All About Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation (Updated 2024)

Breast augmentation can make a woman feel sexier and more confident. Patients considering this cosmetic procedure typically have several questions, especially about the recovery. How much time will I need to be off work? How long will I need help? What is the fastest way to recover from breast augmentation? These are typical questions from patients considering breast implants. The most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States, breast augmentation has taken great strides to help patients with an easier surgical procedure as well as a quicker recovery.

Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jules Walters in New Orleans is a breast augmentation specialist and uses the Rapid Recovery technique to help patients bounce back faster and more effectively. He offers this innovative technique for his patients and wants to share some information about how it works and what it can do for you.

What Affects a Typical Recovery?

Along with swelling, some discomfort, and possible bruising, breast augmentation requires post-op care. Your surgical care and the kind of transformation you want also play a role in the recovery process. Finding a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Walters is a key component. Some of the factors that affect your recovery include:

• Surgical technique
• Size of the implant
• Location of the implant

Implant size and location are important because placing the implant under the chest muscle (instead of on top) and large implants can cause more discomfort post-surgery. To learn more about how issues such as incision placement affect postoperative pain and recovery, read our related blog post.

Combining your breast augmentation with a breast lift or other procedures will also affect your recovery time.

What Is the Rapid Recovery Technique for Breast Implants?

Rapid recovery is an innovative new way to offer patients a fast, easy recovery after breast augmentation. You can resume daily activities within 24 to 48 hours like showering or even going out to dinner the same night! Following the Rapid Recovery post-op instructions and taking necessary medications as prescribed allow patients to get back to their normal life quicker. So how does it work?

Dr. Walters Discusses Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation

How To Speed Up Breast Augmentation Recovery

The 3 main factors that make this procedure different are surgical technique, gentler anesthesia, and changes in post-op care.

1. Lighter Anesthetic

With new medical advancements, a gentler type of anesthesia is used with Rapid Recovery. While still keeping patients comfortable during surgery, it also makes them more comfortable post-opt. With fewer side effects, it allows patients to have an easier transition with recovery by eliminating nausea, grogginess, and discomfort that most patients experience with traditional general anesthesia. In fact, sometimes general anesthesia can linger around in your body for hours after surgery, which means you are not able to begin simple recovery steps.

2. More Precise Surgical Technique

The surgical approach with Rapid Recovery is gentler and more precise. With a qualified plastic surgeon like Dr. Walters, precise surgical techniques are applied with a less invasive approach to the breast tissues or surrounding area (ribs). This allows the body to have less postoperative discomfort with swelling or inflammation. New surgical techniques allow plastic surgeons to take a more precise approach with inserting the implants, which in turn allows the body to heal more quickly.

3. Immediate Movement

The Rapid Recovery approach for post-op care is to get moving! Gone are the days requiring a patient to lay immobile post-surgery. Rapid Recovery gets patients moving with low-impact stretches or exercises even in the recovery room. The main idea with this change in post-op care is that it decreases stiffness and the lack of mobility in patients if these type of movements are incorporated immediately after breast augmentation surgery. You won’t be hitting the gym right away, but you won’t be just recovering in bed either with this new approach.

Before and After Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation

Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation vs. Traditional Breast Augmentation

The recovery from rapid recovery breast augmentation differs significantly from traditional breast augmentation recovery in several key aspects:

Recovery Time and Downtime

• Traditional Breast Augmentation: Typically requires a longer recovery period, often one to two weeks of significant downtime. Patients are encouraged to rest and avoid upper arm movement and exertion during this time. Swelling, bruising, and discomfort are common, and narcotic pain medication is often needed to manage pain.
• Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation: Patients experience a much shorter recovery time, often resuming basic daily activities within 24 to 48 hours. Many patients can return to work in 2 to 3 days and engage in light activities such as showering and going out for dinner the same night.

Pain and Discomfort

• Traditional Breast Augmentation: Involves more postoperative pain, swelling, and bruising, often necessitating stronger pain medications like narcotics.
• Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation: Utilizes techniques that minimize trauma to the breast tissue, resulting in less pain and swelling. Patients typically require only non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain management, reducing the side effects associated with narcotics.

Taking the Next Step

Everyone today lives a busy lifestyle. Patients worried about downtime or the recovery process with breast augmentation should think again because it is a great time to consider breast implants. With all the innovations, better implant options, and now a quick way to recover, breast augmentation patients can be back to their normal, daily lives in no time and love the way they look doing it!

Dr. Jules Walters is a well-known plastic surgeon with over a decade of surgical and medical training. He is a New Orleans native who has returned to help patients love the way they look! Breast augmentation with implants can be a life-changing procedure, helping you to feel more confident and enjoy a sexy, new look. Countless women have enjoyed the outcomes of their breast augmentation surgery and even more are enjoying a faster, easier recovery. If you are interested in Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation, call us at (504) 517-6200 or request your consultation using our online form today.