By: Arthur M. Cambeiro, MD

If your plastic surgeon prescribes an antibiotic for you to take following your breast augmentation in Las Vegas, don’t let it frighten you. The truth is, the use of an antibiotic after breast surgery is merely a precaution – part of your surgeon’s plan to ensure your safety and health.

As my colleague Dr. Mark Freeman explains in his recent blog post, there is some evidence to suggest that capsular contracture (a complication of breast augmentation that causes excessive scar tissue around the implant) could be caused in part by the presence of certain bacteria. If this is true, antibiotics could help minimize the risk of capsular contracture.

So, like I said, don’t be scared by your prescription for antibiotics. There’s no unusual trend in infection after breast surgery (in fact, every single surgical procedure carries some risk of infection); your surgeon simply has a responsibility to show the utmost caution.

Popularity: 15% [?]