Breast Augmentation After Surgery
Getting breast implants can be a drastic change, particularly if you’ve never had them before. In addition to swelling and bruising around the surgery area, there are several other changes that you may experience following surgery. This guide will address the possible changes and how they should be managed.
In this guide, we review the aspects of Breast Augmentation After Surgery, how to sleep after breast augmentation surgery, when can i shower after breast augmentation surgery, and smoking after breast augmentation surgery.
Breast Augmentation After Surgery
Breast augmentation after surgery is a procedure that enhances the size, shape and symmetry of breasts today. After breast augmentation, breast implants can be placed under the pectoralis major muscle (sub-muscular) or over the muscle (sub-glandular). One option is to place the implant under the pectoralis major muscle. Sub-glandular implant placement places the implant over the pectoralis major muscle. It is important to remember that every patient’s recovery experience is different and no two patients will have the exact same outcome.

After breast augmentation, breast implants can be placed under the pectoralis major muscle (sub-muscular) or over the muscle (sub-glandular).
In breast augmentation, the implants can be placed under or over the muscle. The choice of incision location is usually made during your consultation with your surgeon before surgery and depends on several factors including your anatomy and personal preference.
Over-the-muscle placement (also called subglandular placement) is more common than subpectoral placement because it has less scarring, a faster recovery time, and less risk of capsular contracture (when fibrous tissue builds up around an implant). However there are certain situations when placing the implant under the pectoralis major muscle is preferred:
- If you have limited chest wall laxity (loose skin) in relation to your desired size implant: This may be beneficial if you want larger breasts than what would be possible with an over-the-muscle approach.
- If you have large breast tissue: This may be beneficial if there isn’t enough room behind the muscle to fit an adequate sized implant safely without compromising blood supply to surrounding tissues or nerves that run alongside those tissues
One option is to place the implant under the pectoralis major muscle.
One option is to place the implant under the pectoralis major muscle. The pectoralis major muscle is a large, flat muscle that covers the front of your chest and attaches to your upper arms. It helps move them as you lift them toward or away from your body.
Placing an implant behind this muscle may give you more natural-looking results than placing it above it. And because this type of procedure requires only one incision, you’ll have less scarring and discomfort than with other types of breast augmentation after surgery.
Sub-glandular implant placement places the implant over the pectoralis major muscle.
- Sub-glandular implant placement places the implant over the pectoralis major muscle.
- This is often preferred by women who have a large amount of breast tissue or those who have previously had breast surgery. It may also be chosen by women whose chest muscles are not strong enough to support an under-muscle placement.
- Placing an implant above the muscle means that you will need more time for recovery because your surgeon must create room for it between your pectoral muscles and chest wall. Your scar will be longer than if you had opted for submammary placement, but it can provide better results when you want to achieve more fullness in your upper breasts.
It is important to remember that every patient’s recovery experience is different and no two patients will have the exact same outcome
It is important to remember that every patient’s recovery experience is different and no two patients will have the exact same outcome. Recovery time depends on many factors, including the size of the implant, the type of surgery and the patient’s overall health. In general, most patients can expect to be able to return home within one day after surgery or in some cases even less than 24 hours after their breast augmentation procedure. Patients who have had this procedure done under intravenous sedation should remain overnight in a hospital setting or at their doctor’s office before being allowed to go home.
With any procedure there are risks associated with anesthesia as well as potential complications with healing such as infection, bleeding and hematoma formation which may require additional medical intervention such as drainage procedures or surgical removal of blood clots (hematoma).
Breast augmentation after surgery is a procedure that enhances the size, shape and symmetry of breasts today.
Breast augmentation is a procedure that enhances the size, shape and symmetry of breasts today. It can be performed under the muscle or over the muscle and it is important to remember that every patient’s recovery experience is different and no two patients will have the exact same outcome.
how to sleep after breast augmentation surgery
South Bay Plastic Surgeons 3640 Lomita Boulevard #306 Torrance, CA 90505 Phone: (310) 784-0644 Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
The Spa at South Bay Plastic Surgeons 3640 Lomita Boulevard #309 Torrance, CA 90505 Phone: (310) 784-0670 Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Wednesday: 9:00 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
3 Tips: How to Sleep Tight After Breast Augmentation
After breast augmentation—or any surgery, for that matter—rest is paramount. But getting the sleep you need during recovery can be tough. Our breast augmentation patients have taught us a thing or 2 about the breast augmentation recuperation process—and we’re sharing their tips here.
Why Sleep?
Resting with your eyes closed can feel nice, but it’s simply not the same as sleep. When you fall asleep, your body undergoes a series of physiological changes and enters into a state of repair and true rejuvenation. This applies doubly so after surgery. Sleep is when your body can really get to work at healing itself, reducing inflammation and more efficiently sending blood to the muscles and tissues that need it most. Thanks to these sleep benefits, it can even function as a low-level pain medicine, speeding along the healing process.
How Do You Sleep Better After Breast Augmentation?
1. Set Your Mind at Ease
Falling asleep and staying asleep is tough when you’re feeling stressed, overly tired, or unhappy. You’ll likely experience many emotions after your surgery, all of which can affect your sleeping habits. We discuss some of these emotions in our previous blog post. Knowing what to expect emotionally can help you develop strategies for addressing those feelings as they occur. And dealing with your emotions sets the stage for better sleep.
