Is Plastic Surgery Painful?

My patients often ask me during their initial consultation, “Is plastic surgery painful?” This is a very understandable concern since no one wants to be in pain or have that pain cause them to be out of work for very long. Although it may be difficult to escape discomfort altogether, you will be happy to know that advances in cosmetic surgery have diminished the downtime and pain associated with different cosmetic surgeries and procedures.

Some people have a very low tolerance to pain, while others have nerves of steel. Since everyone is different, every surgical procedure or treatment is tailored to that particular patient. There are many factors that play into a person’s pain and ability to recover. The main factor involves how invasive the procedure will be. For example, any procedure that involves surgery on the muscles, will cause more pain and take longer to recover. This may include breast augmentation and tummy tucks. As an example, a rhinoplasty procedure may take a few days to recover enough to stop pain meds and return to work whereas a Mommy Makeover may take a few weeks.

Medications are used to reduce pain during and after a cosmetic procedure. These include oral narcotics and muscle relaxers. The proper use and combination I recommend and prescribe definitely reduce one’s pain level and speeds recovery.

The use of general anesthesia during most operative procedures ensures that no one will feel any pain while the procedure is performed. Local anesthesia is used in office for not only small procedures on the face but also non-invasive procedures such as dermal fillers and laser skin treatments.

If you have any questions about a specific cosmetic surgery procedure, please contact my Scottsdale Plastic Surgery practice and schedule a consultation by calling (480) 890-0600 or filling out our online contact form. I look forward to seeing you soon.