You may be thinking, “How many days off work for breast lift?” If so, you’re not alone. The answer to that question is a lot more complicated than you might think. For starters, we have to consider why your doctor recommended you have the procedure done in the first place. If it’s because of sagging or drooping breasts, then recovery time will be longer. That’s because there’s more skin to heal after surgery. However, if your doctor recommends a breast lift because you want bigger boobs, then recovery time will be shorter. That’s because there’s less skin for doctors to work with and less healing required.
When you’re recovering from a breast lift, you might be wondering how many days off work you’ll need to take. We’re here to help. Here’s what you need to know about taking time off work after your surgery, including how much time off you should plan for, when you can start working again, and how much help you can expect from your employer.
How many days off work for breast lift
A breast lift, or mastopexy, is performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. The procedure typically lasts one to three hours. After one or two hours in the recovery room, the patient is discharged to home. Patients are instructed to relax, but bed rest is not necessary. In fact, we prefer that you move around some. You may eat anything you want right after surgery. You may shower that day or the next day. There is very little wound care needed.
The incisions are covered by strips of 1″ paper tape. There is a large clear plastic dressing over the lower half of the breast. All of this will be removed approximately 10 days after surgery. There are usually only one or two sutures that need to be removed. The rest are buried under the skin and will eventually dissolve. Drains are typically not necessary. A surgical bra is worn for four weeks around the clock. Patients typically are off work for three to seven days. There are no restrictions after three weeks postoperatively. It usually takes 6 to 12 weeks for the breasts to achieve their final shape.
As one of the main concerns with mastopexy is scar quality, we have a special protocol that we use for the breast scars. When you are seen 10 to 14 days after surgery, we will remove the paper tape that we placed on the incisions in the operating room. Then, we will apply a clear plastic dressing called Tegaderm to the scars. You will be instructed to leave this on as long as possible. We would like for you to use the Tegaderm for a total of three months. Usually it will require changing every three or four weeks. The Tegaderm applied to the scar at the fold beneath the breast may require changing more frequently than the Tegaderm applied around the nipple. We have found that the use of Tegaderm for three months after surgery significantly improves scar quality.
Pain after mastopexy is usually very moderate. Often non-narcotic analgesics are all that is required. This allows for a faster recovery and reduces the side effects that are often seen with narcotics such as Demerol and codeine.
Outcome
Early after surgery, the breast skin will be tight. The upper portion of the breast will be full, and perhaps rounded. The bottom portion of the breast will be flattened. This shape is temporary and as time goes on the upper portion will flatten and the bottom portion will fill out. As it does so a more desirable shape will be achieved. Unfortunately, the skin may continue to stretch and the breast may continue to sag beyond this desired endpoint. However, it will not return to the position and shape that it started from before surgery.
Tightening the breast skin forces the tissue into a smaller volume. It becomes more dense or firmer. This firmness is due to the external compression by the skin instead of a gain of internal cohesiveness by the breast tissue. Since the skin is weak to begin with, the early tightness is only temporary. If an implant is used the resulting tightness of the breast will depend on how much of the final breast comes from natural tissue and how much comes from the implant.
How Much Time You’ll Need to Take Off Work When You Have Plastic Surgery
One thing I love about being a plastic surgeon is that every patient has different needs and goals, and every case is different. But if there is one question nearly all of my patients ask at their consultation, it’s this: how long is the recovery? In fact, I’d be surprised if a patient didn’t ask. Every plastic surgery procedure requires some time out of your regular work and activity schedule to recover and heal, and it’s essential to plan for your plastic surgery recovery before setting a procedure date.
My staff and I recently came across this plastic surgery recovery guide on Refinery 29, which suggests the number of days off you might need after a breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, and other facial or body contouring procedures. Based on suggestions from a few plastic surgeons around the country, it offers a snapshot of the minimum amount of downtime you might need, along with some details on how you might look and feel in the early days after your procedure. If you are considering a cosmetic procedure, it’s worth flipping through the slides to get a rough idea of what you might expect—just don’t take it as gospel. Here’s why.
For the most reliable advice about plastic surgery recovery, look to an experienced plastic surgeon, not the internet
While articles like this one are fine for basic research, remember that every patient is unique, and recovery times can vary widely for each procedure based on your personal circumstances. Based on my 20 years of experience, I find the downtime provided for many of the procedures in the Refinery 29 feature to be on the low side. While their suggested breast augmentation downtime of 3 to 5 days reflects what most patients with a desk job need, those with physically demanding jobs should take at least 2 weeks off of their full workloads to allow incisions to heal adequately.
Determining the right amount of recovery time for you requires a candid conversation with the plastic surgeon who will be performing your procedure. They will consider the specifics of your lifestyle, operative plan, and more—all of which will help you make a more specific and realistic recovery plan.
If a doctor suggests a recovery time that sounds too quick to be true, take pause
Plastic surgery and anesthesia techniques have improved significantly over the past few decades, and many patients are pleasantly surprised to learn they can resume most daily activities within a few days after their procedures. However, it’s important to distinguish between downtime and the time it takes for your results to be fully healed—the latter typically takes several months, even for more straightforward procedures. Case in point: I disagree with the surgeon who suggested here in the article that a facelift result is final in one month. While my facelift patients look very good indeed by this point, results continue improving for 3 to 6 months, and we don’t consider them to be “final” until this time.
