Deciding on breast augmentation takes careful research and preparation. Once it is time to schedule the procedure, women must prepare themselves for the surgery and recovery time. Many women become nervous as the surgery date approaches. With so much on their minds, they may miss essential preparation steps.
What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure used to enlarge the breasts with implants. Breast augmentation is carried out on an outpatient basis. Barring complications, the patient goes home to recover after the surgery. Most women can expect a 3 hour procedure time.
How to Prepare for Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation gives women the breasts they wish they had been born with or lost because of weight loss or pregnancy. Preparing for the procedure will help ensure a successful surgery and beautiful results. Consider the following tips.
Stop Smoking Six Weeks Before the Procedure and After
Smoking impairs the body’s ability to heal and can make recovery much longer and more challenging. Patients should not smoke, vape, or use smokeless tobacco or nicotine patches. Ideally, women should also avoid secondhand smoke exposure because it can degrade the healing process.
Make Healthy Decisions
There are several lifestyle factors involved in preparing for breast surgery. The more of these women adopt, the better the chances of them going through a successful recovery process. Consider the following steps.
- Try to avoid anyone who is ill while recovering.
- Consume a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often.
- Address any illnesses right away.
- Plan time off of work and physical activities to rest and recover.
- Schedule someone to drive you to and from the surgical center and stay with you for 24 to 48 hours.
- Avoid alcohol consumption before and after the breast procedure.
What to Expect from the Procedure
Seeking breast augmentation allows women to enhance their body’s natural beauty and feel confident about their appearance. Women need to know what to expect from their procedure.
The patient will be asleep throughout the entire procedure and will spend some time in recovery upon waking. It is normal for women to be swollen, tender, and bruised at the surgical sites. These symptoms will grow easier to manage with each day that passes. Most women feel much less sore after the surgeon removes the stitches and drains. Women must inform their surgeons if there is increased pain or signs of infection.
What to Expect from Recovery
The recovery process for breast surgery is fairly straightforward, and most women handle it well. The patient will be unable to drive home because of the effects of anesthesia. Make sure you have a responsible adult over the age of 18 to stay with you for the first 24 hours.
Most women can go back to their normal levels of activity after about four to six weeks. Ensuring proper healing will help women get back to doing those things they love more quickly. 
Get Started on Your Breast Procedure
Scheduling a consultation appointment is the first step toward getting breast implants. The surgeon will discuss the patient’s options for incision placement, size, and type of implant. After deciding on these factors, women should begin to prepare themselves and their bodies for surgery. Women can find their self-confidence again with a beautiful new pair of breasts.