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How Painful Can Breast Lift with Implant Be?

asked 2 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 2,311 times
Tags: age 35-44, breasts, female, capsular contracture, complication, loose, pain, recovery, scar, skin

I'm 37 years old. After having baby, I have ended up with loss of volume and loose skin on my breast and flat look. I'm disappointed with my looks and am considering Breast Implant with Breast Lift.

Thought of pain and complication scares me to hell. How painful can the procedure be? The look of ugly scars and capsular contracture and other complications makes me uncomfortable.

Please help me in deciding and let me know if there is a way or procedure with less pain or quick recovery for Breast Augmentation. How is pain or discomfort minimized to little or no pain at all by painkillers? Thanks.

14 answers to How Painful Can Breast Lift with Implant Be?

Pain following breast augmentation

My colleagues have done an excellent job of discussing the many considerations that relate to pain following breast augmentation. In addition, it is important to note that pocket placement can make a mjor difference, Lastly the use of post operative exercises has been usef ul to minimize pain following the surgery. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Pain with Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift

First let me say it sounds like you have more concerns than just pain. You'll have to come to grips with the reality that complications can happen-not often for most experienced surgeons but they do happen. Capsular contracture is becoming a fading complication since implants have been placed in the subpectoral position. As far as pain goes most of my patients are off all medications by 3-4 days after surgery. Virtually all of my patients describe the "pain" as more of a... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

Scared to have breast augmentation

The post-operative discomfort can be effectively managed and is a short term issue. The more significant aspect of your question is your concern about the possible complications. While complications rates are low, the possibilty exists. Before undertaking any surgery, you must understand the possible risks and accept them. As an informed patient, you will seek a board certified plastic surgeon. Your board certified plastic surgeon will take steps to insure you do not have a complication.... more

Tracy Pfeifer, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

drpfeifer.com

Breast Implant and Lift

Certainly, you would be the one to make the decision. Breast implant and lift is very common procedure. As far as pain goes, it is very patient dependant. Most of my patients take pain medications for 1-2 days. There are some that dont take anything but tylenol and some that need it for 4-5 days. But the majority are using pain medications for 1-2 days. As far as complications go, the risk of capsular contracture in general is around 5-7 % nationwide. So the risks are low. As fas as... more

Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Breast Lift with Implants pain

All the previous expert posters have tried to address the issues of pain degrees and possible complications in quite good detail. My feeling is the Internet is NOT the forum to try and convince you that there are no risk, no pain, no complications in having ANY cosmetic surgery, especially breast implants + lifting. You NEED to see in person at least 3 board certified plastic surgeons so you can get a three dimensional experience of a real hands on evaluation and develope a relationship... more

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Post-augmentation pain

Pain is variable. In general, pain maximizes by 24-48 hours. By four days, it should be quite manageable. Almost all of our patients can do exercises to minimize capsular contracture by the fourth post-op day. Pain pumps and infusion of local anesthesia into the pocket is available as well to alleviate the initial few days of pain. I always tell my patient they will have pain even if they don't since preparing for it and expecting it is better than not. They are generally more happy when... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

A breast lift with augmentation is great and not very painful at all

If your breast are deflated and your nipple areolar complex has moved down below your inframamary crease, then a breast lift and a breast augmentation is the procedure for you. Originally I would put the implant under the muscle but over the past 8-10 years I have been putting a textured silicone gel implant under the breast at the same time as I do the breast lift. This has given my patients wonderful and long lasting results that are superior to previous approaches. Depending on how far... more

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD
Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

Amount of Pain with a Breast Augmentation or Lift

The overwhelming majority of women undergoing Breast Augmentation / Lift feel the pain was well controlled with pain pills. Many actually are surprised by how little pain they are having. The amount of pain depends on multiple factors; Surgeon dependent and Patient dependent. Surgeons who prevent contact with the ribs, who take their time and cut and do not bluntly rip ("blunt dissection") tissues and who control and stop all bleeding have a lot less pain after wards than surgeons... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Minimizing Pain After Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift

Generally speaking, operations that involve the muscles, bones or joints tend to be more painful operations that involve only the soft tissues. The soft tissues are usually not involved with necessary movement and are not weight bearing. A breast lift traditionally does not involve bones, joints or muscles and thus tends to be relatively well tolerated. This is especially true if a good support bra is worn to prevent movement of the breasts after surgery. A breast lift and a breast... more

Alexander G. Nein, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

Pain of breast augmentation

About 80% of my patients say that the pain of a breast augmentation was much less than they had anticipated. The surgeon needs to be very meticulous about the procedure as this minimizes swelling. The patient neds to be a positive thinker and not an anxious person for the fastest recovery. Negative, nervous patients take 3-4 weeks for the pain to completely minimize while the calm ones often just take Tylenol and look fine in 3-4 days. Pain pills and muscle relaxants are very helpful. more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Patients rate breast lift with implants worth it

Any decision for surgery is a serious matter, and your concerns are certainly valid. However, patients almost universally say that it was worth the post-op discomfort. There are options for managing the pain after surgery, including things such as the On-Q pump which blocks most of it with numbing medication infused directly into the surgical site. In any case, it usually resolves in a matter of days. A good surgeon will go over risks of complications with you in detail so that you can make... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Pain after augmentation and lift

There certainly is some discomfort after surgery more so from the augmentation than the lift. The amount you will feel depends upon your pain threshold and the pocket placement of the implants.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pain after breast augmentation with lift

I place a large amount of long acting, local anesthetic in the wound after virtually all of my operations and thus 95% of my patients never take pain medicine. Instead, we recommend Valium, with or without Tylenol. While you will be sore for 1 to 2 days, it's tolerable and most patients return to an office job in 3 to 5 days.

Darrick E. Antell, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pain after Breast Lift with Implants

Pain is very difficult to quantify. Some women will be off narcotic pain meds in a few days whereas others may still require them 2-3 weeks later I would expect you to have more pain with the augmentation that with the lift portion of your procedure, especially if the implants are placed submuscularly. As is the case with all surgeries, you must weigh the benefits, risks, discomfort, inconvenience, etc. when deciding whether or not to undergo a procedure.