Bounce Back

Created on 29th November 2011

Breast enlargement: Mr Andrea Marando, one of the leading cosmetic surgeons in the North West, looks at whether a shorter recovery is achievable

Breast enlargement is still one of the most requested and performed cosmetic operations around the world. But one of the most frequently asked questions from my patients, after we have discussed the surgical procedure, is the length of recovery and overall downtime.

Many articles and interviews focus on topics such as fullness, shape, incision and scarring, but one aspect that is rarely touched on is the downtime. I have looked closely at achieving a shorter and more acceptable recovery following breast enlargement without sacrificing quality and precision.

This specific aspect has become increasingly important especially when you take into consideration the average age of patients undergoing breast surgery, unavoidable work commitments and the pressures of family life; all of these factors impact on a patient's decision to go ahead with surgery. However, swelling, bruising, pain and limitation of daily activities have always been considered an unavoidable part of surgery.

When in 2002 an American colleague published two articles on a 24 hours predictable recovery following breast enlargement, I decided to explore this avenue more fully. In the past my patients used to be off work for a couple of weeks following breast enlargement, but now I have been able to reduce this time significantly in the majority of cases.

The shorter recovery is a combination of well informed and prepared patients, meticulous planning of the operation leading to shortening of surgical and anaesthetic time (hence reducing the total amount of medications required and the possible side effects), careful handling of the tissues to reduce surgical trauma and therefore pain, swelling, bandages, drains.

All of this is aimed at providing an excellent surgical performance and a more pleasant experience for patients. In the vast majority of cases, the patients are able to resume daily activities (nearly full mobility of the arms above the head, light lifting, shopping, light domestic duties, when appropriate or desirable) within the first few days after their breast enlargement. As an example, one of my patients who recently underwent a breast enlargement was able to attend a Christmas party 48 hours after surgery!

The amount and strength of medications the patients have to take after surgery is kept to a minimum. As already mentioned the patient has to be very committed to following my instructions to the letter and one of my team at Star Clinic and myself are always available should any doubts arise.

What a competent plastic surgeon wants to provide for his patients is a cosmetic result to be proud of, minimal risk of complications (and I would add a good management should they occur) and a surgical experience to be as pleasant as possible. This can often be achieved with adequate training, wide experience and constant commitment to the pursuit of excellence.