Hi everyone, I’m [name] and this is my first blog post. I’m excited to be here!

I want to share with you some of the things that helped me get through my first week after breast augmentation surgery. First, let me tell you about how I got here:

I went in for a consultation about six months ago, and I was amazed at how much plastic surgery had changed since my last procedure (10 years ago). The technology has come so far that it’s almost like science fiction! The doctor took measurements of my chest, then used an algorithm to create a 3D image of what it would look like after the surgery. He printed out this image and showed it to me: It was like looking at myself in the future! And then he said “yes” (to the surgery), which was really exciting.

So now we’re here: seven days post-op and feeling pretty good! I’ve been taking pictures every day so that I can document the healing process. The first few days were definitely uncomfortable—but nothing compared to what happened when they removed all of those bandages—but now? Now it feels amazing.

7 days post op breast augmentation

What’s It Like to Recover from Breast Augmentation Surgery?

• Breast augmentation recovery stages
• Complications
• Surgery types
• Recovery tips
• Finding a surgeon
• Summary

Breast augmentation is a surgery that increases the size of a person’s breasts. It’s also known as augmentation mammoplasty.

In most surgeries, implants are used to enhance breast size. Fat from another part of the body can also be used, but this method is less common.

People typically get this surgery to:

• enhance physical appearance
• reconstruct the breast after a mastectomy or another breast surgery
• adjust uneven breasts due to surgery or another condition
• increase breast size after pregnancy or breastfeeding

People seeking male-to-female or male-to-nonbinary top surgery might also get breast augmentation.

Generally, recovery takes about 6 to 8 weeks. It may take more time depending on how you heal and your overall health. Every person is different, so it’s best to talk to a surgeon if you’re concerned about the recovery process.

Read on to learn about what you can expect during breast augmentation recovery.

Breast augmentation recovery time

In most cases, recovery lasts about 6 to 8 weeks. Here’s what the timeline may look like:

Immediately after surgery

Most breast augmentation surgeries involve general anesthesia. This means you’re asleep during the procedure.

Once the surgery is done, you’ll be transferred to a recovery room. You’ll slowly wake up as a team of medical professionals monitors you. You’ll likely feel achy and groggy.

If the implants were placed under the pectoralis muscle, you may experience tightness or muscle aches in the area. As the muscles stretches and relaxes, the pain will decrease.

Hours after surgery

After a few hours, you’ll feel less sore and sleepy.

You can usually go home after several hours, but you’ll need someone to drive you.

Before you leave, your surgeon will wrap your breasts with a bra or elastic band. This will support your breasts during recovery. Your surgeon will also explain how to care for your incision sites.

3 to 5 days

During the first 3 to 5 days, you’ll likely experience the most discomfort. Your doctor will have prescribed medication to help control the pain.

You might have minor bleeding at the incision sites. This is normal. But if you’re concerned about any bleeding, talk to your surgeon.

1 week

As you approach 1 week, you may be able to manage the pain with over-the-counter pain medications.

The pain should be minimal after the first week.

With your surgeon’s approval, you can gradually return to light daily activities.

Next few weeks

During this time, you’ll still have some soreness and swelling. But it should slowly get better.

If you have a physically demanding job, you’ll need to be out of work for 3 weeks or more. You’ll also need to avoid heavy lifting and intense physical activities, like running.

2 months

After about 2 months, you should be nearing full recovery, though this depends on how well your body heals.

Your doctor will let you know if you can resume normal activities.

Possible complications

As with all types of surgery, breast augmentation poses potential complications.

General surgery complications include scarring, wound infections, and bleeding problems, like blood loss. It’s also possible to go into shock or develop issues related to blood clots.

Anesthesia can also trigger an allergic reaction, but this is rare.

Complications specific to breast augmentation include:

• scarring that changes the breast shape
• asymmetrical breasts
• breast pain
• breast numbness
• undesired or poor cosmetic results
• nipple changes in appearance
• breast or nipple sensation changes
• breast cellulitis
• breasts appear to merge (symmastia)
• incorrect position of implant
• implant is seen or felt through the skin
• skin wrinkling over the implant
• fluid accumulation (seroma)
• scarring around the implant (capsular contracture)
• implant leak or break
• breastfeeding problems
• breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma
• breast implant illness

To heal some of these complications, you may need surgery to replace or remove the implants.

On average, breast implants last about 10 years before the shell ruptures or leaks. You’ll eventually need surgery to replace or remove them.

Types of breast augmentation surgery

There are two main kinds of breast augmentation:

• Cosmetic breast implants. A silicone or saline implant is inserted behind the breast tissue or below the pectoralis, or pushup, muscle.
• Reconstructive surgery. If your breasts were removed in another surgery, breast implants or fat tissue from another part of the body can be used to rebuild them.

