Tag Archives: breast augmentation recovery

7 Things to Know Before Getting a Breast Augmentation

7 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Breast Augmentation

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1. Manage Your Expectations

Before you book a consultation with a plastic surgeon, it’s important to manage your expectations. Don’t go into the consultation with a set idea of what you want. Your plastic surgeon will take measurements of your body and recommend an appropriate implant size and incision location based on your unique needs.

Tissue-based planning involves measuring parts of your body, including your breast width, skin stretch, etc. Based on your measurements, Dr. Adams will be able to give you a range of recommended implants for your breast. He will also recommend the ideal incision location, which is in the inframammary fold.

The reason that the other incisions, like the areola or the armpit, are inferior to the inframammary incision is because there is a higher risk of infection or capsular contracture with other incision locations. Dr. Adams’ will also show you his high-quality scar therapy program to give your scars their best appearance.

Not everyone is built the same, so basing your expectations off of what you’ve seen work with someone else, may not be the best option for you. This is why it’s always important to talk with your doctor and get their expert opinions.

2. Be Prepared for Future Breast Revisions

While breast implants today are designed to last longer than previous generations, they are not meant to last a lifetime. There is still a chance that you may need to replace or revise your implants in the future.

The FDA recommends getting an MRI every other year to check the status of your implants. If you start to feel uncomfortable, or notice something that’s just not quite right, you should setup an appointment with your doctor to get things checked out.

Breast implants are designed to put up with normal everyday activities, but sometimes over exerting yourself, exercising too much (or the wrong way), or participating in extraneous physical activities can sometimes cause breast implants to leak or become dislodged from their normal state.

3. Knowing What to Expect from a Breast Augmentation

A common question that many women interested in breast augmentation want answered is: what will I look like after my procedure? Many offices will have women place implants in their bras or put rice in a bag and then place it in their bras to try to show them what their breasts are going to look like after their augmentation.

Instead of using rice bags or trying on different sizes of implants in a bra, opt for the Vectra 3D imaging system. It’s a more accurate way to predict what you will look like after the procedure. With 98% accuracy, you can see a 3D image of your body with different implant sizes and shapes.

After having a scan made of your chest, Dr. Adams can decide which implants will be the best fit for your body based on tissue-based planning. And since the Vectra 3D imaging system uses 3D scans of your actual body, you’ll be able to see 3D renderings of what you would actually look like with your breast implants.

4. Take a Break from Exercising

Recovery from Dr. Adams’ breast augmentation is very rapid and allows you to go back to work, pick up children under 3 years old, and even go shopping the day of your procedure. But you do need to be prepared for some restrictions, such as exercise limitations.

It’s important to take some time off from your exercise regimen for the recommended period of time after your procedure. For the first two weeks after surgery, avoid exercise that raises your heart rate above 100 beats per minute. After two weeks, you may begin cardio and after six weeks, you may begin chest-focused weightlifting.

You will have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon where he will make sure things are healing as they should and they can give you a better estimate of how long you need to limit your exercise based on your healing.

5. Your Breasts Will Sit High in Your Chest Immediately After Surgery

When implants are first placed in surgery, they are put inside the chest. This causes the tissues to move to the upper part of the breast. Because of this, women may feel like their breast implants are very high up on their chest for the first couple of weeks after the procedure. It is completely normal to feel this way, as it takes about 6-8 weeks for the bottom part of the breast to fill out and the nipple to naturally tilt up.

6. Expect Changes in Nipple Sensitivity After Breast Surgery

It is very common to not feel any sensation in your nipples after your procedure. It is also completely normal for your nipples to be more sensitive after your procedure. When your breasts are augmented, the nerves that lead to the nipple are stretched around the implant, which in turn can cause hypo- or hypersensitive nipples.

This change in sensitivity of your nipples can be temporary but can also be long-lasting. If you have concerns about the sensitivity of your nipples before or after your surgery, be sure to discuss them with your doctor.

7. Avoid Underwire Bras and Push-up Padding

After surgery, it’s important to avoid bras with underwire or push-up padding for the first 6 weeks. These types of bras can cause improper healing and may lead to other complications.

Breast augmentation surgery can be a life-changing procedure, but it’s important to understand the risks and limitations before going under the knife. Knowing these 7 things about breast augmentation will help you to ensure a successful and safe procedure. Remember to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon and discuss any concerns or questions you may have.

If you ever have any questions in regard to a breast augmentation with Dr. Adams, please call our office at 214-965-9885 or contact us online.

​Why Are My Breasts More Sensitive After a Breast Augmentation?

​Why Are My Breasts More Sensitive After a Breast Augmentation?

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Breast implants can offer a boost of self-esteem or restore a woman’s comfort in her own skin. While breast augmentation surgery is very common and has a fast recovery time (Over 99% of Dr. Adams’ patients return to normal activities within 24 hours after the surgery), some harmless side effects may occur post-op. Some patients experience a numbness or tingling, and one of the most common side effects women report after the procedure is that their breasts feel tender or sensitive.

Why Does Sensitivity Occur?

If you’re experiencing increased sensitivity after surgery, don’t fret. It’s likely only temporary and there are many reasons why this happens.

Nipple or breast sensitivity that occurs after you get implants is known as hypersthesias or neuropathic paion. When breast augmentation surgery is performed, skin and nerves are stretched in order to accommodate the breast implant. Whether or not you experience hypersthesia depends on many factors. If you are increasing your breast size significantly, there may be a higher chance you might experience this nerve-related discomfort.

