pain pumps available that use local anaesthetic, some surgeons inject local anaesthetic into the surgical site, some use anti-inflammatory medications and/or muscle relaxers as well as the usual... more

Bahram Ghaderi, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Rapid return helps minimize pain after breast augmentation with implants

There are several excellent points made here regarding pain and recovery after breast augmentation. Factors which can influence postoperative pain and recovery include: Under the muscle is more painful than over Larger implants tend to cause more breast expansion and pain Meticulous and precise dissection of the muscle are important aspects of minimizing injury and pain Intraoperative use of local anesthetics Use of Pain pumps Use of Celebrex as an anitinflammatory agent Use of Valum or... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Pain Pumps for Breast Augmentation Surgery

I routinely use pain pumps for both breast augmentation procedures and tummy tuck procedures in my Raleigh, North Carolina Plastic Surgery Practice. During the surgery a tiny tube is set to supply the local anesthetic continually into the surgical area for three to five days of time. Marcaine, a long lasting local anesthetic is administered through tiny tube. This medication significantly reduces discomfort around the surgical area with no side effects like nausea, drowsiness or... more

Doctor's Website

Michael Law, MD

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Pain after breast augmentation should be minimal.

I have also heard women complain of severe pain after breast augmentation, and I find it puzzling. My patients don't complain of significant pain. There will be some more discomfort if the implants are put under the muscle. Some of the tricks to minimize pain: 1) MOST IMPORTANT, is GENTLE SHARP dissection to create the implant pocket (instead of "blunt dissection" which means ripping the tissues with the finger). 2) Stop absolutely all the bleeding. 3) Don't use an... more

George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Anticipate Happiness, Not Pain: Big Gain, A Little Pain

The perception of pain can be much different between any number of individuals experiencing the Breast Augmentation, even when the same surgeon employs the same technique. Without question, there is some pain associated with Breast Augmentation, more so when the implants are placed under the pectoral muscle. Unfortunately, there is also the "anticipatory" pain that patients may experience because they have been told to expect that Breast Augmentation is painful. Some patients may be more... more

Athleo Louis Cambre, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

There are some options to help your recovery

This is a great question. I think that most of us would agree that much of the discomfort after a breast augmentation is due to the stretching of the pectoralis major muscle (the muscle that the implant is often placed under) by the implant. So if the surgeon chooses to place the implant under the muscle and the patient wants a fairly dramatic difference with a larger implant, the chance of discomfort after surgery increases. So there are a few things that I find helpful for decreasing... more

Shahram Salemy, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Pain after breast implant surgery

First, every patient is different in terms of their pain threshold. Second, there is usually more pain when the implants are placed below the muscle. Third, I think that the larger one goes, and the more stretch of the tissues, the more discomfort. I usually inject a long acting anesthetic during surgery so that pain relief is maintained for 6- 12 hours after surgery. This seems to ease the discomfort a bit.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Preemptive pain management

Every surgeon adheres to the methods which have worked well for them and their patients. I use local anesthetic to preempt pain, before the patient is prepped for surgery. Intraop, I instill additional local under the muscle, before positioning the implants. During breast implants recovery, our regimen includes icing, muscle relaxants and educating the patient on body mechanics, as well as ensuring that they have adequate help at home, as well as sufficient time to recover. In my... more

Lavinia Chong, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Breast Augmentation Recovery

Thanks for the great question. Recovery and downtime is something we address before surgery at our San Francisco area practice, including customizing a treatment plan to speed each patient's recovery. Breast augmentation recovery is different for all patients. In addition, breast augmentation is not a homogenous operation either and those differences can impact recovery. Most breast augmentations are below the muscle. This technique improves the appearance and longevity of a breast... more

Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

It does depend on the procedure

Postoperative pain from breast augmentation is dependent on many factors, some of which have been touched on by other respondents. One significant factor is the position that the implant is placed in, above the muscle or below the muscle. Below the muscle is a much more painful procedure. So, if its pain that you fear, consultation with your board certified plastic surgeon will determine if this is an option for your body characteristics. If it is not, then other methods of pain... more

Doctor's Website

Kenneth R. Francis, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Pain pumps help a lot!

The reality is, breast augmentation, when done with subpectoral (under the muscle) implants can be a very painful procedure. I've been using pain pumps consistently for the last several years in my breast augmentation patients and the pain relief can be dramatic. Yes, you'll still need some narcotic pain killers after surgery, but not nearly to the degree that you would without the pain pump. This also means that you're risk of post-op nausea and vomiting will be less. That alone is... more

Doctor's Website

Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Recovery is different for different people

Lil, This is a great question. I have found that the recovery from breast implants surgery depends mostly on patient motivation and patient response to previous surgery. For highly motivated patients, who are informed and who play an active role in there pre- and post-op tend to do better. Additionally, people who normally hit the alarm clock repeatedly every morning tend to have longer recoveries. Likewise, people who get out of bed as soon as the alarm clock goes off tend to recover... more

David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Pain reduction after a Breast Implants can be helped with pain pump.

Breast augmentation can be quite painful for the first 48-72 hours. The discomfort is usually pressure from the muscle distention. If the implants is placed above the muscle, the discomfort is significantly less. This however may cause you to have a worse long term result. Most physicians will place the implant under the muscle to reduce scarring, drooping and rippling. Many Plastic Surgeons will utilize a pain pump during the first 48 hours after surgery. It is a very simple process to... more

David A. Dreyfuss, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Several factors to consider

There are several aspects of the procedure that affect the postop pain. As has been mentioned, large implants where the tissue has to stretch will usually be more of an ordeal. However, surgical technique matters; if it is done gently and precisely, there is less injury to the tissues which may mean less swelling and discomfort. Some surgeons also use a "pain pump" which slowly infuses numbing medication into the surgical site over the first few days. In any case, most patients have "turned... more