Pain, to varying degrees, is universal after surgery, Plastic Surgery included. I think everyone expects this. What I find that most folks do not expect is to have lingering dicomfort 2 or 3 months post operatively. I am not talking about stop-you-in-your-tracks pain, but a mild to moderate discomfort usually along the suture line. It is often described as a stinging, burning or deep itching type of feeling.
Breast Reduction, Breast Augmentation, and Tummy Tuck patients often come in for their 3 month check with the above complaints. What I tell them is that the healing process takes almost 2 full years. So, at the 2 to 3 month time period there is still a lot going on in the areas we operated, especially along the scar line. Some sensation is still expected at this point and this is normal. It will go away as the scars mature and the healing process nears completion.
Lee Corbett,MD
