In the world of breast augmentation, "rapid recovery" has become a marketing buzzword on surgeons' websites and in surgeons' marketing materials. Large numbers of plastic surgeons worldwide advertise and promote "rapid recovery" to patients and the media. But what exactly is "rapid recovery"; how many surgeons really deliver it, and where is the proof that they deliver it?I've heard many surgeons comment that it doesn't matter if a patient recovers in one day or three weeks. I strongly disagree. While patients may tolerate unnecessarily long recoveries, it's only because most of them don't know they could be out to dinner the same evening and back to full, normal activities the next day. Most importantly, most patients don't know that the length of time required to recover relates directly to how the surgery was performed, and to their risks of developing capsular contracture or having multiple reoperations in the future. Currently published scientific studies directly relate a 24 hour recovery to the lowest published rates of capsular contracture and the lowest reoperation rates in the history of breast augmentation.The key message for patients: If you can be out to dinner the evening of augmentation and return to normal activities within 24 hours, you and your surgeon have significantly reduced your risks of having reoperations in the future!What really determines how fast you recover? In order of importance:1) Your level of patient education2) How your surgeon performed your surgery, specifically a) how much bleeding occurred, and b) how much trauma occurred to your tissues during surgery3) The drugs, drains, bandages, and other ancillary measures you received during and after surgery (the fewer the better for the fastest recovery)4) Your ability and commitment to follow your surgeon's instructions immediately following surgery.Since our scientific studies detailing the processes required to deliver out to dinner and 24 hour recovery were published, surgeons worldwide are aware that rapid recovery is achievable for patients, and that patients are now looking at recovery as they choose a surgeon. As a result, "rapid recovery" has become a common marketing buzzword for surgeons. Regrettably for patients, surgeons can use any buzzword they like with very little accountability, unless patients are informed enough to ask the right questions that separate buzzwords and hype from a surgeon's ability to really deliver 24 hour recovery. The reality is that far more surgeons use the buzzword "rapid recovery" compared to surgeons who can really deliver it. As a patient, what do you need to know to determine whether a surgeon really delivers an optimal, fast recovery?The key issue for patients is determining prior to surgery whether the surgeon really delivers "rapid recovery", just how rapid is it, and is there any independent confirmation (not isolated patient testimonials, but confirmation by an independent body of examiners) of the surgeon delivering predictable 24 hour recovery. Here's information that should help.