Women who get surgical enhancements should be aware of the risks and complications associated with them. Breast augmentation is fairly common among women and the recovery needs to be taken seriously. It is important to follow all of the doctor’s instructions post surgery and attend any follow-up appointments with your doctor. There are steps to take in order to make sure you heal properly after your surgery and also know what risk factors are linked to your implants.
What to Expect
During your recovery there are some things you can expect. First, you will be in pain that is considered to be common and is generally tolerated very well. Second, there will be swelling and the size right after surgery will be larger than you might expect. However, over time the swelling will go down and the implants will drop into a normal place. Third, you will experience tightness and pressure in your chest especially if the implant is placed under the muscle. Lastly, there will be scars and depending on the type of surgery you had there might be light scaring that will fade over time.
Recovery Time
You should start your recovery with help from the instructions that your surgeon gave you. Your surgeon will let you know what they can do for you in each of the follow-ups, and they will take your calls if you have extra pain. Resting is vital after any surgery along with drinking plenty of fluids.
Recovery time is generally 5 days to a week and most people return to work after a week as long as they do not participate in any physical activity during the healing period.After six weeks you can return to normal daily activities and begin to work without restrictions. Most people after 6 weeks are also able to ease back into an exercise routine.
Follow-Ups
Attending every follow-up appointment with your doctor is extremely important. During these follow-up appointments your doctor will check to make sure you are healing properly and there are no underlying complications with your implants or the surgery. These visits will also be a good time to ask any questions you might have regarding the implants or the recovery process.
Link to Cancer
Most people are unaware thatthere is the possibility for illness caused by breast implants. In 2011, the FDA identified a link between a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).Chronic inflammation can play a role due to the fact that the chronic inflammation contained in scar tissues surrounding the implant. This chronic inflammation may suggest that an immune response to the implants could trigger cancer. Those with breast implants have a higher risk for developing ALCL than those who do not have implants. There is also a higher correlation with textured implants with being diagnosed with cancer. If you are concerned about your risk for cancer due to your implants, seek a medical consultation immediately.
Conclusion
If you feel any pain or discomfort outside of the norm, you should go see your doctor at once. Your doctor needs to know if they can help you handle the pain and discomfort or if there is something more serious going on with your implants. In some cases, your augmentation can cause more serious illnesses including cancer. It is imperative that anyone who makes surgical enhancements to their body knows all the facts before proceeding and continue to get them checked regularly after getting the procedure done.
