So much time, planning, and consideration goes into breast augmentation surgery that many patients don’t have any time left to think about the future. While they know what results they hope to achieve, perhaps they have not given serious thought to what life will be like after their breast implants are in place. What is life after breast augmentation really like? Are there special considerations that need to be made? Will it really be that different?
What to Expect Right After Surgery
If you’re considering breast augmentation surgery, then you’ve probably spent some time imagining what it will be like to have breasts the size you want or even how much is traditional or dual-plane breast augmentation in New York. While this is an important part of the planning process, it doesn’t help you adjust after surgery to life with your new breasts. In fact, there are many unexpected sensations, side effects, and changes that you should be aware of. They aren’t harmful, but if you know that they are normal and what to expect, you won’t be worried when they occur. Some of these strange post-op changes include:
- Breasts sitting too high on the chest. After your implants are in and your body has begun to recover, you’ll probably notice that your breasts seem too high. This is a normal after-effect of surgery that will resolve itself within the first two to three months as the implants settle into place.
- Strange sensations all over, especially the nipples. Following surgery, the breasts may feel tingly and your nipples prickly. This is all normal and will subside gradually as the nerve tissue heals.
- An emotional rollercoaster. It is completely expected that you will be happy, tearful, and then happy again about your new breasts. Change is always difficult, even when it is positive change. Let your emotions heal along with your body.
- A hope for even larger breasts. You’ll probably find yourself wondering if you went big enough or if you could have gone up another size. Remember that you made the decision that was right for your body, based on your surgeon’s expert advice. It’s normal to doubt yourself, but don’t let it get out of hand.
An Improved Quality of Life
Much thought has been given by plastic surgeons and medical researchers alike about the effect breast augmentation can have on a woman’s quality of life. New research released this year shows that satisfactory breast augmentation results can lead to significant improvements in the patient’s quality of life. Specially when it is done with the latest technology for breast implants. This means a woman can experience a marked boost in her own confidence levels, self-esteem, and self-worth. Many patients of breast augmentation report that they feel more feminine, more beautiful, and much more confident in every aspect of their lives, from the office to the dating scene.
The key to guaranteeing that your breast augmentation helps you to boost your own confidence is to spend time consulting with a plastic surgeon who really cares. Choose your surgeon wisely and listen carefully to his or her input and advice. When you design a breast augmentation surgery together and your results match the picture you imagined, you’ll get to experience the satisfactory results that can change your life, inside and out.
Body Changes and Breast Implants
Because your implants are now a part of your body, it’s important to think about how bodily changes might affect your new breasts in the long run. Weight gain, aging, pregnancy and breastfeeding can all impact the appearance of your breasts in a negative way. If the breasts swell from weight gain or milk arrival during pregnancy, for example, the skin can be stretched too far, breaking apart the elastin that holds it together and helps it retract. Aging too can help this process by slowing the skin’s production of elastin, while gravity pulls the breast tissue and implants downward.
All of these changes are natural for any woman to experience at various points in her life. When you have implants, however, you may notice the downward shift of skin and breast tissue much faster. Depending on where your implants were placed, they likely won’t join the rest of your breast tissue in its slow descent. Fortunately, a breast lift procedure is the perfect way to combat the sagging and keep your implants (and breasts) right where they’re supposed to be.
The Duration of Your Results
Breast augmentation can greatly improve your body contour, self-esteem, and self-image. Yet, many prospective patients aren’t aware that implants aren’t truly permanent. In fact, your implants will need to be replaced in several years. If an implant is damaged or begins leaking, it should be replaced right away. To monitor your breast health and the status of your implants, you’ll need to schedule routine follow-ups with your surgeon from time to time. For some women, replacement implants may be needed at the five- or 10-year mark, but this is a decision that will be made by you and your plastic surgeon when the time comes. For now, just enjoy the amazing results you’ve gotten from your breast augmentation procedure and focus on caring for your body as a whole.
Learn More About Breast Augmentation
Change your life with breast augmentation surgery today. Contact the office of Dr. Douglas S. Steinbrech, a fully trained plastic surgeon who is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, to book your consultation today and get your procedure done at our breast augmentation New York City practice. He will be happy to walk you through what you should expect from a body lift procedure or any other surgery that can address your areas of concern. A specialist in Minimally Invasive Aesthetics, he incorporates this philosophy into all of his surgical and nonsurgical procedures, while aiming to get you the best results possible. Dr. Steinbrech has been selected by the Consumers’ Research Council of America as one of America’s Top Plastic Surgeons. Contact his office, located at 60 East 56th Street, Suite 3A, in New York City, by calling (646) 949-0580.