This can be particularly important for patients who are planning surgery ahead of a big event, such as a wedding, an extended trip, or a media appearance. While the occasional patient will have an unusually fast recovery, it’s key for your safety and results to be realistic about when you’ll be back to full activity and photo-ready; a reputable plastic surgeon can take into account your specifics and give you honest answers. They can also offer alternative options if you want to look better for an event when there isn’t enough time to heal from a significant procedure.
The moral of the story: be wary of anyone who gives you a recovery timeframe that seems substantially shorter than what you have heard at your other consultations. Rushing the healing process could compromise results, and being unrealistic about time frames could lead to disappointment if you aren’t looking like you’d hoped by a certain date.
What Is the Average Breast Lift Recovery Time?
Many women who have sagging and drooping breasts may not realize that they have the potential to achieve large, beautiful, and youthful-looking breasts through a breast lift procedure.
Breast lifts have the power to completely transform sagging breasts by lifting and reshaping the existing breast tissue. This often leads to a highly attractive figure that brings great satisfaction to the patient.
However, it is unfortunate that one of the main reasons some women hesitate to undergo a breast lift is due to concerns about the recovery period associated with the procedure.
- How long will breast lift recovery take?
- How long will I need to be off work?
- Will the surgery hurt?
- When can I exercise again?
- When will I see my results?
These are all common questions patients have. In the article below, we will attempt to answer all of these inquiries and others related to breast lift recovery.
Breast Lift Recovery Time
Throughout your breast lift recovery, your most important task is to follow your surgeon’s postoperative instructions carefully. Failing to do so may cause you to sabotage your breast lift results, increase the visibility of scars, or even put your health at risk.
Breast Lift Recovery timeline Week by Week
Directly After Surgery
Right after breast lift surgery, you’ll experience some moderate pain. Fortunately, your surgeon will help you with this by prescribing pain medications and showing you at-home care techniques to mitigate your discomfort.
At home, you’ll need to wear the appropriate dressings and compression garments to keep your breasts and nipples in place and minimize swelling. Sometimes, your surgeon will place drains beneath your bandages, and these will be removed several days after surgery.
Weeks 1 and 2
1 week after breast lift surgery, you should feel much more comfortable, although you will still have swelling and bruising. Some patients will return to work after one week of recovery while others may want to wait an additional few days before going back to their jobs.
Be sure to continue eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep, and walking around (for short distances) frequently. Regular movement will help with circulation and swelling reduction.
Weeks 3 and 4
Moving into the third and fourth week of your breast lift recovery time exercise will be something to start thinking about. Of course, you must always clear this with your surgeon before starting up a new routine or going back to the activities you did before surgery.
Fortunately, by weeks three and four, your pain and discomfort should be nearly gone. Some swelling and light bruising may still be present, but this should fade quickly as well.
Weeks 5, 6, and Beyond
After five or six weeks, you should be able to stop wearing surgical bra under your compression garment and start wearing your own regular bras with underwires if you choose. Swelling will be nearly gone, and you should be able to see your results fairly accurately when you look in the mirror.
From here, continue following your plastic surgeon’s care instructions and start enjoying your new figure!
When Will You See Results?
The majority of swelling will disappear within a few weeks after surgery, but there’s always some residual swelling that hangs around. Approximately six to 12 weeks after surgery, your breasts should be mostly settled into their final positions. However, it may be between about two weeks to six months and a year before you see your complete results.
FAQs: Breast Lift Recovery Time
How painful is breast lift recovery?
You will certainly experience some moderate pain and discomfort after breast lift surgery. This should be the worst during the first one to three days post-op. After this, your discomfort should gradually improve. Your surgeon will prescribe you with medications to improve your comfort during this time, and then you can gradually transition to over-the-counter pain medications as needed.
How long does it take for breast to drop after a lift?
“Dropping” refers to your breasts settling into place after surgery. Swelling and general fluid accumulation post surgery will alter the appearance of your breasts. But after a few weeks of recovery, your breasts will begin to take on their final shape. This usually happens six to 12 weeks after surgery.
Is getting a breast lift worth it?
For most breast lift patients, the surgery is absolutely worth it. Women who struggle with sagging breasts often complain that they experience daily discomfort and dissatisfaction with their appearance. A breast lift can help with both of these issues and give you a boost of well-deserved confidence.
What can you not do after breast lift surgery?
After breast lift surgery, you need to take it easy. However, don’t just stay in bed all day. Get up frequently to stretch your legs and walk short distances.
You should not lift heavy objects (including children), exert yourself physically, or do too much reaching or extending with your arms. You should also avoid sleeping on your stomach. Finally, don’t get your skin or incision areas wet until your surgeon says it’s okay to do so.
What if I regret my breast lift?
As with any surgery, there is always a chance that you may regret undergoing your breast lift after it is done. Of course, this is why you should always be sure that the surgery you are thinking about is definitely right for you before going through with it.
With that said, if you do regret your breast lift after surgery, first, wait until you have fully recovered from cosmetic surgery before deciding if you’d like to actually have revision surgery. If you are fully recovered and still unhappy with your results, you can meet with a surgeon to discuss revision surgery so that you can achieve the results you ultimately want.
Can you get a breast augmentation with breast lift?
Opting for a combination of breast lift and breast implants can be an effective approach to maximize the benefits of your cosmetic surgery. When a breast lift is performed alongside implants, you may require a lesser volume of the implant. This is because the breast lift procedure helps position the breasts correctly and imparts shape, contributing to an overall desirable outcome.
How long does it take for nipples to heal after breast lift?
Numbness in your nipples, areolae and breast skin might last for about six weeks.