Rapid Recovery

Consultations offered at our three convenient locations in Newport Beach, Upland and Ontario, CA

Rapid recovery, also called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), is a modern, research-backed approach to surgical care. By implementing preoperative education, tailored anesthesia choices, multimodal pain control, and early mobilization, ERAS helps reduce physical stress on your body and accelerate healing. (1)

Dr. Azra Ashraf is a double board-certified plastic surgeon at Panache Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach and Ontario, California. With more than a decade of experience in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, Dr. Ashraf uses this evidence-based recovery plan so you can spend less time recovering and more time enjoying your results.

Dr. Ashraf is known for her meticulous surgical technique, artistic eye, and compassionate approach to patient care. She builds each rapid recovery plan around your specific needs, helping you feel confident, empowered, and comfortable in your own skin.

Please fill out our contact form or give us a call to schedule a consultation at one of our convenient Southern California locations:

About Rapid Recovery (ERAS)

Even when a procedure goes smoothly, surgery naturally puts stress on your body. Rapid recovery is a set of simple, structured steps before, during, and after your procedure designed to help your body handle that stress. The goal is to help your body heal faster, reduce complications, and get you feeling better sooner so you can spend more time enjoying your results.

Rapid recovery centers on a collaborative team approach. Dr. Ashraf and her care team work together to optimize your health before surgery and minimize physical disruption during and after your procedure. Every element of your care plan is grounded in evidence-based best practices derived from modern research. (1)

Rapid Recovery (ERAS) vs. Traditional Recovery

The primary difference between the two approaches is that ERAS focuses on maintaining your body’s natural rhythm, and traditional recovery tends to disrupt it. While traditional protocols often required prolonged fasting from midnight, heavy reliance on strong narcotic pain medications, and resting in bed for days, the ERAS approach modernizes surgical care to enhance recovery. (2)

The ERAS approach allows you to drink clear liquids closer to the time of your procedure, encourages getting up and walking within hours of waking up, and uses a mix of non-opioid medications to control pain. By keeping you properly nourished, moving, and free from the unpleasant side effects of narcotic medications, ERAS encourages your digestive system to recover more quickly. This helps you return home sooner with a lower risk of complications. (2)

Benefits

ERAS protocols implemented by Dr. Ashraf offer numerous benefits, such as: (3)

  • Shorter Hospital Stays: Helps many patients go home sooner, often on the same day as surgery.
  • Lower Risk of Complications: Minimizes the risk of postoperative complications, such as blood clots and pneumonia.
  • Decreased Opioid Reliance: Employs multimodal pain management strategies to lessen dependence on narcotic medications during recovery.
  • Quicker Return to Daily Activities: Encourages early hydration, food intake, and movement, often within hours after surgery, to help restore normal body function sooner.
  • Greater Patient Satisfaction: Improves comfort, reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting, and enhances quality of life throughout recovery.

Procedures That Use Rapid Recovery

To optimize healing and your results, Dr. Ashraf uses rapid recovery for many of her surgical procedures, including:

  • Tummy Tuck: Also called an abdominoplasty, this procedure eliminates excess skin and fat from the belly and tightens underlying abdominal muscles.
  • Mommy Makeover: A tailored combination of treatments performed in a single procedure to rejuvenate your body following pregnancy.
  • Brazilian Butt Lift: Transfers unwanted fat from other areas of the body to enhance and contour your buttocks.
  • Arm Lift: Removes loose, sagging skin and excess fat from the upper arms for a more toned, smoother appearance.
  • Thigh Lift: Removes loose skin and fat from the upper legs to firm and refine the thighs.
  • Breast Surgery: As a fellowship-trained breast surgeon, Dr. Ashraf brings a unique skill set to each breast procedure, including breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, and breast reconstruction.
  • Awake Liposuction: Targets stubborn fat pockets while you remain comfortable and fully awake using local anesthesia.
  • Lipedema Treatment: Removes painful lipedema fat tissue; Dr. Ashraf is the only female surgeon in Southern California who offers this treatment.

How Rapid Recovery Works

Dr. Ashraf believes that optimal surgical results begin with a great recovery. Instead of a one-size-fits-all protocol, she designs a personalized rapid recovery plan tailored to your needs, overall health, procedure, and daily lifestyle. Rapid recovery is divided into three core stages to limit surgical stress and speed up healing.

