With increasing numbers of plastic surgeons performing breast augmentation, there are a number of competitive advantages that surgeons advertise when they are trying to distinguish themselves in a crowded market. One of these extras is known as 24-Hour Recovery or Rapid Recovery. They promise you can go out for dinner the night of or be back at work the day after your breast augmentation surgery. While it is not for us to say what other surgeons can or cannot do, but we can say why we don’t think 24-hour breast augmentation recovery is necessarily a good idea:
- First, everyone heals at a different rate. As with any recovery, it’s far better to listen to your body than to put an arbitrary number on it.
- Second, going back to work too soon can increase your risk of postsurgical complications that might mean you either get poor results or have to have a follow-up surgery. Respect yourself and your results enough to take the time to fully recover.
- Third, rapid recovery techniques generally limit your surgical options, such as breast implant placement or incision location. If you want the freedom to get the best results for you, don’t restrict yourself to rapid recovery techniques.
- Finally, do you really want to go back to work the day after your surgery? Breast augmentation is something you are doing for yourself–also allow yourself this little personal holiday. God willing, you will only have one breast augmentation surgery in your life, make it a special occasion, a holiday in your name.
Overall, rapid recovery might seem like a good selling point on paper, but in practice it’s not worth the risk. Most patients report that the discomfort from breast augmentation is less than they expected, and many feel normal one or two days after surgery, but we think it’s best to give yourself the time you need to heal. To learn more about breast augmentation recovery, please call or email Dr. David A. Bottger to schedule a consultation at his Philadelphia office.