For many women, breast augmentation is an exciting prospect. This procedure allows you to regain your pre-pregnancy figure or feel more confident and proportionate in swimwear and clothing. As you consider breast augmentation, you have every reason to feel optimistic.
With that said, it is also very natural to have some reservations regarding your recovery after surgery.
These are all questions that should be covered during your breast augmentation consultation. Your plastic surgeon will be able to provide you with a more personalized set of expectations. In the meantime, we have put together this overview to provide a general sense of what to expect and how to prepare for your breast augmentation surgery.
Breast Enlargement Recovery Time
Each of these stages requires specific care in order to get the best results, reduce pain, and ensure your satisfaction with the results of your breast augmentation. Let’s take a deeper look at the breast augmentation recovery timeline:
1. Immediately After Surgery
Breast augmentation surgery takes approximately two hours. Once you wake from the anesthesia, you will need to arrange to be driven home by a family member or friend who will keep you company.
Immediately after your surgery, it is common to feel a little drowsy from the anesthesia and to feel side effects like:
Some women also report an upset stomach
As far as pain goes, many women state that the discomfort they feel is similar to a slight pressure on their chest as though they finished a hard workout.
You will be given prescription medications to help offset any of your discomfort. It is recommended that you wait 24 hours after surgery before eating large meals, and 48 hours before showering.
Women recovering from breast augmentation should also avoid any heavy lifting for the first 3-5 days after surgery, for risk of rupturing something, or opening wounds.
2. First 5-7 Days
After the first few days, you should be able to shower and return to light physical activities. After the first week, you can start going back to work, resuming regular outings, and using over-the-counter medications to support any pain or discomfort you might still be feeling.
During this time period, you should still maintain regular care of your scars, and also listen to doctor’s orders. It is also important during this time period to check in with your doctor if you feel anything irregular, such as:
Constipation, bloating, and fatigue lasting more than a few days
Constant pressure that gets worse
Hardening or softening of the implant
During the first few days after breast augmentation surgery, it is essential to keep in touch with your plastic surgeon in order to report anything strange, and help answer any questions or concerns you should have. Keeping in contact with your doctor can also help improve the recovery process and results, by offering expert advice.
3. Next 3-5 Weeks
Over the next few weeks, you will notice pronounced upper fullness in your breast. The top part of your breast will swell at first, but this swelling will start to go down after approximately four weeks. The soreness you still feel in your chest, similar to having pulled a muscle, will start to dissipate over the first few weeks.
If these pains and signs of recovery persist through the first 4 weeks and do not seem to be showing signs of healing, you should consider speaking with your surgeon.
4. Full Recovery
Full recovery can take anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. Some women might feel occasional swelling or burning sensations that can extend up to six months.
In almost all cases, pain stops after the first few months, but can persist throughout the first year in some patients. This full recovery marks the full repair of cells, tissues, and nerve endings – which take the longest amount of time to make a full recovery. After one year, your nerve endings should regenerate, and your feeling in your breasts should completely come back.
All of the side effects felt including changes to the posture, discomfort, or dull pain will dissipate gradually as your breasts start to settle and assume their more permanent position. Your symptoms should be gone within the first year, and your breasts should take on their final shape, position, and appearance.
III. How long do the results of breast augmentation last?
Your breast augmentation results will last based upon your actions, your surgeon, and the type of procedure you had. Modern breast implants are engineered to last longer, with life spans between 10 and 20 years before they need to be replaced.
If you follow the orders of your surgeon, there is a much higher chance of increasing longevity. If you hire an experienced plastic surgeon with years of breast augmentation experience, this will also increase your chance of breast augmentation longevity.
IV. Tips for a Quick and Healthy Recovery
There are a few post breast augmentation tips that you can use in order to make for a healthy and quick recovery:
1. Invest in a Recovery Bra
A recovery bra is important, as it is used to stabilize your breast implants, prevent unnecessary swelling, and increase blood circulation. Your doctor will recommend how long you are required to wear the recovery bra, based on the type of surgery you had and how intense it was.
You may need to wear your recovery bra for just four weeks after minor surgery, or this time period can be as long as 2 or 3 months for more intense procedures.
Regardless of how long you need the recovery bra, this is one of the most essential breast augmentation after care processes that you should absolutely wear on a daily basis in order to get the best results.
2. Get Plenty of Rest
During breast augmentation surgery, your surrounding tissues and muscles suffer from heavy trauma. As a result, you need rest in order to make a proper recovery. Sleep is a critical part of your recovery process for all strenuous activity, injuries, and trauma including breast augmentation.
When you sleep a sufficient amount, between 7 and 8 hours, you give your body the chance to properly mend the affected area. It is important to ask your doctor about how to sleep after breast augmentation surgery, in order to reduce pain and recover quickly.