Preoperative Stage (Before Surgery)

The preoperative phase is a foundational preparation period that sets your body and mind up for a successful procedure. It replaces outdated guidelines with modern practices to reduce physical stress, prevent dehydration, and support metabolism before the procedure. During this time, you receive detailed counseling and avoid alcohol and smoking for about four weeks. (2) Dr. Ashraf replaces traditional, uncomfortable steps like fasting from midnight with clear fluids and carbohydrate-rich drinks up to two hours before surgery to help keep your blood sugar stable. Depending on your needs and type of procedure, Dr. Ashraf will review your regular medications and avoid heavy sedatives to help you wake more smoothly from anesthesia. (2) This proactive phase prepares your body to handle the stress of surgery, leading to a faster, more comfortable recovery.

Intraoperative Stage (During Surgery)

Throughout the procedure, Dr. Ashraf uses precise, gentle techniques designed to minimize tissue trauma and bleeding. Her anesthesia team uses short-acting medications paired with targeted nerve blocks to reduce post-procedure grogginess and help you stay comfortable while limiting heavy opioids. For liposuction treatments, local anesthesia lets you stay conscious, comfortable, and relaxed without general anesthesia.

Dr. Ashraf and her team also carefully manage your fluids and use active warming blankets to keep your body temperature stable during the procedure. She gives antibiotics within an hour of surgery to help prevent infection. (2) By combining these modern techniques, Dr. Ashraf limits physical stress on your body, helping you recover faster with fewer complications.

Postoperative Stage (After Surgery)

Shortly after your procedure, you will eat early and begin moving out of bed to promote faster healing. Dr. Ashraf prioritizes non-opioid pain medications to maintain comfort, while avoiding nausea, drowsiness, and a slow gut. To lower your risk of infection, her team also removes any drains and IV lines as soon as it is medically safe. While more extensive procedures may require an overnight stay, most patients return home the same day. These steps work together to help you recover safely and lower the likelihood of complications.

Cost of Rapid Recovery in Newport Beach, CA

The cost of rapid recovery varies from patient to patient. The final cost depends on the procedure type, anesthesia requirements, your personal recovery plan, and more. During your personal consultation with Dr. Ashraf in Newport Beach or Ontario, California, you will receive a comprehensive price quote that accurately reflects your treatment plan. We also welcome patients to explore our financing options to make treatment more accessible.

To learn more about the cost of treatment, please fill out our contact form or give us a call to schedule a consultation at one of our convenient Southern California locations:

FAQ

How can I prepare my body for rapid recovery?

Preparing for surgery requires dedicated effort, much like training for a marathon. Taking proactive steps ahead of time is essential to promoting optimal outcomes. You can start preparing your body by adopting a nutrient-rich diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy body weight, and taking all prescribed medications as directed. You can also reduce your alcohol intake and completely avoid smoking or nicotine products to support the recovery process further.

Am I a good candidate for rapid recovery?

As a structured program designed to reduce surgical stress on your body, ERAS is ideal for patients who are willing to prepare ahead of time, manage pain with non-opioid medication options, and engage early in postoperative movement and nutrition. However, if you have highly unstable underlying medical conditions, Dr. Ashraf may suggest a separate, customized care plan instead. Ultimately, Dr. Ashraf and her expert medical team will make the final decision based on your specific procedure and overall health profile.

How is pain managed with rapid recovery?

Rapid recovery employs a pain management approach known as multimodal analgesia. By addressing pain through multiple mechanisms at once, this method combines non-narcotic medications, such as acetaminophen and NSAIDs, with regional nerve blocks and local numbing medicine. Targeting pain from multiple angles with different non-opioid options provides more consistent and predictable pain relief while reducing reliance on heavy opioids. (3)

References

  1. Ljungqvist O, Scott M, Fearon KC. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: A Review. JAMA Surgery. 2017;152(3):292. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2016.4952
  2. Temple-Oberle C, Shea-Budgell MA, Tan M, et al. Consensus Review of Optimal Perioperative Care in Breast Reconstruction. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2017;139(5):1056e-1071e. doi:10.1097/prs.0000000000003242
  3. Foster L, Foppiani J, Patel A. The Use of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Protocols in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Literature. Samuel Lin Lab. 2025. Accessed October 23, 2026. https://research.bidmc.org/samuel-lin/publications/use-enhanced-recovery-after-surgery-eras-protocols-plastic-surgery-systematic-review