Recovering from a surgery can sometimes be very painful. When you visit a plastic surgeon prior to your surgery, it's important to find out how long the recuperation period will last for the type of procedure you're having done. You'll need to know how long you'll be out of commission no only for personal reasons, but for other commitments you may have such as work, school, etc.

The following reflects some commonly seen time estimates, though it is important to know that these are just estimates, and can vary depending on any special circumstances you may have.

*Breast Surgery - You can typically manage to get around independently by the second day of recovery, and you may even return to work after 5-7 days as long as your job does not require you to lift more than 15 pounds.
*Eyelid Surgery - With this type of surgery, you can actually usually begin taking care of yourself by the second day. And, with the use of sunglasses, you may even feel comfortable enough to go to the store by day 3-4. With a little makeup, you could be back to work between days 5-7.
*Liposuction - Usually you can gain independence by the second day, possibly even earlier if a smaller number of areas were treated. You'll typically be able to return to work and normal life in about 5-7 days.
*Facelift Surgery - In most cases, you can get around independently by day 2. You probably wont feel comfortable going out in public though for about 5-7 days after surgery. Returning to work will probably require 10-14 full days of recovering.
*Abdominoplasty - Now patients receiving this type of surgery may take between 2-4 days before getting around on their own. The recovery experience is surprisingly similar to that of a C-section. The patient can return to a desk job about 5-7 days after surgery, but most other jobs will require 10-14 days.

As you can see, most cases only require assistance for the first two days of recovery, and patients typically have the ability to care for themselves during the remainder of their recuperation period.

Dr. Kim is a plastic surgeon providing his expertise to the Beverly Hills area. For more information please visit Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery.