If you’re like most people, one of your primary concerns about undergoing any type of plastic surgery procedure is the level of pain that will be involved. Thankfully, recent innovations in cosmetic surgery technology and techniques have significantly reduced the amount of pain experienced both during and after surgery. However, like any surgical procedure, some amount of discomfort is inevitable.
Is Plastic Surgery Painful?
The amount of pain you are able to tolerate may be quite different from what another patient is able to handle. Because of how unique each person’s body and rate of healing is, it’s difficult to make an all-encompassing statement about how painful your procedure might be.
At Marietta Plastic Surgery, we understand that any surgery is a nerve-wracking experience. We are dedicated to maintaining your comfort level at every step of the process. Our compassionate staff and board-certified* plastic surgeons will discuss all of your concerns about pain management during a personalized consultation.
Pain management is a high priority at our surgical center. We do everything we can to help you understand what to expect during both the surgical and the recovery process. Your perception and experience of pain may be affected by several factors, including:
- The type of procedure being performed
- Your previous experience(s) with pain
- The use of anesthesia
- Your gender (male patients tend to have a lower threshold for pain than females)
- Your age (younger patients may experience more pain than older adults)
If you have further questions about what to expect during a specific plastic surgery procedure, please contact our skilled surgical staff at Marietta Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation. Our offices serve the entire Atlanta area with locations in Marietta and Woodstock, Georgia.
It is not always possible to prevent pain during or after an operation. Although some discomfort may be inevitable, a doctor will work with other specialists, such as an anesthesiologist, to manage a person’s pain.
It is essential to remember that everyone is different. Some people may find a particular surgery very painful, while others do not. For this reason, it is difficult to rank surgeries from most to least painful.
If many people report feeling pain from one type of operation, it might be considered a particularly painful surgery.
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Most painful surgeries
Open surgery on the heel bone
If a person fractures their heel bone, they may need surgery. An operation is not always necessary if the bone has not moved too far out of place.
To repair the fracture, a surgeon must cut into the skin to get to the broken bone. They can then fix the bone back together, using plates or screws.
The skin around the heel is thin, and this area does not have a lot of soft tissue. It is easy to damage the nerves around the heel bone during surgery. Along with the attachment of screws to the bone, this can make the operation and recovery gainful.
Spinal fusion
The bones that make up the spine are known as vertebrae. Scoliosis and degenerative disc disease are among the medical problems that may affect the vertebrae.
If movement between vertebrae is causing pain, a doctor may recommend spinal fusion surgery. This process connects two or more vertebrae to stop them moving against each other.
Sometimes, surgery will involve a bone graft. This is when bone is taken from the hip and put into the spine to help the vertebrae fuse together. Bone grafts may cause significant and even chronic pain following surgery.
Myomectomy
A myomectomy is an operation to remove fibroids from the uterus. Although these muscle fibers are almost always harmless, they can be a cause of infertility.
The operation is usually done using keyhole surgery. Open surgery may be needed if the fibroids are large. An open surgery procedure is usually more painful than keyhole surgery and will have a longer recovery time.
During a myomectomy, a surgeon will cut into the belly and remove the fibroids. Once they have removed the fibroids, they will close the cut with stitches.
Proctocolectomy
This surgery removes the large intestine, rectum, and anal canal. Together, these make up the lowest part of the gut.
Proctocolectomy can be used to treat ulcerative colitis, bowel cancer, and some forms of Crohn’s disease.
If possible, the surgery will be done using a keyhole procedure. If this is not appropriate, surgeons will use open surgery.
Complex spinal reconstruction
Complex spinal reconstruction refers to several medical procedures used to treat spinal damage or disorders. These include spinal stenosis and scoliosis.
A surgeon will use metal rods and screws to correct a curved spine or make the spine stable. The spine has a high concentration of nerves and nerve endings, potentially making this surgery very painful.
One of the most popular questions prospective plastic surgery patients have for their doctor is, “How painful is plastic surgery?” While many are excited about rejuvenating their appearance, they are not as excited about the possible pain and discomfort the surgery may cause.
If you are worried about being in pain after plastic surgery, we are here to put your concerns to rest. Below, we focus on two popular procedures’ potential pain points: the amount of pain after breast augmentation and pain after facelift surgery.
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How Painful is Plastic Surgery?
Over the last few years, the technology and equipment used by plastic surgeons continue to evolve. Most of these innovations are aimed at trying to minimize the pain and discomfort felt by patients during and after treatment. The goal of every plastic surgeon is for the patient to feel the least amount of pain possible, but the fact of the matter is that it would be impossible to undergo surgery and not feel any kind of discomfort during recovery.
A skilled surgeon performs every surgery with incredible precision, hoping to minimize both the chances of significant scarring and any pain. While some discomfort is likely to be felt following plastic surgery, it should be very manageable and any pain is likely to fade very quickly during the recovery process. The level of pain is also subjective, as there are a variety of different factors that can influence the amount of discomfort post-surgery.
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What Contributes to How Much Pain a Patient Feels?
The way each individual feels and perceives the world is unique, based on their genetics and a variety of other factors. These differences mean that each individual perceives pain differently. While some may describe plastic surgery as a completely pain-free experience, others may find themselves in a large amount of discomfort.
If you are trying to determine how much pain you’ll be in post-procedure, there are a number of factors that contribute to how much pain a patient feels. Below, you can learn about the most impactful factors and how they can influence how much pain you feel following plastic surgery.
Your Age at the Time of the Surgery
Your age can impact how much pain you feel. In general, young people tend to be more sensitive to pain than older people. While this can obviously vary from person to person, older people tend to be more tolerant of pain for two key reasons.
First, older people tend to have senses that have dulled over time, meaning they may be less in tune with their perception of pain. Second, young people have less experience with pain, both because they have not lived as long and experienced as much, and also because young people are less likely to have conditions that cause chronic pain.
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Your Pain Tolerance and Previous Experiences with Pain
Experience with pain is the ultimate factor when it comes to your perception of pain. If a baby falls down, they immediately panic and start crying, as this is likely one of the most painful events they have ever experienced. Conversely, a professional boxer can take a punch to the face and be relatively unfazed, as they have taken thousands of punches to the face over time.
If you are someone who has never undergone surgery or had any kind of accident that resulted in a high level of pain, your pain threshold may be very low. You may find recovery from plastic surgery very painful, while someone who is a veteran of a dozen surgeries in their lifetime may be unfazed by recovery from plastic surgery.
Whether or Not Anesthesia Is Used
The use of anesthesia can impact whether or not you feel pain during and after plastic surgery. Anesthesia is a highly effective way to allow patients to experience plastic surgery completely pain free, as anesthesia blocks the perception of pain from the brain. Anesthesia also can help reduce feelings of nausea and vomiting following surgery.
The Type of Plastic Surgery Procedure You Undergo
Every surgery is different. Some plastic surgeries only require a tiny incision and should not result in any real discomfort (even with the most squeamish patients), while other procedures are complex surgeries that will require weeks of recovery time.
Take a tummy tuck as an example. The standard tummy tuck features a long incision that goes from hip to hip, while a mini tummy tuck has a much smaller incision. Obviously, the standard tummy tuck will likely result in more discomfort than a mini tummy tuck, simply based on the fact that the incision is larger and the procedure is more impactful.
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Pain After Facelift Surgery
A facelift is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures, allowing patients to rejuvenate their appearance by reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of aging. If you are a patient that is interested in getting a facelift, you are likely curious about the amount of pain after facelift surgery.
After a facelift, patients can expect their faces to be bruised, swollen, and feel tight. There may also be some slight pain and discomfort, but it can be easily managed with prescription pain medication. After just a few days, you can expect any discomfort to subside. Typical recovery times also allow patients to resume normal activities, such as going back to work, pain-free in under a week.
Pain After Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is also incredibly popular, as many patients are eager to improve the shape and size of their breasts. In fact, in 2018 there were 313,735 breast augmentation procedures, making it the most common plastic surgery in the United States! If that many people are opting to undergo the procedure, it is clear that the general understanding of pain after breast augmentation must be very manageable.
Patients usually feel some slight discomfort in the first day or two following surgery. To manage the pain, patients can usually use an over-the-counter pain management drug such as Tylenol. For patients with a low pain threshold or who are experiencing more than a little discomfort, your plastic surgeon can prescribe you prescription pain management medication. (As always, follow any recovery plan your surgeon creates with you pre-procedure.) Along with some discomfort, patients can expect to feel tightness around the breasts, as well as some sensitivity and itchiness in the chest area.
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Schedule a Plastic Surgery Consultation with Dr. Leo Lapuerta
If you are interested in breast augmentation, a facelift, or a different plastic surgery procedure, Dr. Leo Lapuerta can help. Dr. Lapuerta is an expert plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience serving patients in Katy, Pearland, and Houston, Texas.
What is Dr. Lapuerta’s answer to, “How painful is plastic surgery?” Dr. Lapuerta uses his skills and training to minimize any discomfort, allowing patients to have a relatively pain-free recovery from plastic surgery. While everyone’s pain threshold is different, most agree that plastic surgery is not very painful, and recovery is usually quick and easy.
Some important questions and answers by users
How bad does plastic surgery hurt?
While some discomfort is likely to be felt following plastic surgery, it should be very manageable and any pain is likely to fade very quickly during the recovery process. The level of pain is also subjective, as there are a variety of different factors that can influence the amount of discomfort post-surgery.
What are the most painful plastic surgeries?
Breast Augmentation. Pain Rating: 3 to 5/10 Unlike a breast lift, breast implants are inserted into the body either over or under the chest muscle. ...
Liposuction. Pain Rating: 3 to 6/10 “Like any surgery, liposuction can hurt because it involves tissue injury.
- Tummy Tuck.
- Eyelid Surgery.
- Rhinoplasty.
What is the most painful surgery?
In general, research has found that orthopedic surgeries, or those involving bones, are the most painful. However, researchers also found that some minor surgeries or those classed as keyhole or laparoscopic could also cause significant pain.
How long does it take to heal from plastic surgery?
It takes around six weeks for an individual to return to normal daily activities, and scars will diminish greatly after a year. *Patients should talk with their surgeon about their recovery plan. People heal at different rates and should expect recovery plans to be adjusted accordingly.
Is plastic surgery safe?
All surgery carries certain risks. Your choice to have plastic surgery is personal, and as part of your decision to have a procedure, you should be aware of the possible risks. Health-related risks include bleeding, excessive swelling, infection, poor healing of your incisions, loss of sensation, and anesthesia risks.
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