Breast augmentation can be combined with a breast lift, or mastopexy. This surgery changes the shape of your breasts, but it doesn’t alter the size.

Tips for a healthy recovery

Successful breast augmentation depends on how well you heal. To increase the chances of a smooth recovery, you can:

• Wear recovery bras. Follow your doctor’s instructions. Recovery bras provide support and manage pain and swelling.
• Care for your incisions. Depending on your surgeon’s preference, you may have to wear a bandage or apply ointment. Always follow the directions.
• Take your medication. During the first week, pain medication will help you feel more comfortable. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take the entire course.
• Prepare your home before surgery. Before the procedure, finish any housework and meal prep. You’ll need to rest when you’re back home in recovery.
• Wear loose clothes. Loose-fitting, breathable clothes will help you feel more comfortable.
• Avoid intense activity. Strenuous movement can delay the healing process.
• Eat nutritious foods. A healthy diet will help your body recover. Consume lots of lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.

7 weeks post op breast augmentation

Breast augmentation is an invasive procedure that requires patients to follow post-operative instructions closely to achieve the best breast implant results and avoid post-operative complications after breast surgery. Breast augmentation recovery can sometimes be confusing however, and it can be overwhelming for some patients to remember and understand all aspects of the instructions provided by their surgeon. Often, patients can get lost in a sea of paperwork when trying to keep on top of their meds, sleep in the right position, engage in the right physical activities, and take the right precautions in everyday activities. This blog posts aims to summarise and simplify the post-op instructions for patients undergoing breast augmentation in Brisbane, by providing one clear, helpful resource. 

As you will likely hear from many sources, including breast augmentation experts such as Dr. Phil Richardson, (Brisbane Plastic Surgeon) it takes around 6 weeks to fully recover from breast augmentation surgery. Full recovery refers to complete mobility and freedom to return to all of life’s activities including the gym, swimming, and any other physical activities you desire. There are a number of important milestones throughout your breast augmentation recovery that will be discussed from day 1 to week 6 and beyond, but arguably the most important thing to understand is that your breasts will change dramatically over this time. For the first 6 weeks they may look strange, boxy, small, asymmetrical, and completely the opposite of anything you desired. This is the settling process, and you should prepare yourself mentally for this period, and avoid judging your results until the 6 week mark. In fact, your breasts will continue settling and improving for months to come, and you should trust the process, and avoid analysing your results before this time. 

WEEK 1 POST-OP 

The first day after surgery is an important part of breast augmentation recovery in Brisbane. Directly following surgery, patients are required to have someone to accompany them home, and stay with them for the first 24 hours post-operatively. It’s important that patients have assistance and monitoring during this time as the general anaesthetic begins to wear off and the patient acclimatises to their levels of pain and mobility, and adjusts to their medication schedule. Here at Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we provide patients with a post-operative bag containing all the essentials for recovery. This bag includes medications including antibiotics, panadeine forte, Valium, and tablets to prevent constipation that can occur as a result of the painkillers. It is important that patients only take the medications approved by Dr. Richardson, as other medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen can increase the risk of bleeding and should not be taken. The post-op bag also includes you surgical tape, bio oil, and most importantly a detailed post-op booklet to ensure you understand all your instructions thoroughly. This booklet is especially helpful for remembering the recommended medication schedule and managing pain after breast augmentation. 

For the first 1-2 days after surgery, patients must apply soft ice packs or frozen peas to the top of the breasts to minimise swelling and bleeding inside the breasts. 20 minutes out of each hour during the day should be sufficient for the first 48 hours. Here at Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, our clinic nurses will call each breast augmentation patient the day following their surgery to check in, ensure they are on top of their antibiotics, and remind them of any other aspects of recovery. The nurse will then book you in for your post-op appointment that will fall between the 5th – 7th day post-op. 

SHOWERING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION

When patients return home from surgery, they will notice a small dressing on the wound site under the soft bra they are fitted with. These are to be kept dry until the post-op appointment (5-7 days post-op). The dressings will be removed at the post-op appointment, but until then, patients must avoid getting the dressing area wet. It is recommended that patients opt for a detachable shower head to bathe the lower half of their body for the first week, and to use a sponge or wet wipes to clean their top half—avoiding the dressing area. After the first post-op appointment where the dressings are taken down, patients can shower normally. 

SLEEPING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION

Once you are home, the most important thing for recovery is to rest. You may have heard that sleeping after breast augmentation can be troublesome, as you are required to sleep elevated on 2-3 pillows for the first week to reduce swelling. From the experience of Dr. Richardson’s breast augmentation patients, the best sleeping set-up involves elevating your upper body with a wedge pillow, or a couch cushion which supports the whole back, neck and head, as opposed to a stack of pillows that only elevates the head and shoulders. Having additional bed pillows to rest your head to the side or support your neck further is said to be the most comfortable sleeping position for patients post-operatively. The key is to produce a steady incline by supporting the back as well as the shoulders and head. 

