Which is the most painful operation, breast augmentation or breast lift?

In general,  as a breast lift involves only removal of skin and a breast augmentation usually involves some work on the pectoral muscle, I think breast augmentations are more uncomfortable and take patients slightly longer to recover from.

Breast surgery as any other surgery is associated with post surgical pain and/or discomfort. The degree of pain depends on the type of surgery. Surgery that involves manipulation of just the breast tissue ( breast parenchyma) and skin like breast lift or  subgladular breast augmentation (breast implants placed above the muscle) is usually associated with mild discomfort in most of the patients. Procedures that involves detachment or manipulation of the pectorals major muscle like sub muscular breast augmentation are associated with moderate pain that in most of the patients. The degree of pain also depends on the patient's tolerance to pain and the ability of the body to respond to pain medications. 

Most of my patients complain of pressure on their chest when they have a breast augmentation. The feeling is similar to when the milk engorges the breast after child birth. I have found 5mg Valium usually controls the muscle spasm when the implant is beneath the muscle. After 48 hours everything gets better. Most of my patients for either procedure just take tylenol for the pain. Over 95% of my patients consider the procedure worth the discomfort they endure for the results they want. See a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck...

The discomfort of breast surgery has more to do with the stretching of the muscles in cases where an implant is placed.  If the implant is over the muscle, or if there's no implant at all, often patients have little pain to speak of at all.  Even with implants used under the muscle though, in good hands, pain can be minimized to the point of needing pain medicines for no more than a few days, and getting back to most normal activities within 4-5 days.

A good question.  Pain and recovery from breast augmentation under the muscle is a bit longer. Breast augmentation over the muscle is less painful but has a similar recovery time for vigorous activity. Breast lift has less pain post op and a quicker recovery, usually, but everyone reacts to pain differently.  Photos and/or physical exam would be needed to best assess your particular circumstance.  Seek the advice from a board certified plastic surgeon.  Good luck!

I think that a breast augmentation  under the muscle often is more uncomfortable post-op, but usually a lift requires more healing  time because of all the incisions.

The short answer is that breast augmentation (if implant is placed submuscular) is probably a longer recovery time due to the pain and discomfort associated with surgery on muscle.  Due to the advent of a great long acting drug called "Exparel" the pain associated with all cosmetic surgery has greatly been reduced.  I typically tell my patients that they need to take it easy for 3 weeks postop following submuscular breast augmentation and 2 weeks for the standard breast lift.  Obviously, it takes longer for patients to feel like they never had surgery, but most people can get back to their normal routine after the above recovery times.

Usually if the antiinflamatories and pain killers are administered correctly pain should not be a complaint post surgery, but generally breast lift surgery patients last a little longer to recover 100%. Best wishes.