How to Prepare for Breast Augmentation Surgery
After much thought and contemplation, you have finally decided to schedule your breast augmentation. You are likely experiencing some anxiety, excitement and every other emotion in between. Now that the surgery date is on the books, let’s take a look at what to do before your breast augmentation surgery. It is important to prepare yourself mentally, emotionally and physically to ensure you have a smooth experience and best results possible.
Get Your Questions Answered Ahead of Time
One of the main sources of anxiety for many patients is the fear of the unknown. At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, we go above and beyond to make sure you fully understand every aspect of your breast augmentation surgery. From the moment you initially speak with our patient care coordinator to time spent meeting with your doctor and preoperative nurse two weeks before your surgery, we make sure your questions are answered and all details have been covered. You should have a thorough understanding of the technicalities such as type of anesthesia used, location of incisions, implant placement, and the surgical process from check-in to recovery.
Choose a Doctor You’re Comfortable With
It is important to choose a doctor who is easy to talk with about your hopes and expectations. Your surgeon should be honest enough to level with you if your expectations are not achievable or in your best interest. You may have a picture in mind of what your end goal is, but sometimes due to your body structure and build, that picture may not be possible. Be sure to take in printed pictures of what you are hoping for and ask your doctor if it’s realistic for your specific body type. At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, our surgeons will guide you to an option that you can both feel comfortable with. Taking the time to discover what is possible will help to avoid any misunderstandings or disappointments in the surgical process.
Prepare in Advance for Breast Augmentation Recovery
Another aspect that will calm anxiety is having everything prepped and ready to go at home prior to your surgery. You should plan on feeling a bit unmotivated for several days. Your focus should be on resting and healing as quickly as possible. Be sure to talk with your doctor or nurse regarding the best clothes to wear after breast augmentation surgery, and have those all easily accessible. Have your laundry done, groceries stocked, a few meals made ahead, or better yet, someone ready to cook them for you. Having some protein shakes on hand is a great idea, in the event you don’t have much of an appetite the first few days of recovery. If having a clean house is a priority, get those dust bunnies out of the corners so you aren’t tempted to push yourself when you should be taking it easy. Finally, if you were given prescriptions for medications, make sure you have those filled and ready to go before the day of your surgery. If you take a day or two to get these details all set before your procedure, you will be able to rest mentally as well.
Expect to Experience Many Emotions
Be prepared for your breast augmentation surgery to take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. While the wide range of emotions you’ll feel can be overwhelming, there are things you can do to make the ride more enjoyable. Start by evaluating your current lifestyle, emotional health and expectations. Are you choosing to do this for you? Are you being realistic about your results? Have you planned ahead financially to avoid unnecessary stress on your budget? Being comfortable with your answers to these questions will help alleviate the possibility of negative emotions popping up after your surgery.
The key to a more enjoyable ride is having someone go along with you. Though having a breast augmentation is a very personal thing, it is important to have at least one person to confide in and support you. One of the things we ask our patients is, “Who will take care of you?” You want somebody who is warm, supportive and willing to care for you, because you will really need that. It is often beneficial to have your support person, whether a friend or partner, attend one or more of your doctor’s appointments with you so they have a full understanding of what to expect before, during and after your surgery. If they know ahead of time what you will be going through and what is expected of them, this will help them better prepare for how to support and comfort you.
Know That a Healthy Body Heals Better
When it comes to your physical health, knowing how to plan for a breast augmentation is crucial to a smooth surgery and quick recovery. It is important that you strive to stay physically fit by exercising, eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest. Being in good shape prior to your surgery will help your body heal much quicker. You will be given a list of medications and foods to avoid before breast augmentation surgery, and it is imperative you strictly follow these guidelines. Eating a high protein, low fat diet that includes little to no dairy will help enable your body to focus its energy on healing. If you are a smoker, you will need to stop using any nicotine products for at least 2-4 weeks prior to your surgery date. This includes nicotine patches, vaping and any marijuana use. It is also recommended you abstain from drinking any alcohol at least one week prior to surgery, as alcohol serves as a blood thinner. We encourage you to begin taking 500 mg of Vitamin C twice daily to promote healing, and focus on keeping your body very hydrated.
Preparing for breast augmentation surgery is both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. It is a big decision, and can get a little overwhelming. However, if you stay informed, plan ahead mentally and physically and have a caregiver who will emotionally support you, you will have a successful surgery and be able to go into the experience anticipating great results. If you have any questions at all, or would like to set up a consultation to discuss breast augmentation, please contact us by calling Centre For Plastic Surgery at 616-454-1256.