Recovering From Breast Augmentation Surgery – 4 Common Questions… Answered

“Surgery” is a scary word. It makes you think about weeks of recovery in the hospital, missing your family and friends, and worrying about when the heck you can get back to your life. Luckily, breast implants aren’t the stuff of nightmares. Let’s take a look at some common questions people have about recovering from this type of surgery. We promise it’s not as bad as you think.

1. How long does it take to recover?

Well, it depends; every body is different and unique. Plus, you have to consider whether you want silicone or saline implants, and if you want subglandular (over the muscle) or submuscular (under the muscle) implants.

Don’t worry! When you schedule a consultation we’ll help make these decisions SUPER easy and stress-free.

Seriously though, about how long?

Not as long as you might think. Breast augmentation is an outpatient surgery — meaning it only takes 1 or 2 hours, and you don’t need to sleep at the hospital! That’s right, you’ll be back resting at home before you know it.

And contrary to the myths you may have heard, many women who get breast implants can return to normal activities in just 7–10 days. How’s that for fast?

Let’s be clear, though. Any surgery like this is going to cause some pain and discomfort at first.

2. What’s the best way to make that pain and scarring manageable?

Glad you asked.

For starters, you don’t want to lift anything heavy for at least the first week after your surgery. And, by heavy we mean heavier than a jug of milk.

If your job or home life are particularly physical, it’s going to take some adjustments (and definitely a few helping hands) as you begin your recovery.

Dr. Jones will give you a list of light stretching exercises you should follow during your recovery period to ensure that your breast implants cause minimal pain and have maximal recovery.

Here are a few more handy recovery tips to make your life a whole lot easier…

• Silicone sheets and scar cream can help minimize and reduce scarring from the procedure.
• Exercise? Start with very slow walks after your first week of recovery, and slowly build up to more intense aerobic activity.
• As for the weights, wait at LEAST a couple weeks to a month, and don’t go heavy for a couple months.
• Avoid tanning beds like the plague for two months—they make scars much more visible, and make all your hard work go to waste!
• Bigger implants tend to hurt more, and so do under-the-muscle implants.

These are just general guidelines. Dr. Jones will tell you EXACTLY what to do and for how long, so don’t sweat it.

3. What does a typical recovery look like?

Again, everyone is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. However, here’s a rough guide of what to expect.

• Days 1–4: Pain, discomfort, and bruising are common. Most people require medication for pain management. Fluid retention may lead to temporary weight gain. Incisions cannot get wet at this point.
• Days 4–10: Dr. Jones may allow you to briefly get incisions wet in the shower. Stomach may become swollen as swelling moves through your body. Daytime pain decreases, but remains high during the night.
• Days 10–21: Risk of infection and bleeding greatly decreases. Most swelling is gone. Occasional pain at night. Nerves begin to wake up; numbness is common at first.
• Days 21–42: Rare to need any pain medications. Slightly more strenuous exercises may be resumed.
• Day 42+: Relaxation of scar tissue. Breasts begin to soften and regain “jiggle.” All swelling is gone.

As you can see, you can usually head back to work and get back to your life after just a week. Feeling 100% often takes a bit longer, but you shouldn’t expect a massive decrease in your quality of life after surgery.

4. When should I seek medical attention?

Possible symptoms that may require immediate care include:

• excessive or unusual pain, burning, swelling or redness;
• deflated breasts;
• colored or odorous discharge from the implant site;
• fever;
• or strange lumps.

These symptoms are rare, but it’s always best to be prepared.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed…

Remember that Dr. Jones is your partner. He is dedicated to working with you to make the best plan based on your body and your desires to make this whole process easy to understand.

A good surgeon only makes sure you look good. But Dr. Jones isn’t just good – he’s the best. He will make sure you look your best, and feel great too.