3. Avoid Sexual Activity/Exercise
It is best to wait a minimum of two weeks after a breast augmentation surgery before having sex. If you don’t wait long enough, you can manipulate your breasts and move their location. this can also result in opening wounds, or slowing the healing time. You need to wait until your incisions have properly healed to reduce serious risks.
Exercises should be avoided for at least two or three months, especially heavy exercises. You don’t want to damage newly healed regions of your breast enhancement by trying to lift heavy weights, only to result in a tear or rupture. Additionally, avoiding exercise immediately after surgery decreases your risk of infection.
4. Diet: Give Your Body Fuel for Recovery
Post breast augmentation, your body needs fuel when it recovers. Add these items to your diet during your recovery:
Citrus fruits high in vitamin C are critical because of their ability to repair collagen and soft tissue. This can also minimize the degree of sensitivity your nerves feel during the first week. You can get vitamin C in citrus fruits as well as bell peppers and tomatoes.
Mushrooms promote bone and skin healing because they have high amounts of vitamin D.
Seafood is great because of the high amount of zinc.
Oatmeal and other whole grains are high in fiber, which is important immediately after surgery because it minimizes the risk of constipation. Constipation is quite common after surgery because of the pain medications and the anesthesia.
Fresh dark vegetables are also high in fiber and can help with this, things like spinach and carrots are high in vitamin A.
Beans are high in iron, which is imperative for creating new blood cells, and new blood cells will help with the healing process immediately after the surgery.
Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, which is supportive of cell growth and your immune system. With vitamin A from sweet potatoes or dark green vegetables like spinach, you can better fight infections and speed up the healing process.
Lean meat and eggs are high in protein which helps to repair the muscle damage after surgery.
Getting enough water is also critical in the breast augmentation recovery process. You need to drink enough water to flush out the anesthesia and allow your body to better absorb your medications.
By consuming the right amount of water and the right nutrients after the surgery, you can reduce your chances of nausea, fatigue, and fight off any feelings of lightheadedness. This will also help to speed up the recovery time.
5. Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
Make sure you follow your doctor’s orders. Most botched breast augmentation surgeries were not caused by the surgeon, but rather by patients who ignored the advice their doctor provided. Everything given to you by your doctor is designed for you specifically, so be sure to follow orders for the best recovery.
breast augmentation stitches healing
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States. Each year, hundreds of thousands of women experience the life-changing benefits associated with an improved breast appearance.
Before moving forward with your procedure, it’s important to understand what to expect during every stage of the process. Breast augmentation is major surgery, and there is a significant recovery period. While the overwhelming majority of women find that it’s worth undergoing this lengthy healing process, you should be aware of the road to recovery that lies ahead of you.
Stage 1: The Day of Your Surgery
Breast augmentation is performed on an outpatient basis, and you will return home the day of your procedure. Since you’ll still be under the lingering effects of anesthesia, you’ll need to arrange for someone to drive you home. It’s also important to have someone around the house for the rest of the day in case you need assistance.
You’ll need to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated on this first day of recovery. We recommend that you set up a comfortable recovery area prior to your procedure. It should include:
We recommend that you prepare some healthy, nutritious meals in advance that you can easily reheat since you won’t feel up to cooking. You should also fill all prescriptions in advance so that they’ll be on-hand when you get home from surgery.
Stage 2: First 5-7 Days after Surgery
This is typically the most uncomfortable phase of your recovery. It’s common to experience:
You should start feeling much better towards the end of this first week of recovery. Dr. Lee encourages light walking as soon as you feel up to it. This will facilitate proper blood flow and help prevent blood clots. Always listen to your body and rest if you feel you need to.
Stage 3: 1-3 Weeks after Surgery
During this phase of recovery, you will be able to gradually resume your regular routine. In general, most women are able to return to work within one to two weeks after breast augmentation. If your job requires heavy lifting or other strenuous physical activity, you may need to take additional time off to ensure your body is sufficiently healed.
Bruising, swelling and discomfort should have substantially subsided by this point. Dr. Lee will carefully monitor your recovery and let you know when it is safe to resume normal activities and light exercise. Light cardio activities can be incorporated into your routine at this point, but you will still need to refrain from strenuous activities. When resuming exercise, it’s important to start slow and gradually ramp up your efforts as your body gets stronger.
Stage 4: 4-6 Weeks after Surgery
By now, you will be sufficiently recovered to begin adding more strenuous activity back into your routine. Always wait until Dr. Lee tells you it is safe to resume specific activities to prevent complications.
Intense cardio and lower body exercises can be resumed after about four weeks. However, you’ll need to refrain from heavy lifting and chest exercises until you are roughly six weeks out of surgery.
Stage 5: Final Results
It can take as long as three to four months before you are able to see your final results. This is due to the fact that it takes time for your breast implants to settle into their proper position and for all residual swelling to subside. While you’ll want to experience your new appearance as soon as possible, it’s important to be patient during this process.
