Address: 5901 Corporate Drive #A, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80919, US
Telephone: 719-634-2503

March 26, 2020 by Gregory J. Liebscher, MD, FACS

Recovery Following Breast Implant Surgery

If you’re considering breast implant surgery, you might have questions about recovery. How long is recovery? Is it painful? When will results look and feel normal and comfortable?

According to the The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 300,000 women underwent breast augmentation surgery in 2018. This makes it the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. It is also considered a very safe procedure with low rates of complications. But like any surgery, there are risks. You should always consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon about expected outcomes. And recovery time and discomfort will vary for each patient.

What Is Breast Implant Surgery?

During augmentation mammoplasty, implants are inserted beneath the chest muscles or directly under the breasts. This creates fuller or larger appearing breasts. Since it is a surgery, there will be recovery time.

Breast Implant Surgery Recovery

While many women focus on the surgery and outcome, a big part of the process involves proper recovery measures. Recovery usually lasts from several weeks to several months after surgery. Be sure to follow the specific instructions provided by Dr. Liebscher. This best ensures optimal outcomes and reduces the risk of adverse reactions.

Below are general recovery timelines and recommendations. Of course, your personal situation may be unique. Consult with Dr. Liebscher about recovery instructions and expectations.

Waking up Following Surgery

After surgery, patients are monitored until they are ready to be released. This usually takes at least two hours. When patients first awaken they may experience blurry vision, sleepiness and confusion. These symptoms are likely caused by the anesthesia and will wear off relatively quickly. Soreness may also become evident as the anesthesia wears off. But this can be controlled with an over-the-counter pain reliever or narcotic if necessary. Once you are ready to leave, it is important you have someone to drive you home.

The First Week After Surgery

Ice is recommended for 48– to 72-hours after surgery to minimize swelling and bruising. A compression garment will also be recommended to decrease swelling, and ensure that the breasts maintain the desired shape. Often drains are placed during surgery to rid the surgical site of excess fluid. These drains and any stitches used to close the incision will be removed within the first week following surgery. In addition, patients are instructed not to get the incision site wet until completely closed to minimize chance of infection. Thus, women are told not to bath or shower for 5- to 7-days after the procedure.

Pain, Swelling and Bruising

Most pain, swelling and bruising occurs within the first three- to four-days. There should be a noticeable improvement after the first week.When the implants are placed on top of the chest muscle, there is less post-operative pain than when they are placed beneath this muscle. Patients are usually told to use the lowest level of pain medication that is effective, using over-the counter medication if possible though pain medication is also prescribed to ensure the patient remains comfortable.

It is not unusual for swelling to last for three to four months after the procedure. While many women feel self-conscious due to fears everyone will notice, with the use of the proper undergarments and clothing the swelling often goes undetected. If someone makes a comment and the woman prefers not to reveal she had surgery, one solution is for the woman to smile widely while discussing the amazing breast enhancing exercises that she found on the internet. Drinking eight glasses of water a day, limiting salt intake and engaging in low intensity exercise can help reduce swelling.

Bruising following surgery is normal and should fade within one- or two- months. Sometimes herbal remedies are effective in decreasing bruising more quickly. But they should not be used for two weeks following surgery. These include arnica, bromelain Vitamin E and Garlic.

Sleeping

Many people have trouble sleeping following surgery due to the necessity of sleeping on their backs while elevating their head and upper body to decrease pain and swelling. Often those who usually sleep on their stomachs or move from one to the other in their sleep will find themselves suddenly awakened when they’ve turned over in their sleep. It’s often recommended that women practice sleeping on their backs for several weeks prior to surgery to get used to sleeping in this position.

Permissible Activities

Patients should walk around as soon as possible after surgery. This lowers the chance blood clots will develop and decrease swelling. Patients are instructed to refrain from strenuous activity for 3- to 4-weeks following surgery to maximize recovery. Regular exercise can be resumed within 2- to 3-months after surgery. Any upper body weight-work should be discussed with Dr. Liebscher.

Driving and Returning to Work

Most women can resume driving when:

you are finished with all narcotic medications
your pain level and range of movement allow for safe maneuvering

You may be able to return to work after a week if no lifting or strenuous activity is involved.

Summary Remarks

While recovery may seem a bit arduous, most women report they are pleased with their breast augmentation surgery results. They feel positively about the outcomes both in appearance and psychosocial functioning.

Resources:
Breast Augmentation Recovery (ASPS)

Recently edited. Originally published February 22, 2013.

January 1, 2020 by Gregory J. Liebscher, MD, FACS

Do You Know What Country Has the Most Plastic Surgery?

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS), the United States claims the highest total number of plastic surgery procedures in the world. There were 4.2 million plastic surgery procedures performed in the most recently survey (in 2016). This accounts for 17.9 percent of all plastic surgeries worldwide.

