Breast enlargement surgery preparation

Adequate preparation before your breast enlargement surgery is very important to give you the best possible result following your surgery and also to minimise the risk of potential complications.

Could our free CD help you?

Most people who consider breast enlargement surgery have researched the subject themselves to greater or lesser degrees.  This is a very sensible move in order to understand the different options available to you.  In particular we would encourage you to listen to our free information CD on breast enlargement surgery, which lasts over an hour and discusses the process from choosing a surgeon, to the best implant for you, the operation itself and your  recovery as well as the final results.  This CD can be requested using our enquiry form or by sending a request email to info@aurora-clinics.co.uk.

Why you should get a second opinion

The next stage in your preparation for breast enlargement surgery is to schedule an appointment with a specialist surgeon to discuss the best approach for you.  We would encourage you to schedule at least two appointments with two different surgeons in the clinic to get a second opinion as to the best options for you and to ensure that you are happy with the surgeon who will be performing your operation. For more information on how to choose your surgeon, please read our page on breast enlargement surgeons.

What can you do at home?

Before your initial breast enlargement consultation it is wise to write down a list of questions or topics you would like to discuss with your surgeon as it can be easy to forget these during the appointment.  This is worth repeating for following consultations so that you feel as if you are fully prepared for your breast enlargement surgery.  It is wise to take a notebook and pen with you so you can also record the answers you are given as sometimes you can forget afterwards what was said.

Don't forget to tell your surgeon...

It is important especially to explain your aims and your desired outcome following your breast enlargement surgery.  It can also be helpful to bring along photographs of busts you admire and dislike to your consultation[alt: For a detailed explanation of your breast enlargement consultation, particularly if they share a similar body type or physique to you, so that your surgeon can develop the best idea of what you want to achieve through your breast enlargement surgery.

How much time should you take to decide?

We at Aurora Clinics would recommend you have at least two weeks to think after your initial consultation before you decide whether or not to go ahead with your breast enlargement surgery.  Playing some of the patient testimonials on our site from patients who have undergone breast enlargement surgery might help you to make a decision.

You've decided to go ahead, now what?

During the lead up to your breast enlargement surgery it is best to reduce or stop smoking and try to get as much rest as possible in the week prior to the operation. It is important to avoid medication such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen or Nurofen in the two weeks before the surgery.  This is because these can increase the risk of bleeding by thinning your blood slightly.  Other medications, such as St John's Wort, Vitamin E, Gingko Biloba and Arnica should be avoided in the two week's prior to the surgery, although Arnica can be very useful in helping to resolve any bruising you may experience after the operation.

How to prepare for the day of the operation

• Do not eat anything for six hours prior to your operation.  The reason for this is that you need to have an empty stomach before any general anaesthetic to prevent the risk of vomiting or inhaling the stomach contents.
• Don't chew any chewing gum for six hours before surgery as this can increase the acid secretion in your stomach in a very similar fashion to food. 
• Drinking water is fine up until two hours before your surgery, then nothing until after your operation.
• Avoid applying any body lotion on the day of the surgery as this can interfere with the sticky heart lead tracing and cautery pads which will be applied during your procedure. 
• Remove all jewellery that it is possible to remove before surgery, although with items such as belly-button piercing we can tape the area down to avoid any interference with the surgical apparatus.
• We would advise that you remove nail varnish before your surgery as you will have a machine attached to one fingernail to measure your blood oxygen saturation. 
• We would also recommend that you avoid excessive makeup on the day of surgery.

You will be given detailed instructions at your consultation which will provide more information on these matters.

What personal items should you bring with you?

There will be some waiting prior to the operation and you will be given a pre-med to settle your nerves before surgery.  It would be a good idea to bring a book, MP3 player or laptop and DVDs to entertain yourself whilst waiting. 

It is also possible to choose what music plays during your surgery and we enjoy listening to a wide variety of music whilst we operate!  If you provide your MP3 player to Mr Richards he will make sure that your selected music is played in theatre.  If you would like a specific playlist please put together a playlist lasting approximately 90 minutes which we can then play during your operation.

How much time off should you arrange?

Most people take one week off work following surgery until their first post-operative appointment. Some people with manual jobs which involved lifting take two weeks off following the surgery.  It is unusual to require longer than this off work.

Do you need further support at home?

It is important to have some support at home, particularly if you have young children.  If you do have young children who require lifting then you will need help with that and with taking them to and from school.  It is not essential to have someone with you 24 hours a day at home, but it is key that you have someone to support you during this period.  As you will be unable to drive for a week and therefore not be able to perform the school run it is wise to make childcare arrangements for the period immediately after your surgery.  Most people need at least a week off childcare after their surgery.

More information

If you would like to hear previous patients' experiences of breast enlargement procedures performed at Aurora Clinics you can visit the testimonial section of our website.

If you would like to see how a breast enlargement procedure is performed, please view some of our breast enlargement surgery videos on this procedure.

Many people find it very useful to listen to our free information CD about breast enlargement procedures and these can be obtained by completing the enquiry form or sending an email request to info@aurora-clinics.co.uk