How to Prepare for a Breast Augmentation
There’s a long list of reasons someone might want to go through with a breast augmentation surgery. It is a personal decision, but one that is often made to create a positive change in your overall appearance. Once the choice to go through with a breast augmentation has been made, it’s important to do everything you can to prepare. As with any surgery, it’s going to take some time for your body to recover. Planning ahead is going to help you manage your lifestyle after the procedure and aid in your overall healing process.
Create a Recovery Space
When you get home from your procedure, you’re going to be exhausted and craving lots of rest. Before your surgery, find a good space in your home that you know you will want to spend a lot of time in. This could be your bed, the couch in your living room, or even the spare bedroom. Wherever you feel safe and relaxed, make the space extra cozy. Stack up the pillows and blankets, collect your favorite books and magazines, and hang up some comforting lights to create the ultimate recovery lounge. Having a recovery space will ensure that you are staying relaxed and restful.
Ask for Support
Ask a friend, significant other, family member, or anyone that you trust to stay and take care of you for at least the first day or two following your breast augmentation. It’s going to be difficult for you to do many daily tasks on your own, so having someone there to help you out will reduce the risk of injuring yourself and hindering your ability to fully recover. If you have younger kids, have someone help you take care of them and let them know you won’t be able to pick them up for some time while you’re going through the healing process. For those with pets, you won’t be able to pick them up either if they happen to be over ten pounds. It may also be a good idea to ask someone else to take your dog for a walk in order to avoid the strain of leash pulling.
Make Things Accessible
After your surgery, you may start to notice how simple tasks have become difficult or painful. To prepare for this inconvenience, you might have to move some things around the house to make them more accessible to you while you’re going through the healing process. Keeping items at waist height will eliminate the need to reach high and pull at your stitches. It may be worth it to purchase a grabber tool so you don’t have to bend over or reach for items, since it may not be possible to move everything to a lower height.
Prepare Some Meals
In addition to making things more accessible, prepping meals is going to help cut out some potentially unnecessary movements. Ordering take-out is always an option, but it’s going to be financially and physically difficult to do that every day. Preparing some easy to put together meals for the first week of your recovery will give you one less task to worry about so you can focus more on resting and recuperating. Meals such as salads, soups, and pastas that are easy to put together or reheat will be worth the time they take to prepare before your surgery. The healthier the meals, the better! Creating well-balanced meals, full of important nutrients, is going to make you feel better and help your body recover at a more rapid rate.
Stock Up on Supplies
While you’re out getting food to prepare your meals, it may be best to grab a few other supplies in preparation for your breast augmentation. A digital thermometer will be a useful purchase. You’ll want to check your temperature often, since fever may be a sign of possible infection. Next, grab some ice packs to help with any pain or swelling that is likely to occur within the first few days of your surgery. It’s important to keep in mind your lifestyle and habits in order to determine what else to buy for yourself. Getting things like drinking straws, personal hygiene products, or a soft blanket will help to put you at ease and make life a bit easier while you recover.
Alter Your Wardrobe
Pull out some clothes you have that will be easiest to get on and off while you recuperate. Alter your wardrobe so that you have access to loose-fitting shirts and easy to put on button-ups. You’ll want to focus on comfort over style, especially within the first week following your breast augmentation. Don’t worry about replacing jeans for sweatpants while you lounge in your designated recovery space. Having the right bra is also going to make a huge difference in your comfort and healing process. You’ll want to avoid underwires, and instead, opt for front fastening wireless bras or seamless sports bras.
Relax
It may be frustrating to not be able to do everything you want to during the weeks following your surgery. However, it’s important to be kind to yourself and go easy on your body while it works on mending itself. You should limit any vigorous exercise for around two to four weeks, and be sure to consult with your doctor on this timeline. Taking good care of your mind and body is going to help grant you an easier recovery, and lead you on your way to enjoying the benefits of your breast augmentation.
Dr. Kayastha is a board certified plastic surgeon who serves Albany, NY and the entire Capital Region. Dr. Kayastha completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University and graduated with distinction in all subjects. He then attended medical school at SUNY Buffalo. During his time in Buffalo he also completed a fellowship in surgical pathology at Roswell Park. Following medical school Dr. Kayastha gained a much sought after position in the Michigan State-Grand Rapids integrated plastic surgery residency. After finishing residency training Dr. Kayastha completed a one year fellowship in hand and microsurgery at the Buncke Clinic in San Francisco. To round out his training before starting private practice Dr. Kayastha spent an additional 6 months learning from some of the best cosmetic surgeons in San Francisco. Dr. Kayastha is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.