Tips to Overcoming Fear of Breast Implant Surgery?

Question

I just turned 40 this year and have wanted Breast implants for 20+ years. I've had 3 children and although I'm 5'5, 110lbs, I've never been happy with my barely B cup size & I can afford the implants, I have the time to do it but my fear of the surgery and the pain have prevented me from doing so. I avoid many types of clothing because of my breasts and it affects my self-esteem. How can I get past my fear and how bad REALLY is breast implant recovery?

Amy T. Bandy, DO, FACS · Answer

Dear "afraid of surgery",
If you have any close friends who have had this surgery, the best thing is for you to talk to them and get their personal experience with their surgery. The next move would be to meet with a few Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who can explain their techniques, and give you the information that you require to deal with the fears you have about the surgery itself. I would suggest considering choosing the surgeon whom you feel the most comfortable with. 
If you do not have anyone that you know who has had the surgery, your surgeon should be able to refer you to a few patients to speak to. If your fears are about the anesthesia, your surgeon could have you speak with the anesthesiologist so that he/she can answer your questions and hopefully help alleviate some of your fears. 
I would also recommend that you visit the ASPS web site, where there is valuable information on the procedure, and surgeons. The recovery will vary depending on if you have the implants in front or behind the muscle. If you are afraid of the pain, a pain pump can ble placed during surgery that will help keep your pain to a minimum. GOOD LUCK!

Stewart Wang, MD, FACS · Answer

It's normal to have fear and anxiety about breast implant surgery. First, try to identify the exact reason for the fear. Is it pain? Worried about anesthesia? Concerned about how recovery period is like? Worried about the implant? Uncertain about final result? Talk to an experience plastic surgeon will help not only to identify the source of the fear but how to overcome it. Most women are concerned about pain and recovery. Speak to other women who had breast implant will help guide your expectation regarding the recovery period. Finally, take the time to select a well-qualified plastic surgeon who you trust to do the surgery and guide your recovery.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

I would advise that you contact women you know who have had the surgery. While it is true that some patients experience more pain than anticipated, most are reasonably surprised and take pain medications to alleviate the discomfort. Many of my patients who have nursed relate the pain after breast enlargement to be similar or identical to the discomfort of their milk "coming in " and their breast engorgment.
In any event, do not do the surgery unless you are completely fine with proceeding.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Anxiety prior to surgery is very normal; its complete elimination is usually not possible.I ask my patients  to try to be as calm as possible prior to surgery;  this “calmness"  tends to translate to a smoother postoperative course. You may be able to alleviate some  pre operative anxiety with music, exercise, meditation, a glass of wine (if ok with your surgeon), sexual activity (be careful...), and positive/objective focus on the long term outcome/benefits etc. prior to your procedure. Generally, patients find that they did “get worked up for nothing” after their  recovery  is completed. I hope this helps.  Good luck!

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

If you were not fearful of surgery, you probably would not be normal. Everyone is a bit nervous about surgery. Having a good relationship withyour doctor and his staff will hopefully alleviate some of this anxiety. Certainly if you are unsure to have surgery , then do not undergo it. I always remind patients that they may even feel a bit depressed after surgery. This usually goes away as they start feeling better, and the majority of patients are extremely happy that they had the surgery. Good Luck.

John P. Stratis, MD · Answer

Your best bet is to talk with as many woman as possible who have had the procedure done. Realself is a great site for giving you the flavor of what the procedure and recovery is like. You can also get names from your plastic surgeon of patients that he has treated. Ultimately it is you who have to make the leap and need to be comfortable with what you are doing.

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Dear "Freda",
"fear of the surgery and the pain ...How can I get past my fear and how bad REALLY is recovery?"
Fear of surgery could be classified as REALISTIC and UNREALISTIC.
Realistic, reactive,  fear is the uneasiness we all feel whenever we surrender ourselves to someone else and lose total control. The best way to conquer this is to reflect how many people undergo general anesthesia every day in your town/city and of these just how many (in your state of health) die or get hurt. The number is minuscule. More people die on the roads of your city or in home accidents than die as results of anesthesia complications. As a matter of fact, of all the fields of Medicine, Anesthesia has been the ONLY field whose malpractice insurance premiums have been coming down because of an ever increasing safety record. (Practically speaking, the Anesthesiologists have become the Maytag repairmen equivalent of Medicine - their jobs have thankfully got ever so boring and quiet as our technology has improved).
The odds of your suffering bleeding can be reduced to less than 2 in one hundred and of getting an infection again to less than 2 in one hundred women. The odds of your having numbness of part of the breast or nipple can be as high as 15%. All other complications are much less likely.
As far as recovery, the roughest day (even with under the muscle implants) is the first day after surgery and it rapidly gets better from there. Most women are back to desk work, at most, a week later.
As far as UNREALISTIC fears - no matter how many facts I can give you. You would probably not believe me. So I would not even try.
If you could ask the Millions of American women, had they to do it over again, would they have their breast augmentations? Over 90% would give you a resounding yes.
So - put on your "Big Girl Panties" and go for it - life is short. Time to enjoy it.

Dennis Dass, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

The recovery after breast augmentation can be rather quick, especially if you desire a small augmentation.  You will be back to normal within a few days.

George J. Beraka, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi!  There are 4 things women are afraid of  when considering breast implants:
1)  Complications of anesthesia.  You are young and thin and (presumably) healthy, so any risk from the anesthesia is truly remote.
2)  Pain.   With gentle surgery, the recovery from breast augmentation is quite easy, and many of our patients go back to work in 3 or 4 days.
3)  Are implants harmful?   There are many large scientific studies that show that implants are safe and do not cause any diseases.   This is true of both saline implants and silicone implants.
4)  A bad result.   Your best insurance against this is to go to an experienced plastic surgeon with a good eye.  Most women are very happy with their breast implants.
But you really have to be motivated.  A little anxiety before surgery is normal.  Sometimes it is not really fear that stops women from going ahead, but rather it is ambivalence.

John Whitt, MD (retired) · Answer

There are 2 things that you should try to help overcome your fears. First of all, find a plastic surgeon that you are comfortable with performing your surgery. Then ask him/her to see if some former patients are willing to speak to you about their experience. I think you will find this very helpful. Good Luck!

Tips to Overcoming Fear of Breast Implant Surgery?

Answers (11)

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