The nerve-related discomfort typically arises after the initial recovery, about 3 weeks – 9 months post-surgery.

Regardless of the reason, most of these sensations are caused by temporary changes to the many nerves of your breast. The surrounding myelin, or “insulation,” around that nerve is affected during the surgery, and tenderness can persist until the body has time to repair the myelin and restore normal function to that nerve.

How Can You Relieve Breast Sensitivity After Surgery?

Most sensitivity or numbness will go away on its own within 3 – 4 months after breast augmentation surgery. By that time, the body has had a chance to repair any nerve and skin damage, and the implants have had a chance to “settle in.” However, during the time that you are experiencing discomfort, there are a few things you can try to provide some relief.

Anti-inflammatory medication, such as Ibuprofen (Advil) work well to help reduce any pain or tenderness you are experiencing.

Using nipple protectors, gauze pads or large bandaids over the nipples may also provide some relief. This will prevent your nipples from rubbing against your clothing, which tends to increase the sensitivity and discomfort.

Breast augmentation can have a very positive impact on the self-esteem and confidence of women, but there are potential side effects to be aware of. Numbness, tenderness or sensitivity are the most common side effects of the procedure, but they usually clear up relatively quickly and are easily treated. Dr. Adams has implemented several specific techniques that reduce tissue trauma during the surgery and minimize post-operative side effects. Contact us to learn more about our fast-track 24-hour recovery for breast augmentation or other plastic surgery options.

Breast Augmentation After Pregnancy: Guide to Getting Your Beautiful Breasts Back

Breast Augmentation After Pregnancy: Guide to Getting Your Beautiful Breasts Back

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Pregnancy can take a toll on your breasts. Not only can your breasts undergo major changes in size when you’re pregnant, but they also get pulled and sucked on while breastfeeding. Needless to say, your breasts can look a lot different after having a baby. This is why many mothers choose to have a breast augmentation after pregnancy. Breast augmentation can give you your beautiful, youthful breasts back by restoring volume.

Watch the video below to see a mother of two recovering from her breast augmentation 24 hours after her surgery with Dr. Adams.


How Long Should You Wait After Pregnancy?

We never recommend that women jump straight into breast augmentation surgery after having a baby. It’s important that you finish breastfeeding and your breasts are no longer changing in size. Allow your body to return to its normal hormonal rhythms and weight. Give yourself time to recover. About 3 months after you finish breastfeeding, you can speak to Dr. Adams about whether or not your body is ready for breast augmentation surgery.

While you want to make sure you wait until your body is ready for surgery, you don’t have to worry about taking time off from your baby after a breast augmentation at Dr. Adams Plastic Surgery. Thankfully, Dr. Adams’ 24-hour breast augmentation recovery technique allows busy mothers to get right back to taking care of their children after surgery. You can go back to your normal activities, like driving and grocery shopping, immediately.

Before and after breast augmentation

How Does a Breast Augmentation After Pregnancy Help Your Breasts?

After pregnancy, many women may notice that their breasts look “empty” and have lost volume. While it’s no surprise that your breasts grow a cup or more during your pregnancy, this added volume can disappear after you have had your baby, giving your breasts a sunken look. We’ve seen some cases where breasts are smaller after pregnancy than they were before, throwing off your breast to body proportion.

Breast implants can provide youthful fullness and shape to your breasts again, dramatically improving your size proportions and balance after pregnancy. Dr. Adams has over 15 years of experience performing breast augmentations on mothers.

About Breast Augmentation Recovery for New Mothers

One of the biggest concerns we have heard from new mothers interested in breast augmentation is the time needed for recovery. After all, it’s important for mothers to spend time with their babies during their early years and be available to take care of them. Dr. Adams has developed a breast augmentation technique that allows his patients to be up and about just 24 hours after surgery. Over 95% of Dr. Adams’ patients return to normal activities within 24 hours after their breast augmentation.

In the video above, you will see a patient of Dr. Adams, 23-year-old Alicia, receiving a live breast augmentation on camera. After Alicia’s surgery is over, the mother of two does exactly what Dr. Adams suggests: she takes a nap and a quick shower and then goes out to dinner. Add in a few arm raises and it’s as if the surgery never happened. She is able to do all of this while taking only prescription-strength Ibuprofen for pain and soreness. Just three days after surgery, Alicia returns to her daily life and her job as a hair stylist. Her results were better than she imagined.

If this seems too good to be true, be assured it is what Dr. Adams does every day; however, many surgeons make various claims of offering quick recovery breast augmentation. Patients should be critical in their evaluation of many claims. If a surgeon promises great results and has not:

  1. demonstrated them during live surgery
  2. published their recovery in peer reviewed journals
  3. treat patients using the process for breast augmentation principles
  4. prescribed narcotics for breast augmentation
  5. do not provide a dedicated patient education consult prior to the surgeon consult

it is extremely unlikely they are giving patients a 24-hour recovery. Dr. Adams has proven and taught his 24-hour recovery technique to thousands of surgeons many times during national and international meetings and live surgery symposia. In fact, he has been invited to perform more live breast augmentation surgeries in the past five years than any other surgeon. The 24-hour recovery is what makes his surgery technique so desired by patients, especially busy moms.

If you’re a mom who’s worried you don’t have time to take care of your children and get breast augmentation surgery, Dr. Adams’ breast augmentation technique may be a great solution for you. Not only will Dr. Adams give your perky breast back with youthful volume after pregnancy, but you will also be able to go back to caring for your baby immediately after surgery. Contact us to learn more today.