Recovery Following a Breast Augmentation

By Top.me

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Breast augmentation is an effective procedure that necessitates pre-surgery preparation and post-operative recovery. You must take care of your body and follow your doctor’s instructions after breast augmentation to have a successful surgery.

But how is the recovery process? Recovering from breast augmentation surgery is pretty fast and easy when you follow the doctor’s instructions. 

Below are some tips to assist you in recovering faster.

Avoid Wearing Underwire Bras for at Least Six Weeks

A young smiling woman in white bra on white background

After breast augmentation surgery, you wouldn’t want to wear an uncomfortable bra; however, there is also a medical justification for not doing so. Underwire bras can:

  • Irritate your skin
  • Cause swelling and redness around your incisions
  • Feel unpleasant next to sore, swollen breasts

Additionally, the wire might exacerbate discomfort and delay healing if it pushes against your stitches.

During recovery, consider wearing sports bras or supportive bras that feel comfortable against your skin and don’t have wire pressure points. You should do this until your wounds have fully recovered from surgery, which could take 6 to 10 weeks.

Keep Your Breasts and Head Above the Waterline

After the surgery, please wait until your wounds are healed before getting into a bathtub or swimming pool. Bacteria from the bath or pool could enter your skin through the stitches.

Submersion in water may increase the chance of infection, making recovery more difficult and prolonged. It is advisable to take a warm shower because it reduces your chance of infection and eases painful chest muscles.

Avoid Drinking and Smoking

Before your breast augmentation, your plastic surgeon will advise you to refrain from drinking and smoking to prepare your body for the anesthesia. You should continue refraining from alcohol and tobacco use until you fully recover.

Smoking prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching your wounds and promoting healing. Alcohol dries out the body, increasing the risk of bleeding, illness, and adverse drug reactions.

Sleep On Your Back

Doctors recommend you sleep on your back following breast augmentation surgery. Your implants could slide or sag if you sleep on your side or stomach. Additionally, it’s uncomfortable when your breasts and nipples are sore shortly after surgery. Sleeping on your back prevents pain from your cuts, which helps hasten the healing process.

Avoid Lifting Heavy Things

Do not lift anything heavier than 20 pounds for the first six weeks following breast augmentation. You are more likely to hemorrhage or develop hematomas and blood vessels that seep into the breast tissue when you move heavy objects or exert a lot of force on your upper body. 

Breast Augmentation FAQs

What can I do to heal faster?

The most crucial thing to do is to follow your doctor’s advice. 

Will my implants look natural?

If you have concerns about natural-looking breasts, you may consider receiving an implant that is placed under the muscle, which is among the available breast augmentation options in Houston. The other option is getting implants over the muscle, but such implants are more likely to create ripples and may not appear as natural.

How soon can I resume working and exercising?

You can resume some low-impact physical exercise after two weeks. You can resume your regular activities after six weeks. It’s crucial to adhere to this time frame because too much too soon could result in infections, rips in the incision, or even implant loss.

What issues could arise in the breast augmentation healing process?

There are various issues that may arise following a breast augmentation surgery, they include:

  • Issues with anesthesia
  • Chest pain 
  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Fluid buildup
  • Changes in how the breast or nipple feels
  • Implant leakage or rupture, capsular contracture
  • Implant rippling during the healing process

A reputable surgeon should make every effort to prevent such complications from occurring.

What types of bras and clothing should I use following surgery?

A girl in supportive bra after the breast augmentation

Avoid wearing constricting clothing or shirts that need pulling over your head for at least two weeks. Instead, wear loose, baggy clothing or button-up shirts to reduce the risk of hurting the cuts. Additionally, avoid wearing underwired or push-up bras while you are recovering. You can stop using the compression bra after your wounds and breasts have healed, at which point you should switch to comfortable sports bras.

When will I get the final results?

You should start noticing the surgery effects more clearly as swelling disappears. But remember that your implants may need a few months to adjust to their new locations. In the first few months, the implants appear to be sitting high on the chest, but after a while, they will reposition themselves to look more natural.