3 weeks after breast reduction surgery, how do I feel?
This is the question that has been on my mind. I’m sure it’s on yours too. How will I feel in a mere three weeks, after such an intense surgery?
The answer to this question is not easy to come by, so let me tell you what happened for me.
After the surgery, I was in the hospital for three days. The first day was rough—I was in pain and unable to move much because of the swelling. By the second day, though, things started looking up: the swelling had gone down noticeably and my pain levels were down to a manageable level. By the third day, I felt almost normal: some soreness and stiffness but nothing debilitating like before.
Upon returning home from the hospital, I had two weeks of unpacking ahead of me: unpacking meant cleaning out my old clothes and putting away new ones while trying them on over bandages and drains (which are still there now). This was a struggle at first because it felt so weird wearing stuff that fit again but looked different than it used to look—like my body had changed shape overnight! But after about a week and
3 weeks after breast reduction surgery
Breast augmentation is an ever-popular procedure with sky-high patient satisfaction rates. Most breast augmentation patients are absolutely delighted with their results and have zero regrets—even so, during the recovery period, many patients wonder if things will really turn out as they hope.
After having breast augmentation, it can be difficult to know what is a normal part of the healing process and what might indicate a potential problem. To help you out, we’ve outlined a few of the most common things that patients experience after breast augmentation. Just one caveat before you read on: talk to your doctor if you see or feel anything that concerns you—there’s no substitute for an in-person look at any concerns.
My chest feels really tight, and my boobs feel like they might explode
It takes time for muscle, breast tissue, and skin to adjust to your implants; until these tissues have healed sufficiently, you can expect to feel (possibly intense) tightness in the chest area, particularly if your implants are placed beneath the muscle. Normal postoperative swelling, which peaks about 3 to 5 days after surgery, will amplify feelings of chest pressure. Some women also report that their breasts feel engorged (tender, heavy and inflamed).
How long this lasts: Typically, the more intense discomfort from tightness dissipates over the first one to two weeks after surgery; however, you may experience mild feelings of stiffness and tightness in the chest muscles for a month or longer. The bulk of swelling should subside within about three weeks, although you can expect modest swelling to last about 3 months.
By the 3-month mark, your breasts will be pretty close to their final shape and appearance, although scars will continue to fade for several more months.
When to call your plastic surgeon: If swelling seems severe, especially one one side, or if feelings of engorgement are accompanied by fever and breasts are very warm to the touch, contact your doctor immediately; these are signs of bleeding and infection, respectively.
My boobs look like torpedos and my nipples are uneven
There is a reason that experienced surgeons prefer to include only breast augmentation “after” photos taken at least 3 months post-op in their patient galleries—it takes time for the breasts to “drop and fluff” or settle into their final position and for scars to fade. Initially, your new breasts will probably appear unnaturally high on the chest and may have a stark “torpedo” shape. During the first few weeks of recovery, one breast may seem bigger than the other, and one may appear to drop lower than the other. You may even wonder if your plastic surgeon made a mistake—chances are the answer is no, and your breasts just need more time to heal. These are all normal occurrences after breast augmentation.
How long this lasts: Again, your body needs time to adjust to your implants; post-op swelling can also contribute to asymmetry, as swelling might go down earlier in one breast than the other. Typically, the 3-month mark is when your breasts will be pretty close to their final shape and appearance, although scars will continue to fade for several more months.
When to call your plastic surgeon: If, after 3 months, one or both breasts still appear misshapen, you are experiencing significant asymmetry, or one breast seems unnaturally hard to the touch, consult with your plastic surgeon—these symptoms indicate a possible capsular contracture. If you are still dissatisfied with your breast augmentation results 6 to 12 months after your procedure, you may need to look into breast augmentation revision.
I’m feeling depressed about this whole thing
Ask a breast augmentation patient if she’s glad she did it, and you’ll most likely hear, “YES! But there were a few days in the beginning….” With so much emphasis on the physical aspects of breast augmentation, it’s easy to forget that recovery has an emotional side, too. It’s actually common for patients to go through a brief period of mild depression after any surgery, breast augmentation included.
Post-op “blues” pass after a few weeks, usually after you’ve returned to your normal routine and you’re noticing that your breasts look better every day.
Why? There are a number of possible causes, from anesthesia to pain medications to the disruption that surgery and recovery inevitably make in a patient’s routine. Add to this a 1 to 3 month period where your breasts may look and feel awkward before settling into a more natural position, and temporary feelings of doubt are understandable.
How long this lasts: The important thing here is to be patient; post-op blues almost always pass after a few weeks, when you’ve returned to your normal routine, post-op swelling and stiffness has subsided, and you’re noticing that your breasts look better every day.
When to see your plastic surgeon: If you are experiencing feelings of severe depression at any time, see a qualified professional. If you still feel unhappy about your breast augmentation many months after surgery, it’s time to visit your plastic surgeon. You may just need more time to heal, but there is a chance you’ll want to consider a revision procedure.
