Patient’s Perspective: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Breast Augmentation

Be prepared to alter your plan.

Although you may go into your consultation knowing exactly what size you want to be, be prepared for your plastic surgeon to throw you a curve ball. There are various factors which go into determining the right implant type and size such as amount of breast tissue, breast sag, skin elasticity, chest wall dimensions, asymmetry, and more. In my situation, my doctor pointed out that one of my breasts was much lower than other, so I ended up having a breast lift with augmentation. Coming into my consultation I had no clue a lift would be needed. It was a bit of a shocker! I trusted my surgeon and I’m happy I had the right procedures done. My suggestion, go into your consultation with an open mind and remember your plastic surgeon is the expert.

Get everything ready at home before surgery.

Buy a couple of basic sports bars to have on hand after surgery. Do all of your laundry, including your sheets. Make sure all of your house cleaning is done. If you are going to be taking care of yourself after surgery, get your food, drink and medications ahead of time. If you have a two story home, you may want to set up a make-shift bed on your couch downstairs, so you don’t have to go up and down.

Don’t be shy about taking prescribed medication.

Some surgeons will say you will be fine just taking over- the -counter pain medication. Everyone has a different pain threshold. I ended up needing something stronger, so I had to call my doctor to have him prescribe Vicodin, which I then had to go pick up. I recommend asking your surgeon to prescribe pain medication ahead of tiem, so you have it on hand in case you need it. Nothing is worse than being miserable and not having medication to take the pain away. Xanax really helped me out as well. helped as well. I ended up taking it day I came home from surgery, because my boobs seemed huge and felt hard. I thought I made a big mistake. I was also uncomfortable and had a hard time sleeping. The Xanax really helped me calm down during the first week post-op.

Be ready to feel like you have bowling bowls on your chest.

For the first week or so your chest will feel VERY heavy like bowling bowls. At times, it may feel like you can’t breathe, but you can… This my stress you out. Another reason why it’s good to have Xanax on hand.

Don’t freak out when you see your breasts for the first time!

I sure wish I knew what to expect when I saw my new boobs. The day after my surgery I had my first post-op visit. My surgeon took off all of my bandages and showed me my breasts. I freaked out and almost cried. They looked deformed. They were really high and almost square looking. My doctor told me it was totally normal. If your implants are placed under the muscle, the muscles are confused because there is this new foreign object there. So, the muscles contract, which cause the implants to be pushed up high. Over time, the muscles relax and the implants drop into place. I remember also noticing the bottom of my breasts were like empty. There was this empty space. That was the breast pocket he created, but the implant was being held up so high, it wasn’t in the proper place.. After a few weeks my breasts did settle down and looked exactly like I had wanted! Thank goodness!

Take it easy.

Don’t rush back into your regular daily routine. Take the necessary amount of time to recover. It can be hard if you are generally an active person. Find some good movies and books to pre-occupy yourself.

Go walking.

If you are up for it, go on very short slow walks starting the day after surgery. I felt like getting up and moving around made me feel much better. It helps the swelling go down also. If you just lay all day long, your breasts will swell more. I always felt better afterwards.

Don’t drive until you absolutely have to.

You definitely cannot drive while you are talking pain medication and/or Xanax. In addition, you will feel very restricted with your arm movement after surgery, which will impair your driving and ability to re-act if you need to. Wait to drive until it’s absolutely necessary. Fortunately, Uber and Lyft are options if you need to go run errands, but don’t feel comfortable driving yourself and don’t have anyone to help you out. I’m 14 days post-op and I still get sore if I drive for too long.

It’s ok to touch your breasts.

At first I was nervous thinking it would really hurt to touch my breasts, but once I finally did, I realized it actually helped relieve some of the pain. They may feel weird, but start out massaging them slowly and gently.

Don’t be afraid to call your surgeon.

Doctors can be intimidating, and you may feel like you are being a bother, but this is a big investment in yourself, so don’t be shy. No question is a dumb question. If your doctor isn’t available, there should be staff on hand who are able to assist you.

Schedule a Consultation

To learn more about your breast surgery options and the recovery period, schedule a consultation with Dr. Cruise. Call our Newport Beach, California office or contact us online. If you prefer, you can also begin a virtual consultation by submitting photos to Dr. Cruise.