Breast augmentation can be a life-changing procedure that affirms your self-confidence and helps you attain a healthier body image. After your procedure, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hayley Brown will give you specific instructions to help you manage your recovery. How precisely you follow her directions could impact your ultimate results.
As a female plastic surgeon, Dr. Brown truly grasps the unique issues and concerns of the women who come into her Las Vegas office. She strives to form meaningful relationships with her patients to help them achieve their desired results. She also wants to arm her patients with the knowledge they need to get the most out of their breast augmentation. With that in mind, here are some "dos" and "don'ts" for the aftermath of your surgery.
What to do After Breast Augmentation
If you carefully follow Dr. Brown's instructions, you increase your chances of optimizing your breast augmentation results. These practices can help you get the most out of your surgery:
- Get plenty of rest: Your body needs time to recover after breast augmentation. Plan to take 1-2 weeks off of work as you begin the healing process. Avoid heavy lifting, exercise, or upper body activity for at least 3-4 weeks.
- Take your pain medication as prescribed by Dr. Brown: Dr. Brown will prescribe oral pain medication and muscle relaxers to help you manage your discomfort after surgery. Take them as prescribed, and any pain or discomfort should dissipate in the weeks after your procedure.
- Eat healthily: Your diet can have a significant impact on how your body recovers. High-protein foods such as lean poultry and fish are hugely beneficial. So are fresh fruits and vegetables, which are packed with vitamins C and D, and help your body get the collagen it needs to boost the healing process. Calcium-rich foods such as yogurt, milk, spinach, and kale will also help strengthen your body as it recovers.
- Wear your support bra until Dr. Brown clears you to take it off: After surgery, Dr. Brown will fit you with a support bra that you should wear day and night for 6-8 weeks. It's critical to keep your breasts supported throughout your recovery as your implants settle. Failure to wear this garment could cause your breasts to sag and your implants to come to rest out of position.
What Not to do After Breast Augmentation
These practices could harm your results. Here's why you should avoid them:
- Swimming: Dipping into a lake or ocean could introduce unwanted bacteria to your still-healing incisions. Even in a chlorinated pool that doesn't have bacteria, you don't want to inundate your incisions with water before they're fully healed.
- Smoking or other tobacco use: Tobacco is harmful to you in general, but it can have even more unfavorable effects when you're recovering from surgery. Smoke and tobacco delay your body's natural healing processes. If you are a smoker, you should quit before your surgery and throughout your recovery period.
- Lift heavy objects: Lifting heavy objects, even your children, in the 3-4 weeks after your surgery could negatively impact your recovery because of the strain it causes on your implants and incisions. Therefore, if your job requires heavy lifting, you should plan to take off more than the recommended 1-2 weeks following your surgery.
- Engage in strenuous exercise: As with practical lifting of heavy objects, vigorous exercise can also be detrimental to your healing process. Light activity, such as walking around your neighborhood, is beneficial. However, jogging, running, weightlifting, and other high-intensity actions could affect how your implants settle and impact your incisions.
Contact Our Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon Today
Dr. Brown is an experienced, skilled surgeon who brings compassion and dedication to every interaction with her patients. During your breast augmentation consultation, she'll listen to your goals and devise a treatment plan to help you achieve a body you can be proud of.
Dr. Brown serves Las Vegas, Henderson, and surrounding areas of Nevada. Call (702) 260-7707 today to schedule a consultation.