2. Walk Around
Moving around after your surgery is important from Day 1. Gently walking around the house after your surgery is essential for your physical health, but it’s also helpful for your emotional health and your sleep patterns. Light movement encourages sleep and improves the quality and duration of your slumber. Just remember: You should not resume exercise until your surgeon clears you for activity.
3. Know Your Best Sleeping Position
After breast augmentation or breast augmentation with lift, you’ll be required to sleep on your back for a time to ensure incisions heal undisturbed and implants can safely settle into their positions. But for patients who are accustomed to sleeping on their stomach or sides, getting used to falling—and staying—asleep on the back can be tough.
One good way to ensure a comfortable transition is to start sleeping on your back before your breast augmentation. Devote a few nights to the position and experiment with what feels most comfortable to you.
Best Choice: Back-Sleeping
The best position for safe sleeping after breast augmentation surgery is on your back with your upper body slightly elevated. This position, typically achieved by sleeping in a recliner or with a stack of pillows, can reduce breast swelling and soreness. It also improves mobility by reducing your use of upper body strength when you get out of bed. Additionally, keeping your upper half elevated can allow enough scar tissue to form and sufficiently heal. If you find that you just can’t get used to this position, sleeping flat on your back is okay too.
Next Best Choice: Side-Sleeping
The second-best position for sleeping after surgery is on your side. However, it’s important to take some extra precautions if you choose this position. Use a pillow under your breasts to avoid placing unnecessary pressure on them and wear an approved surgical bra to keep your implants and incisions in place.
You can’t sleep if you aren’t comfortable, so making sure you’re not in pain or discomfort after your surgery is our first priority.
If you’re considering breast augmentation, we invite you to take a look at some of our breast augmentation patients’ before and after pictures and request a consultation online or call us at (310) 784-0644 to schedule an appointment. Breast augmentation patients come to our practice in Torrance, CA, from Long Beach, Redondo Beach, and other nearby communities.
when can i shower after breast augmentation surgery
Proper hygiene after plastic surgery is crucial for healing quickly and fully. If you’ve undergone a body contouring surgery or a facial procedure, you may want to step into the shower the first thing the next morning. You’ll need to wait before returning to the shower, however.
The team at our Dallas, TX cosmetic surgery center would like to cover some of the showering instructions for patients. We’ll briefly touch on pre-op hygiene and then look at post-op hygiene matters.
Showing Before Surgery
Before you undergo surgery, it’s important that you clean thoroughly and carefully accord to your pre-op instructions. You may be instructed to use an antibacterial soap to help reduce the risk of infection during surgery.
Make sure to remove all makeup and to scrub thoroughly. Do not use any lotion or moisturizers after the shower. This will help lower the overall risk of infection.
Avoid Showers for First Few Days After Surgery
It’s important for plastic surgery patients to avoid taking showers for the first 48 hours after their surgery. If water gets on the incision sites, it can lead to irritation and infection, making overall recovery longer and more difficult. In addition, the stream of water from the shower head can affect the sutures and stitches, even at the most delicate of settings.
Sponge Baths After Surgery
For the first 48 hours or so after surgery, it’s important that you take sponge baths in order to stay clean. Use a damp washcloth with warm water and approved soap to keep most of your body clean.
You’ll want to cover up the surgical area and avoid cleaning it, as this can increase the risk of infection and slow down overall healing time. If you have undergone facial surgery, you may be told to be extra gentle while washing your hair just to prevent tugging too much at the facial skin while it’s healing.
smoking after breast augmentation surgery
For all the energy our Scottsdale breast augmentation patients devote to preparing for surgery — researching and finding the right surgeon, choosing implants, and deciding what they really want — we find that they often don’t have as clear an idea of what happens after the procedure.
When you head home after a breast augmentation (or any procedure), the last thing we want you to feel is uncertainty. If you’re thinking about your surgery and your recovery period, here are a few things our patients often ask.
How soon can I take a shower? What about a bath?
A shower is absolutely fine after the first 48 hours or so. Keep an eye on the water temperature, though. If you’re normally a hot shower person, you may want to cool it down because your body will still be sensitive.
As for taking a bath, avoid submerging your body altogether for a minimum of 2 weeks after the procedure. (That includes swimming or any other underwater activities, as well.)
How long do I leave the bandages on?
As you might expect, there will be more than one layer of bandages covering your breasts after surgery. We encourage you to change your surgical dressings as soon as 24 hours after surgery (and every time you shower).
We will want you to leave the steri-strips on, however, because those cover the incisions themselves. We will address those during your follow-up appointment, as close to 7 days after your procedure as possible.
Can I wear a normal bra after breast augmentation?
After the procedure, we do provide you with a special post-surgical bra when you leave our office. You’ll need to wear it as your recovery period begins.
We are always happy to advise patients on whether any bras they are considering would be good choices during their recovery period — but as a rule, we recommend that you not wear a bra with an underwire for at least 8 weeks. This is because the underwire can affect the position of the implants.
How should I adjust my diet?
The same rules apply here as after any surgery. In the first few days, you’ll want to stick with fluids, broths, and gelatin. From there, you may gradually add solid foods as you feel you’re up to it. Eat small portions often rather than only bigger meals.
As for food choices, you’ll want to stay away from anything fried or high in fat, or anything that could cause indigestion. Go easy on high-fiber foods, too (e.g., whole grain bread, nuts, broccoli, cauliflower), because they can make you feel bloated.