How Limited Will I Be After A Breast Augmentation and For How Long? (2024)

FAQs

How long will I be down after breast augmentation? ›

On average, patients take about six to eight weeks to fully recover from their breast augmentation procedure. Many women feel back to normal after the first week of recovery, but everyone's experience is different based on their age, body, health history, and lifestyle.

By 3 – 4 weeks, the majority of breast augmentation swelling should have resolved, and patients will begin to notice their breasts starting to get softer and more natural-looking. However, postoperative swelling can take up to six months or longer to fully subside.

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.

For most patients attending a social activity 2 days after breast surgery is premature; however, let your body be the guide. Don't push it if your body is requiring more rest. 3-4 weeks after surgery you can generally resume light exercise, but your surgeon will guide you what that means in your case.

After dropping, the implants relax or “fluff” into the lower breast areas, taking on the natural teardrop shape which is more projected. The breasts begin to look larger with normal contours, taking on the appearance the patient had in mind when she started the process.

Maximum swelling usually occurs 3-5 days after your surgery and it will generally go away completely in two weeks and even as early as 5 to 7 days. What Causes Stomach Bloating After Breast Augmentation Surgery?

The pain will be most severe in the first few days and should gradually subside. After six weeks, any pain or unusual sensations should have gone, although it's fairly common for patients to experience shooting pains up to six months or more after surgery.

Why can't I lift my arms after breast augmentation? Dr Doyle advises his patients to avoid lifting their arms above their head immediately after the surgery. It helps heal incisions faster and stops stretching of the internal structures. You can lift your arms above the head 4 weeks after the surgery.

Your First Week after Augmentation

You will see very little side or bottom rounding of the breasts, often looking square, with little outward projection and minimal bottom fullness. Have no fear! This is all normal.

Not only will you want to abstain from regular physical exercise during your recovery period, but you'll also want to avoid lifting your children or moving any heavy items around the house. Lifting heavy items can cause you pain, as well as potentially compromise your final results. DON'T go for a swim.

What activities can you not do with breast implants? ›

Patients should avoid push-ups, pull-ups, dips, certain yoga poses and Pilates moves that rely on balancing body weight with the arms, swinging a golf club or tennis racquet, and using certain exercise equipment such as an elliptical trainer with arm attachments. In the first 4 weeks after surgery, Dr.

Essentially, you'll need to sleep in an elevated position after breast augmentation surgery for at least one to two months (around six weeks for the majority of patients). The reason is that this position helps to reduce swelling, largely by taking the pressure off the incision areas and the implants themselves.

Most patients feel ready to return to work and perform light activity approximately seven days after surgery, with normal activity expected to resume within 2 weeks.

Capsular Contracture: Heavy activity before you have healed enough from breast augmentation can cause capsular contracture, an uncomfortable condition that can only be corrected with surgery.

Breast augmentation is the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure in the industry and helps women around the world feel more beautiful and comfortable in their own skin. This procedure, when performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, allows most patients to return home the same day.

Your breast implants may appear to be bigger or fuller once they've dropped to a lower, more natural-looking position on your chest and "fluffed" into a rounder and softer shape. Changes in the size or shape of your new breasts after augmentation can also occur as swelling and tightness subside.

The breast band will encourage the implants to drop and settle into a natural position. It is not unusual for a surgeon to decide on neither strapping nor a breast band as they feel a sports bra is enough to support and protect the patients' new assets.

Breast Implants Start High

Your breasts may also look smaller than you were hoping for. At first, the muscle and breast tissues are tight, compressing your implant. In time, these tissues will relax and loosen, and the breast implant drop will occur and develop into a more natural-looking position.

Swelling – You'll experience some swelling in the breast region after your procedure, and this can result in a modest weight gain. As with fluid retention, you'll lose this extra weight as your swelling subsides.

During your recovery, your activity level will be significantly reduced. This decrease in movement can lead to fluid retention, increasing your swelling and bloating symptoms. Without being able to engage in the physical activity you usually would, you may even recognise a small weight gain. This is completely normal!

Will my breasts get smaller after augmentation? ›

After the swelling goes down the breasts will appear smaller. However, as the implants settle, it may appear that the breast enlarges as the lower aspect of the breast fills out (at the expense of the upper portion of the breast).

First and foremost, drink plenty of water! Water serves a lot of functions in the body and will be particularly good to reduce swelling after surgery.