I’m having shooting pains in my nipples
As nerve endings heal after surgery, it’s totally normal to feel sharp but short-lived pangs in your breasts, particularly in the nipples. Other strange yet normal sensations and pains during the first few weeks may include chest muscle spasms and upper back pain (usually stemming from a change from your normal sleeping position or hunching your shoulders over to protect your sore chest).
How long this lasts: Intermittent chest muscle spasms after breast augmentation may last up to three or four weeks, until the pectoral muscle has fully adjusted to having an implant beneath it. Shooting nipple pains can last up to 6 months or longer, although you will notice these becoming less frequent and less intense as time goes on.
When to see your plastic surgeon: While mild discomfort is to be expected for the first two or three weeks, severe or persistent pain or discomfort that disrupts your ability to sleep or perform normal allowed activities needs attention: call your doctor.
I’m bloated, constipated and tired
Having surgery is a shock to the system, including the digestive system. Anesthesia and medication can cause nausea and vomiting in some patients, and you may lose your appetite for a few days. Pain medication, as well as a reduction in activity level, can lead to constipation. Bloating and fatigue are also normal after-effects.
How long this lasts: Typically, nausea lasts just a few days and constipation a week or so at most. You can alleviate digestive distress by staying hydrated, taking pain meds only as long as you need them to keep discomfort at a tolerable level, and taking medications with a meal. Also, while exercise is restricted, taking frequent, easy walks will aid in digestion and circulation and help lift your mood.
When to call your plastic surgeon: If symptoms are severe or persist longer than a few days, see your surgeon. The solution may be as simple as adjusting your diet, or your surgeon may recommend a medication to alleviate your discomfort. Do NOT take any diuretics or laxatives without your plastic surgeon’s approval.
Stay in touch with your plastic surgeon
Everyone heals differently, and you may experience all or none of these effects during recovery. If you’re concerned about anything, even if you think what you’re experiencing is probably normal, it’s best to check in with your plastic surgeon.
In the rare event that you’re unhappy with your breasts after augmentation, don’t live with a look you don’t love. Breast revision surgery with a skilled plastic surgeon can offer improvements.
A qualified plastic surgeon will have you return periodically throughout your recovery to assess your progress and answer questions that arise. Typically, you’ll visit several times in the first two weeks after surgery, and appointments are spaced further apart after your initial recovery period has passed.
In the rare event that you are unhappy with the way your breasts look after augmentation, don’t live with a look you don’t love. Book a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in breast revision surgery. Not all issues require a revision, but many do. A skilled plastic surgeon can make improvements, often using the same incision sites made during your initial procedure.
Questions about what to expect after breast augmentation? Call us!
We’ve specialized in breast augmentation and breast revision surgery since 1992. Whether you’re still deciding whether to have surgery or you’ve had breast augmentation and want to make sure you’re 100% satisfied with your look, we will be happy to help you understand your procedure options at a consultation with our board certified plastic surgeons.
Your Recovery
Breast reduction surgery removes some of the breast tissue and skin from the breasts. This reshapes and lifts the breasts and reduces their size. It can also make the dark area around the nipple smaller. After surgery, you will probably feel weak. You may feel sore for 2 to 3 weeks. You also may feel pulling or stretching in your breast area. Although you may need pain medicine for a week or two, you can expect to feel better and stronger each day.
For several weeks, you may get tired easily or have less energy than usual. You also may have the feeling that fluid is moving in your breasts. This feeling is normal and will go away over time.
Stitches usually are removed in 5 to 10 days.
Your new breasts may feel firmer and look rounder. Breast reduction may change the normal feeling in your breast. But in time, some feeling may return.
Keep in mind that it may take time to get used to your new breasts. You will have swelling at first. But the breasts will soften and develop better shape over time.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
How can you care for yourself at home?
Activity
- Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover.
- For about 2 weeks after surgery, avoid lifting anything that would make you strain. This may include heavy grocery bags and milk containers, a heavy briefcase or backpack, cat litter or dog food bags, a vacuum cleaner, or a child. Do not lift anything over your head for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Ask your doctor when you can drive again.
- Ask your doctor when it is okay for you to have sex.
- You can take your first shower the day after your drain or bandage is removed. This is usually within about 1 week. Sometimes doctors say it is okay to shower the day after surgery. Do not take a bath or soak in a hot tub for about 4 weeks.
- You will probably be able to go back to work or your normal routine in 2 to 3 weeks. This depends on the type of work you do and any further treatment.
Diet
- You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
- Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).
- You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. Take a fibre supplement. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, take a mild laxative.
Medicines
- Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
- If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if and when to start taking it again. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
- Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach:
- Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to).
- Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine.
- If you were given medicine for nausea, take it as directed.
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
Incision care
- If your doctor gave you specific instructions on how to care for your incision, follow those instructions.
- You may be wearing a special bra that holds your bandages in place after the surgery. Your doctor will tell you when you can stop wearing the bra. Your doctor may want you to wear the bra at night as well as during the day for several weeks. Do not wear an underwire bra for 1 month.
