Whether you have an enlargement, reduction, lift or correction, your new breasts can take some getting used to. They’ll certainly look great, but aftercare is important to not only increase your comfort, but ensure your breasts keep their shape. We believe dedication to our patients is imperative to their recovery, so have detailed everything you need to know about post-breast surgery care in this helpful post.
Breast Augmentation Recovery Time
Breast Enlargements, Reductions and Lifts:
- 1 week taken off work (2 weeks for reductions and lifts).
- No lifting for 2 weeks and no heavy lifting for 6.
- It’s advised you don’t drive for 1-2 weeks post-surgery.
- Normal activity can be resumed 4-6 weeks later.
Can I Shower After Breast Surgery?
Any dressings, bandages or plastic strips should be kept dry following the procedure, though should you need to clean any wounds, gently use a clean wet towel, free of shower gel, soap or other bathroom products.
1 week after surgery a shower is permitted. Have a friend or relation wait outside just in case you feel faint so they can help you out.
What About Other Water?
It’s advised that the following water sources are avoided for 6 weeks:
- Swimming Pools.
- Hot Tubs / Jacuzzis.
- Bath Water.
- Lakes.
- Rivers.
- The Sea.
What To Expect After Breast Surgery
A rush of emotions. Excitement to see your new breasts, coupled with exhaustion and the need to recover, which luckily pain-killers can assist with. It’s normal to feel disorientated the first 24 hours after breast surgery as anaesthesia, readjustment and medication take their effect.
You Should Also Expect:
- Your breasts will be bruised and swollen for 2-3 months and will feel uncomfortable, though this will dissipate over time.
- Though implants are soft, your breasts may become firm due to the swelling. As the swelling subsides, your breasts will become softer too.
- Gently massaging the scars 6 weeks after surgery can help with any pain. Your surgeon can discuss technique with you for effectiveness.
Can I Wear A Push-Up Bra After Breast Surgery?
You can, but not until 6 weeks after surgery. A push-up bra could alter implant location, raising them and changing your desired look. Implants need to settle to lock their position in place. After 6 weeks, wearing a push-up bra should not affect your new breasts.
Additional Clothing Advice
- Loose-fitting clothing will lessen sensitivity around the chest area.
- Buttoned shirts and jackets are a lot easier to put on than tops, blouses and hoodies and will cause less discomfort too.
What To Wear After Breast Surgery
You should wear a breast surgery recovery bra, day and night for up to 6 weeks following surgery. This bra offers many benefits, such as reducing swelling and bleeding, as well as supporting the chest during potential painful moments, such as sneezing and coughing.
A soft sports bra is a great alternative, unlike underwire bras that can cause irritation.
Travel and Flying Post Breast Surgery
As the first week after surgery is the recovery period, it’s advised that long-haul travel and flights are avoided, as this is when complications can occur. Should an issue arise mid-air or on the road, finding suitable medical care may prove difficult. Not only that, pulling heavy luggage, stress due to traffic/delays and potential blood clots could cause post-surgery bleeding and discomfort. A week gives your breasts time to settle and start to heal.
If you must travel, we recommend the following:
- Have a friend lift/pull your luggage throughout your journeys.
- Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and keep you feeling refreshed.
- Keep pain-killers nearby should you experience soreness.
- You may notice implant expansion or contracture with changes in cabin pressure. This will only be temporary and they will restore themselves naturally.
How To Sleep After Breast Surgery
For the first 2 days, sleeping upright can help reduce soreness, swelling and pain.
For the following 2-3 weeks, sleeping on your back is best, to avoid deformation or unnecessary pressure that sleeping on your stomach or side could cause.
As mentioned above, wearing a sports bra will help keep your breasts in place during sleep movement.
Breast Enlargement Recovery Tips
There’s nothing more exciting that finally getting the breasts that you’ve always wanted, and seeing the final results! However, after surgery, your breasts are going to need a little TLC to ensure they heal effectively, and end up looking great. You’ll be feeling emotional, excited, and absolutely exhausted, so at this point, it’s important to not get ahead of yourself, and to slow down, and make sure you do everything you can to give yourself a quick and smooth recovery. Here at New Birkdale Clinic, we care about our patients having the best aftercare they can. That’s why we’ve put together this list of some of our favourite tips to ease the recovery from breast enlargement surgery.
Wear Your Surgical Bra Constantly
You’re going to have to wear a surgical bra for about 4-6 weeks after your surgery. The surgical bra is there to support you during the healing process, and it’s important that you wear it constantly, day and night. Your breasts will be at their most fragile and sore during this time of recovery, so it’s important you look after them.
Your surgical bra will help to reduce bruising, swelling and bleeding. If you keep it on throughout the initial healing process, you’ll heal much more quickly and effortlessly than you would without it. It’s going to prevent scar tissue from forming and make sure that your implants stay in the right position. After 6 weeks you can talk to your surgeon about alternative bra styles.
Eat Light, Healthy Food And Drink Lots Of Water
Before heading in for your surgery, take some time to make sure that your fridge is packed with a range of light, healthy meals to get you through the first few weeks of recovery. The anaesthesia might make you feel nauseous for a couple of days, so make sure you have soft and light foods available, and healthy foods will be important for making sure you have the energy and strength to recover properly. We recommend citrus fruits for the dose of Vitamin C, plenty of vegetables, and almonds, which are great for stimulating tissue development!
It’s easy to become dehydrated during the recovery period, so one of the best things you can do is to drink a lot of water. Water is great for helping with swelling, constipation, and some of the other immediate side effects of your breast surgery.
Plan To Have Some Assistance
You’re going to need to have somebody with you for 24 hours after your surgery. You will have just undergone major surgery, and you’ll need help moving around. Getting up to make yourself food or going to the bathroom will feel really difficult. You can’t start driving until you’re finished with your pain medication.
You won’t be able to do any heavy lifting for about six weeks after surgery, so having somebody at hand to help out will make your life a lot easier. Even just organising a friend to come over every now and then to help out with some chores is a good idea. If you have kids, you’re definitely going to need a bit of help. Kids count as heavy lifting too!
Rest A Lot And Exercise Little
It goes without saying that getting plenty of rest is extremely important during the recovery phase. For a few days, spending a lot of time in bed and resting will lead to a quick and healthy recovery. Just remember to listen to your body, and make sure you have plenty of pillows and something interesting to watch on TV!
The first few days following surgery may feel like a marathon for some, but we promise that after that, you’re going to keep feeling better and better. However, it is best to avoid returning to any kind of exercise in the first 4 weeks of recovery. You may feel ready, but your breasts might not be. The risk of extending your recovery period isn’t worth it, so just be gentle and ease your way back into exercise very slowly. Avoid running or doing anything that involves lifting your arms above your head.
For more information about how to look after yourself after a breast enlargement, explore our FAQ section or contact us here at the clinic. We’re always happy to help, and we want to ensure that all of our patients get the advice and support that they need to have a healthy recovery.