Woman on beach wearing USA flag swimsuit

More about the recent findings …

Brazil Plastic Surgery Growing

Brazil had 2.5 million procedures in the same time frame study. This accounts for 10.7 percent of all plastic surgeries performed world-wide.

What’s interesting, is that the US had an even higher percentage (19%) of breast augmentation procedures than the rest of the world. However, the US was second to Brazil in the number of body procedures (tummy tuck and liposuction and eyelid lifts).

More info:

https://www.allure.com/story/top-5-countries-getting-plastic-surgery

What Happened to Asian Countries?

Rounding out the top 5 countries after the US and Brazil are Japan, Italy, and Mexico. Previously, Asian countries, especially South Korea, ranked at the top of countries for plastic surgery. So what happened?

Statistics likely depend upon survey methods and reporting protocol of actual/ number of procedures. Not all countries follow the same methods for reporting procedures. For example, an eyelid procedure could require several procedures during one surgery. Does that count as multiple procedures? Or one? Likewise, statistics could look different if the comparison was ‘per capita’ instead of total number of procedures. So, it can be difficult to compare apples to apples.

In another survey, South Korea was 3rd in the word for plastic surgery procedures:

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-number-of-cosmetic-surgery-procedures-by-country.html

In some cases, a plastic surgeon may complete 5 different procedures to complete an eyelid surgery. Does that count as 1 procedure or 5? Therein lies the possible difference in reporting.

It is well known that the number of eyelid procedures in South Korea are higher than most places in the world. However, there are not as many breast or abdominal procedures performed than in the US, Brazil 2nd.

About Colorado Springs, CO, Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Greg Liebscher

If you live in the Colorado Springs area and would like to talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon in Colorado Springs about your plastic surgery procedure, please contact Dr. Greg Liebscher by calling 719-634-2503.

October 23, 2019 by Gregory J. Liebscher, MD, FACS

Does Breast Enhancement Surgery Lead to Better Sex?

A woman who enjoys better sex after breast enhancements

If you’re wondering if breast enhancement leads to better sex experiences, let’s first look at some of the statistics surrounding the most popular cosmetic procedures today.

According to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery’s Cosmetic Surgery Statistics the most common procedure requested by women in the U.S. was breast augmentation (329,914 procedures), liposuction (289,261), and breast lifts (158,964 procedures).

The growing trends in plastic surgery over the past five years includes buttocks implantation and labiaplasty. But breast procedures continue to be the most common. And one might ask if there is a connection between breast surgery and quality sexual life? Or is the popularity of breast procedures purely cosmetic?

Is Self Consciousness Connected to an Improved Sex Life?

For women, body image greatly influences self-esteem, self-confidence, and the way they react in intimate encounters. When women feel self -conscious or ashamed of their bodies, they are less responsive and enjoy sex less than when they feel positively about their body image. In terms of body image, the parts of the body that are the primary focus for women during sexual encounters are their breasts. This may be a result of images from TV, movies, media, ads, books and societal norms in which breasts are equated with womanhood, femininity, sexiness and desirability.

When a woman feels her breasts look non-symmetrical, misshapen, or undersized, this can have a large impact on her life. We’re surrounded by advertisements for products that are alleged to increase breast size, bathing suit models whose figures suggest the ideal body includes large, firm breasts, and movies in which the ingénues clothing reveals enough to suggest the presence of sizable breasts beneath. With all these influences it’s not surprising that women believe that they must have large breasts to be found attractive by others. These beliefs transfer to the bedroom, affecting a woman’s sex life.

Recent Findings on Breast Augmentation Surgery and Sexual Satisfaction

Breast enhancement surgery has recently been front and center in the news with increased attention on examining the relationship between women’s satisfaction with their breasts and their sex-life. A study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reported that women who had breast enhancement surgery reported increased satisfaction with the appearance of their breasts, and a greater sense of psycho-social and sexual well-being after the surgery. Since psycho-social functioning is strongly related to sexual functioning, while each of these factors may have contributed independently to improved life satisfaction following breast enhancement surgery, these factors also likely contributed to women’s quality of life through the ways in which they interacted.

A recent poll conducted by RealSelf.com, a consumer review site related to breast augmentation, suggested that breast enhancement surgery improved several areas in the respondents’ sexual functioning. In particular, results demonstrated that following surgery 61 percent of the participants reported having sex more often, and 70 percent of the participants reported greater satisfaction with their sex live.

Interviews with plastic surgeons regarding this poll were not surprised by the findings. A plastic surgeon on faculty at the University of Texas stated that he noticed a difference in how women dressed and the way they carried themselves, which he equated with increased self-confidence following surgery. He added that he believed this improved confidence observed in his patients was likely to affect other areas of their lives in a positive manner including their sexual functioning.