COMPRESSION STOCKINGS AND BLOOD FLOW

When you leave the hospital, you will have your compression stockings still on from the surgery. These stockings are to be left or a minimum of 4 days, and longer if possible to prevent complications from arising. Patients should make a conscious effort to stand up every hour during the day and continue moving their legs and feet while resting to keep up blood flow. The rationale behind the compression stockings and consistent movement is to prevent the development of a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), or blood clot. The risk of blood clots following breast augmentation surgery are relatively low (but can be high for some patients with a history of clotting), however it is still incredibly important for every patient to keep their compression garments on and promote blood flow consistently to prevent this complication. 

LIFTING KIDS/HOUSEHOLD CHORES

A common concern patients with children have is the “no lifting” rule imposed on patients for the first 6 weeks following surgery. For mothers, we recommend trying your very best to organise help with the kids during this time, but in the event you do need to pick up your child, try to do so from a sitting position where they can assist you. Patients may be relieved to hear they should refrain from household chores such as making the beds, hanging washing, packing the dishwasher, gardening etc. for 2-3 weeks. It’s recommended that you try and get everything in order pre-operatively, bring any commonly used utensils or objects to countertop level so you aren’t reaching up to cupboards, do your major washing and bedding, and set up the house in a way that is low maintenance and convenient for you. This will make a world of difference in the first few weeks after you’re surgery.

2-6 WEEKS POST-OP

DRIVING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION

Patients should avoid driving for the first week following breast implant surgery in Brisbane, due to the reduced mobility of the upper body as well as the effect of pain killers on awareness. After pain killers have been ceased, and after the 1 week mark, patients are fine to return to driving but should proceed with caution and ensure that it is comfortable for them to do so and does not involve any strain. 

SWIMMING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION

After 2 weeks, swimming in the pool or ocean is permitted, however it’s important to understand that you should not do anything strenuous or work the upper body. You can wade in the ocean or pool, but don’t take it as an opportunity to swim laps or exert yourself as this can have serious complications. 

THE COMPRESSION BRA

At your first post-op appointment—one week after your surgery—the nurse will fit you with a compression bra, which will be an integral part of shaping your dream results. The compression bra is so important for the first 6 weeks of recovery as it ensures the breast implants are healing correctly, and scar tissue is forming in the correct way to maximise results. It’s recommended that the compression bra be worn as close to 24/7 as possible. Wearing supportive bras will become the new norm for many patients, particularly when exercising. Failing to wear a supportive bra when engaging in dynamic activities can cause significant strain on the lower-pole of the breast which can result in bottoming-out of implants. In some patients that are more prone to bottoming-out, it’s important to wear a supportive bra as often as possible to maintain the longevity of results. 

INCISIONS

At your first post-op appointment you will also have micropore tape placed on the scars at your incision site. This is to ensure proper healing of the site and help flatten the scar in the first 6 weeks. This tape is to be changed weekly for the 6 weeks, and should be removed, cleaned in the shower, pat dry, and replaced with fresh tape directly after. 

6 WEEKS POST-OP AND BEYOND

After the 6 week mark, patients are cleared to engage in any activities they wish, but are advised to proceed with caution when it comes to any high intensity activities by wearing a very supportive bra to reduce impact on the lower pole of the breast. Patients with weaker skin integrity are strongly advised to wear their compression bra or an equivalent supportive bra as often as possible. To treat scarring, patients should begin the use of the provided bio oil, rubbing this into the scars twice a day for 3 or more months. Additional scar therapy such as silicone gel, silicone tape, and LED light therapy may be advised to soften the appearance of the scars, and is available for purchase from the Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery clinic. 

EXERCISING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION

After the 6 week mark, patients can resume all gym activities freely. It is recommended that very supportive sports bras are worn at the gym, and if chest exercises can be avoided, this is generally recommended. The rationale behind this as consistent use of the pectoral muscles can lead to a distortion of the appearance of the implant. Unless you have your heart set on training chest, it’s generally best to avoid this muscle group. 

BREAST IMPLANT REVIEWS

Here at Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we offer a life-time follow-up guarantee to patients who have had cosmetic breast surgery with Dr. Richardson, (Plastic Surgeon in Brisbane) and for any patients who have had surgery elsewhere and require a review. Dr. Richardson advises his breast augmentation patients to have yearly review at our BRAS clinic, which is entirely bulk billed with no out-of-pocket costs. This review involves a physical check and routine ultrasound to check the integrity of the breast implants. This is a pivotal aspect of long term maintenance and breast implant health.