Plastic surgeons with Florida Plastic Surgery Group answer frequently asked questions about breast implant safety, candidacy, and recovery from breast augmentation. Jacksonville, FL – According to the most recent statistics available from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation remains the most popular surgical cosmetic enhancement procedure in the U.S. The numbers from the ASPS reveal that the treatment was performed approximately 313,000 times in 2018—a 4% jump from the previous year. With this in mind, the Jacksonville plastic surgeons at Florida Plastic Surgery Group, a practice offering breast surgery and a variety of other surgical and non-surgical cosmetic enhancement procedures, say that it’s important for women who are considering breast augmentation to have accurate information regarding candidacy for… Continue Reading

Any surgical recovery covers a spectrum and it will largely depend on the individual and how prepared they are physically/mentally entering surgery. Overall, we say DIEP flap breast reconstruction recovery is 6-8 weeks. This does not mean that you necessarily need to take that much time off work. Typically around week 3-4 patients are feeling much more like themselves and are beginning to incorporate physical activity back into their lives. During your hospital stay physical therapy will be seeing you daily and this may be arranged following your discharge from the hospital to expedite your recovery. You will need to wear the support bra and abdominal binder for approximately 1 month following surgery as your body recovers and heals. You… Continue Reading

A bilateral (both breasts) DIEP flap surgery on average takes 6-8 hours to perform from start to finish. Following surgery the patient is moved to the PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) briefly prior to being transferred to the ICU overnight. Overnight you will remain in the ICU for close monitoring of the DIEP flap hourly. The following day you will begin physical therapy and your journey to recovery. Typically DIEP flap breast reconstruction patients are staying 2-3 nights in the hospital before being released home. Prior to discharge from the hospital, we will ensure your pain is managed with the pain medications your will take at home and that you feel safe/stable when walking. You will have several JP drains that… Continue Reading

The DIEP flap breast reconstruction is an excellent option for those patients that desire to use their own tissue to reconstruct their breasts following a mastectomy. The incision across the abdomen resembles an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) incision. However, the breast incision pattern will vary from patient to patient. Most often the biggest determining factor is if the patient has had prior radiation to the chest and the degree of radiation damage. Typically, the more severe the radiation damage is there is a higher likelihood of having a larger skin paddle (abdominal skin) exposed. The most common breast incision patterns with DIEP flap breast reconstruction are a “buried” flap (the entire abdominal tissue is under the mastectomy skin), mastopexy (breast lift)… Continue Reading

Breast lift with implants, medically referred to as an augmentation mastopexy, is a procedure designed to reduce inelastic skin, add volume and fullness, and give the breasts a firmer, more youthful appearance. This treatment combines breast lift and breast augmentation surgery into a single procedure, and while recovery is slightly different for everyone, there are a few general aspects of the process that will be experienced by most patients following surgery. After the breast lift with implants procedure, your breasts will be somewhat tender and there will be some swelling and bruising in the treatment areas. Our plastic surgeon will likely recommend a special bra to be worn during recovery to facilitate the healing process. Medication can alleviate discomfort while… Continue Reading

Breast augmentation is an elective outpatient surgery to enhance your overall breast size and is a well-tolerated surgery by most people. Recovery will always vary between patients, but on average patients are back to work in less than a week depending on physical nature of their employment. Following your surgery, you will be placed in a support/sports bra and/or an ACE wrap for downward compression with steri-strips directly over your incision. Your incision closure is with dissolvable sutures, which are underneath the skin and will not need removal. Swelling and bruising is common, but typically resolves by week 3. In the initial postoperative period, we advise against lifting greater than 10 pounds or exercise until your first appointment, which is approximately… Continue Reading

A breast lift (mastopexy) is an outpatient surgical procedure to correct and lift drooping (ptotic) breasts. Aging, pregnancy, genetics, and weight fluctuations are all common reasons for breasts to droop or sag. As breasts sag, they may appear to have a lack of overall volume, and the areolas may be enlarged or pointing downwards. A breast lift will reshape the breasts, raise the nipple/areola to a more central location, and tighten the breast pocket and excess skin. Recovery can vary between patients, but on average patients are back to work in approximately 1 week with 2-3 weeks of swelling. After surgery, you will be placed in a support bra with steri-strips over your incisions. We use dissolvable sutures underneath the… Continue Reading

After your breast augmentation procedure, it is crucial that you follow post-operative instructions to ensure healing goes smoothly. You will be provided with these detailed instructions ahead of time to help you understand what to expect after surgery and to help you prepare for a more comfortable recovery. Florida Plastic Surgery Group requires all breast surgery patients to return home with a responsible adult who can care for them for the first few days after surgery. During the first week following breast augmentation, you may feel sore and fatigued, which is why rest is so important. Since the skin has been stretched to accommodate breast implants, you may experience tightness, itching, and pain, but medication can help relieve some of… Continue Reading