Considering the type of work you do

For example, a patient with a basic desk job may be able to go back to work within three to five days. If you don't need to lift anything heavier than two or three pounds or engage in any strenuous physical activity, this is probably plenty of time off.

Fill a container with lukewarm water and gently clean your skin using a soft sponge or washcloth and a mild antibacterial soap. Remember to avoid shampooing your hair until the third day. Patients should also steer clear of jacuzzies, hot tubs, pools, or natural bodies of water for at least two weeks after surgery.

Breast augmentation revision can remove the scarring for a soft, natural look. You always have options, even after surgery. And rest assured that in many cases, breast revision surgery is covered by your health insurance. Come in for a consultation to see how revision surgery can give you the look you deserve.

Most women's breasts have 2 or 3 inches of space in the middle, but implants narrow the gap. “If it looks like her breasts are touching in the middle, they're likely fake.” If they're set too high on the chest, instead of around where the armpits are, they're probably implants.

It will take between 2-6 months for your breast to soften and drop/fluff. Though the spacing between nipples that you started with will not change, you will find that eventually as they become softer you can wear push up bras and make whatever cleavage you wish.

Implants have their risks, so do your research.

Over 10% of patients reportedly experience capsular contraction, a hardening of the breast caused by shrinking scar tissue around the implant. It's possible to develop an infection, which could happen days, years, or even decades after the procedure.

You may apply a spray deodorant that converts to a dry powder after application beginning 48 hours after surgery. Your main goal will be to keep the armpit areas as dry as possible for the first two weeks.

Can you drink coffee after breast augmentation? ›

While the irritation is often minor, it can be problematic, so caffeine should not be consumed within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery. If you must, a small cup of decaf (black, no sugar) is fine. Another concern is the composition of caffeine containing drinks.

You should avoid going braless before the six-week mark after your surgery. Dr. Howland requires patients to wear their compression bra for several weeks at all times except when bathing to aid the healing process.

Support Bras: After your breast augmentation surgery, your plastic surgeon will instruct you to wear a support bra for at least a month, even at night. Support bras help hold your newly enlarged breasts in place, ease tension on your surgical incisions, and reduce swelling.

We recommend sleeping on your back and a little elevated (like in a recliner chair) for the first 3 weeks after surgery. Gravity in this situation pulls the swelling downward and away from the implants.

It's common to gain a small amount of weight (up to 5 pounds) immediately after breast augmentation. A small percentage of this is due to the weight of the implants. However, your breast implants rarely weigh more than 1-2 pounds, so the rest of this weight gain is due to other factors associated with your surgery.

When the breast implant is placed above the muscle, the recovery is usually a lot easier and less painful. However, with under the muscle breast implants, you will normally have a longer recovery time, and for several days you may experience quite a bit of discomfort.

For the first 4 to 7 days, you should stay home from work and continue resting as much as possible. Avoid strenuous activity of any kind. By the end of the first week, you should notice your energy coming back to you and your pain and soreness lessening quite a bit.

You can expect to feel the most pain in the first one to three days after surgery. Your breasts and chest are likely to feel sore but you may also feel some stabbing or shooting pains. Your surgeon will prescribe you with pain medication to manage this.

The First Week

For the first 4 to 7 days, you should stay home from work and continue resting as much as possible. Avoid strenuous activity of any kind. By the end of the first week, you should notice your energy coming back to you and your pain and soreness lessening quite a bit.

Even though patients believe exercises after breast augmentation will speed up recovery, it actually causes the opposite effect. Working out too soon can cause the implants to shift, which can make the breasts appear asymmetrical. It can also increase side effects, such as swelling and bruising.

How do breast implants feel inside you? ›

It's common for patients to be able to feel their implants, especially at the base, especially if the muscle isn't covering them at the bottom. They won't completely blend in with the rest of the tissues. However, when the implants are placed properly, it will be difficult to feel anything.

When Can I Sleep on My Side After Breast Augmentation? After sleeping in an elevated position on your back for at least four to six weeks, you can usually transition to just sleeping on your back, flat on your bed, for a few weeks.

Therefore, during the initial four weeks after surgery, breast augmentation patients should avoid overusing their pectoral muscles. Typically, this means lifting nothing heavier than 10 pounds.

The most important message we can give to patients is to be patient. It typically takes three months for your breasts to fully settle into the desired position and may even take 12 months to achieve the final contour. At this stage, they should also feel softer and more natural.