Anecdotal reports suggest that women who have undergone breast enhancement surgery experience orgasm more quickly and are more easily aroused by their partners. Some practitioners have suggested that when a woman feels self-conscious during sex that it’s more difficult for her to relax and experience pleasure from the encounter. Breast enhancement surgery increases overall confidence, which can lead to a woman feeling more relaxed and less inhibited during sex. Most theories related to the outcomes of breast enhancement procedures suggest that the improvement found in women’s sexual functioning was a result of an improved body image leading to increased self-confidence and greater comfort in intimate situations.

This article was recently republished. Original publication was January 21, 2013.

September 25, 2019 by Gregory J. Liebscher, MD, FACS

How Many Plastic Surgery Procedures Are Done Each Year in the U.S.?

How many plastic surgery procedures are performed in the U.S. each year?

Plastic surgery is currently experiencing a boom and has been for some time. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Americans had nearly 17.7 million cosmetic procedures in 2018. Also, there were 5.8 reconstructive procedures performed.

Below you find some information on the most common types of plastic surgery procedures performed by plastic surgeons and their rate of occurrence:

Botox:

This cosmetic treatment is by far the most common non-evasive procedure. There were 7.4 million (up from 5.7 million in 2012) of these procedures performed last year. One of the factors that makes Botox so preferable is its low-cost and low risk.

Mammaplasty:

The most common surgical procedure is mammaplasty (breast augmentation). There were 313,000 breast enlargement surgeries in 2018 (compared to 296,203 procedures in 2012). New innovative technology has increased the success and safety of this surgery making it even more popular for women.

Abdominoplasty:

An abdominoplasty, otherwise known as a tummy tuck, is another very popular elective procedure. Last year, around 30,000 procedures were performed (compared to 116,000 in 2012). Tummy tucks are most common in women; however, men can have them as well. Most tummy tucks are requested by women because of damage to the abdomen during pregnancy. This procedure is safe and usually effective. For this reason, it is a very common plastic surgery.

Lipectomy:

Around 258,000 lipectomy (liposuction) procedures were performed in 2012 (compared to 203,103 in 2012). Liposuction is a very common procedure often repeated by the same person more than one time during their lifetime. It effectively removes fat from several areas of the body including the thighs, buttocks, stomach and arms.

Blepharoplasty:

Blepharoplasty, otherwise known as eyelid surgery, is another very common cosmetic procedure. There were around 206,000 procedures performed last year (compared to 208,000 in 2012). Eyelid surgery is preformed to correct drooping of the upper eyelids and bags below the eyes. This is accomplished by removing extra skin, muscle and fat from the eye.

NOTE: This article was recently edited and republished. It was originally published Dec 17, 2012.

July 9, 2019 by Gregory J. Liebscher, MD, FACS

Breast Implant Sizes

Breast implants are big business in the United States. There were nearly 300,000 breast augmentation surgeries reported in 2010 and even more performed in 2011, according to the website PlasticSurgery.org. Breast augmentation has been the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure since 2006 and the numbers continue to rise. When someone elects to have breast augmentation, a common question is what breast implant sizes are available?

Chances are that you or someone you know is considering breast augmentation surgery. One very important aspect of this procedure is determining the desired breast implant size. Several factors may affect the selection of the breast implant size.

Physical Characteristics

During a standard breast augmentation consultation, the cosmetic surgeon will evaluate:

your breast size
dimension of the breasts
characteristics of the overall breast tissue

Other factors to consider include:

your body type
skin elasticity
base diameter of each breast

In addition, you surgeon will evaluate where the breast implant may be inserted in the breast. This will affect the overall appearance of the breast after surgery and may play a part in the implant size decision.

These are all factors that will affect how the breast will look after breast implant surgery. Always ask your surgeon’s opinion about the best breast implant size for your body. Discuss the approximate size that you are seeking to achieve.

Personal Preferences

Of course, the decision to undergo breast augmentation surgery is a very personal one. Chances are very good that if you have chosen to get breast implants, you have a certain idea of how you would like to look. Discuss your goals and the vision of how you would like to look with your plastic surgeon. Remember that certain sizes may not work with your specific body type.

Overall Appearance

As part of the breast surgery consultation, a staff member will help you try on different breast implant sizes. You will wear a special bra and can insert different types and sizes of breast implants into the bra. You can then see how you would look with each specific size.

Before you decide to move forward with breast implant surgery, it is very important to be realistic about the surgery. Understand any potential complications and how you may look or feel after surgery. Select a physician who is board-certified in plastic surgery. Remember to ask and listen carefully when it comes to the surgery and your desired breast size.

Learn more about breast implant sizes

Have more questions about breast implant sizes? Schedule a consultation with Colorado Springs plastic surgeon, Dr. Greg Liebscher.

This article was originally published March 8, 2012.

Recovery Following Breast Implant Surgery

What Is Breast Implant Surgery?