With the abundance of holiday shopping ads serving as a countdown for the days we have left to finish our shopping, meal planning and vacation activities, it may be difficult to imagine devoting time solely for ourselves. For many of our patients that meet with Dr. David Whiteman recovery time is an important factor considered when deciding to undergo breast augmentation (mammoplasty), but many are pleasantly surprised to find that even during the busiest of seasons, plastic surgery recovery time isn’t as extensive as they may have thought.
Just as there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to plastic surgery procedures, the same can be said about recovery for breast augmentation. Your profession, incision type and other factors unique to each patient should be considered. Most patients can return to work within 48 hours and begin resuming reduced activity in as little as under a week with minimal physical activity resuming within two weeks.
So what can you expect within the first few weeks of recovery?
- Support: You may be given support garments to assist your recovery process. Post-operative bras, compression bandages or similar-functioning sports bras are ideal as you heal, and they can provide great support for proper positioning of your new breasts.
- Sensitivity: You may feel stiffness, soreness or tightness in your chest for a few days following your procedure and that is completely normal. This generally subsides within the first few weeks and may remain sensitive to touch for a month or longer as your body begins to adjust to their new breast implants and size. To assist our patients with pain management during their recovery, we offer RecoveryRx, a non-narcotic anti-inflammatory patch, to lessen the need for narcotics or other pain medication. When applied directly to the surgical site, the RecoveryRx patch creates a safe, low-power pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) to reduce pain and inflammation while increasing blood flow for a quicker, more comfortable recovery without side effects.
- Limited activity: During the first week of recovery, I always tell my patients to limit physical activity. You shouldn’t lift heavy objects and should refrain from straining your arms and chest in general to allow your body to properly heal. Attempting rigorous workout routines are not recommended for the first couple of weeks after your surgery. During your follow-up appointments, we’ll discuss your timeline for working out and advise you on when it’s appropriate to resume more vigorous activity.
- Rest: Just as with any surgical procedure, resting for 24-48 hours after your procedure is beneficial. Having a friend or family member around during those first few days are very crucial in assisting with your early recovery as you do not want to add any unnecessary strain to your body.
Before we let you go home, we will discuss, in detail, all post-operative instructions and answer any questions that you may have during your initial consultation to make sure you know what to expect once your procedure has been performed. If you are interested in breast augmentation or other cosmetic procedures performed at Southern Plastic Surgery, contact us today to schedule your consultation. For the most up-to-date plastic surgery news and specials be sure to connect with Dr. Whiteman on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.