Breast Augmentation: Be Adequately Prepared

You have decided to have breast augmentation. You are happy with the surgeon you have selected and are ready to go. Before you head into the office or hospital for your procedure, you will likely have another consultation with your surgeon. During this opportunity, you can and should ask questions and get an idea of what you can expect. This is a big decision for you. Take it seriously. Ensure you are getting the right procedure for your needs.

Getting Ready:
After you have taken the step to head into a consultation about breast augmentation, it will be necessary to go through a screening process. You will need to ensure your surgeon has provided you with all of the information you need about the procedure. Then, you will likely go through a series of steps before the procedure is actually performed. Those may include the following:

You are likely to have some lab testing performed. This will help to give the doctor an idea of how healthy you are. Since this is a major surgery, it should be something you are physically healthy to have.

You may be told to adjust the medications you are currently taking. This may be necessary as you head into the procedure to minimize risk factors. You may also need to take medications leading up to the procedure to help protect your body from adverse reactions.

Most doctors will require a baseline mammogram. This will likely happen before and after the procedure. It gives the doctor a good idea of the construction of the breasts and offers a way for him to check for any changes in tissues afterwards.

If you smoke, stop. You should stop as long as possible prior to your surgery to give your body time to heal from the damage. Smoking is a significant risk factor in any type of surgical procedure.

You should also avoid taking any over the counter medications or supplements unless your doctor approves of them. This includes anti-inflammatory, aspirin and herbal supplements. Some of these can increase the risk of bleeding.

From this point, you should discuss what would happen during your breast augmentation with your surgeon. He or she will tell you what steps to take on the day of the procedure and what postoperative care you will need. You will also likely need follow-up care for a few weeks.

Breast augmentation can be a safe procedure to have, but it does require preparation and planning. Through these steps, doctors can minimize many of the risk factors you are dealing with and give you a better opportunity to get the results you are hoping to have. Do not minimize the benefits of preparing for this procedure properly.