As a plastic surgeon with nearly 40 years of experience, I have witnessed remarkable progress in every aspect of breast augmentation surgery. Advances in surgical techniques, implant quality, patient monitoring, and medications have revolutionized how we care for our patients—not just during surgery, but especially in the critical post-operative period.
Where these improvements truly shine is in expediting recovery. Thirty years ago, breast augmentation patients typically faced a full week of discomfort, needed narcotics to manage their pain, and were unable to return to work for many days. Today, this no longer has to be the case.
One of the most impactful developments has been the use of long-acting local anesthetics like Exparel. This innovative medication is applied during surgery and provides extended pain relief for up to three days. While Exparel doesn’t eliminate all discomfort, it significantly reduces the need for narcotics and expedites recovery. Most of my patients now manage their recovery with just Tylenol and are able to return to desk jobs within three days. Many are even surprised at how easy their recovery is.