- If you have strips of tape on your incision, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off. Or follow your doctor’s instructions for removing the tape.
- Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing.
- You may cover the area with a gauze bandage if it weeps or rubs against clothing. Change the bandage every day. Consider having someone help you with this.
Exercise
- Try to walk each day. Start by walking a little more than you did the day before. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk. Walking boosts blood flow and helps prevent pneumonia and constipation.
- Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay.
- Your doctor will tell you when to begin stretching exercises and normal activities.
Ice
- Put ice or a cold pack over your breast for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
Other instructions
- You may have one or more drains near your incisions. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of them. Drains are usually removed in the first week after surgery.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It’s also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
still sore 4 weeks after breast reduction
Are you just considering breast reduction? Or maybe you’re already set to undergo surgery? You need to be aware of the breast reduction recovery period.
The decision to undergo breast reduction surgery should not be taken lightly. Over 40,000 women choose to get a breast reduction surgery every year. They make the decision for a variety of reasons, including, but not exclusively, health problems.
The procedure reduces the size of your breasts. This has many benefits which could include reducing back and shoulder pain, and overall leading to a better quality of life for you. You may also find that you consequently feel happier with your appearance.
However, as always when making important life decisions, it’s important to have all of the relevant information available in front of you.
Know What to Expect
Breast reduction is a safe and standard procedure. And yet, as with other surgeries, it also requires a recovery time. Most women are eager for a speedy recovery so that they can return to work and everyday life.
And by knowing what to expect after the procedure, you can suitably prepare yourself for the recovery. Let’s go through the recovery time, the scars and bruises post-op, and finally, what you can do to speed up the recovery.
Breast Reduction Recovery Time
Breast reduction recovery takes time, but it’s important to have a good understanding of what to expect post-surgery. The surgery lasts for approximately anywhere between three to five hours. Most patients return home the same day as the surgery.
Let’s have a look at what to expect in the days, weeks and months after your breast reduction surgery.
The Days After Surgery
In the few days following your surgery, it’s normal to experience some pain and discomfort. Your breasts and areas around your breasts may be bruised and swell up. This is because the breast tissues and muscles have been stretched.
Most women experience the most pain during the first few days post-procedure. If necessary, your doctor can prescribe pain relief medicine to ease the pain.
Furthermore, as part of the recovery process, drainage tubes may be placed on your breasts to help reduce swelling. These are often removed within a few days following the surgery.
Medical experts advise women recovering from breast reduction to where special surgical bras to support the tissue during this period as well. Finally, it’s important to avoid any unnecessarily strenuous activity during this period.
The Weeks After Surgery
In the few weeks following surgery, much of the bruising and swelling experienced in the first few days should have subsided. In some circumstances, the discomfort and pain will continue but should be substantially less painful.
After a couple of weeks, the stitches are usually removed. And while the dressings and gauze may have been removed by now, it is highly recommended that patients continue to wear the special surgical bra to provide greater support.
During this period, most women have recovered sufficiently to return to work. However, to some extent, this depends on personal lifestyle, workplace environment and recovery times. For instance, if your work requires a lot of physical exercise, then a longer recovery time may be required.
If you continue to experience severe pain or the swelling worsens during the first few weeks after the procedure, then you need to seek medical attention immediately.
The Month After Surgery
In the month or so after the surgery, most women experience almost full recovery. Despite this, it’s advised that patients continue to be careful with their breasts; it may still be possible to get breast infections.
Between one and two months after surgery, the breasts will begin to feel natural and soft. And, while breast reduction recovery may be complete, the swelling could continue for up to a year.
Breast Reduction Surgery and Scars
Many women are also concerned about the scars caused by the breast reduction surgery. And although your body may have fully recovered from the breast reduction surgery, unfortunately, the scars are likely to be permanent.
However, they won’t look anything like how they look directly after the surgery. In the initial months after the procedure, the scars could be lumpy and red for some time. They will gradually fade into white, faint lines.
Surgeons carefully place the incisions in less apparent areas of the breast. This means that it is still possible for women to wear bikinis and other low cut tops and dresses.
However, the post-surgery scars are mostly dependent on which type of breast reduction procedure is used. For instance, whether the incision is vertical or horizontal. For more information on the different types of surgery, speak with your doctor.
How to Reduce Recovery Time
Many women lead very busy and full lives. Because of this, it is only natural to want to know how to reduce the recovery time period.
And while it’s important to give yourself the necessary time for breast reduction recovery, there are also many steps you can take to reduce the recovery time. These steps include:
1. Don’t Smoke.
2. Stay Hydrated.
3. Don’t drink alcohol (especially within the first week after the surgery).
4. Let yourself rest and recover in the first few days following surgery.
5. Sleep in the upright position for the first few weeks after surgery.
6. Avoid physical and strenuous movements; e.g., lifting heavy objects.
If you follow the above recommendations, you’ll increase the probability of a safe and healthy recovery.
If you are still concerned about scarring and the breast reduction recovery time, it’s important to follow the instructions provided by the surgeon, doctors, and medical staff.