How long does breast enlargement last
Breast augmentation is a safe yet effective way of achieving your ideal physique. Apart from restoring the lost shape of your breasts, the procedure can also enhance their appearance to your preference. This not only gives you complete control over the look of your breasts but also delivers the confidence you need to be comfortable in your skin.
Breast augmentation is done through the use of implants, which come in either saline or silicone. If you are interested in getting either of these implants, it is imperative to learn how long breast implants last on a typical basis.
To help you find an answer to the question, here’s a lowdown on the different types of breast implants as well as the usual performance of these devices.
What Are Breast Implants?
Breast implants are medically safe devices that are used to reshape or restore the appearance of breasts. Depending upon the concern as well as the intended outcome, your plastic surgeon may use either saline or silicone implants to achieve your desired results with a breast augmentation. Both of these implants are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The decision to get either of the implants depends upon the aesthetic, feel, and strength of the material. Your surgeon compares these factors to your ideal results as well as your lifestyle to find the perfect match for you.
How Long Do Breast Implants Last?
You can expect your breast implants to last at least 10 years after your surgery. For many recipients of breast implants, these devices also last far longer than that duration and might go up to 20 years. For some patients, implants can also cross that duration and last for more than 20 years.
This is an extensive yet ambiguous timeline. But it is only because neither implant has any expiration dates assigned to them. Typically, implants only need to be replaced before the 10-year timeline is when they pose physical complications such as rupture or hardening. When this happens, you need to remove your existing implants (via breast explant surgery) with the help of a qualified surgeon.
Signs That a Breast Implant Needs to Be Replaced
Your breast implants should easily stand usage for at least 10 years. But once they start showing signs of affected performance, it is time to get them replaced. By keeping an eye on the following symptoms, you can determine if you need to consult with your surgeon for breast implant replacement.
Saline Implant Rupture. When a saline implant ruptures, it deflates and misshapes your breast. But the saltwater that escapes in your body remains unharmful. With that being said, you need to get your implant replaced in order to resolve the issue and restore the desired shape of your breast.
Silicone Implant Rupture. Whenever a silicone implant ruptures, the particles may either remain inside the implant or spread to nearby muscles. These do not cause any harm to your health. But the issue can only be resolved through the replacement of the implant.
Breast Hardening. Sometimes, the scar tissue around your implants can harden from a condition called capsular contracture. This can cause your implants to tighten and cause pain. It can also affect the appearance of the affected breasts. This calls for immediate consultation with a competent surgeon.
Breast Rippling. Over time, some implants may fall prey to ripples and lead to wrinkles across their surface. If the ripples can be felt or seen against your skin, this issue should be addressed by an immediate checkup through a qualified provider.
Position Change. Some implants can change their position and misshape the breasts over time. When this happens, some implants can be adjusted without surgery while others may need to be replaced with the help of your surgeon.
By learning about these aspects, you can learn how long do breast implants last while also knowing when to look for their immediate replacement. This ensures that you can continue enjoying your ideal figure without any compromise.
How long does it take to fully recover from breast surgery
The breast augmentation recovery timeline varies for every woman, but the process and tips for recovery are the same. It is essential to know what the recovery process looks like beforehand to ensure optimal results from your procedure. If you want your breast implants to look their best, you have to take proper care of yourself during recovery.
Learn everything you need to know about the stages of recovery following your breast implant surgery. Find out how long it takes to recover fully and when you can return to normal activities. And see how to minimize bruising around your breasts during your recovery process.
Breast Augmentation Recovery: Everything You Need to Know – 2022
Breast augmentation recovery has a different timeline for every patient, but everyone can use the same tips. Patients choose breast augmentation surgery to enhance, reconstruct, adjust, or vary the size of their breasts. Some patients’ focus is purely cosmetic, whereas others aim to restore their breast’s natural beauty following a mastectomy, pregnancy, or another condition.
At Modern Surgical Arts of Denver, we believe in a holistic approach to healing and at our practice we take steps to prepare our patients for a smooth post operative healing course 2 weeks before their procedure.
How long does breast augmentation recovery take?
On average, patients take about six to eight weeks to fully recover from their breast augmentation procedure. Many women feel back to normal after the first week of recovery, but everyone’s experience is different based on their age, body, health history, and lifestyle. And there are ways of helping your body heal quickly and minimize bruising using a holistic approach and organic supplements.
Please Don’t Hesitate To Give Us a Call With Any Questions Or To Schedule A Consultation!
Breast Augmentation Recovery Timeline
Based on your case, your surgeon will give you more detailed information on how long your recovery will take. Here is what to expect in the recovery process following surgery:
Immediately Following Surgery
Immediately following your breast implant surgery, you will still be feeling the effects of the sedation medications. You will wake up from surgery in a recovery room where you can gradually return to consciousness under medical supervision. You might feel achy, dizzy, and have muscle tension. As your muscles relax and stretch, the tension will subside but be sure to inform your recovery nurse if you feel pain. At Modern Surgical Arts of Denver, we provide a multimodal approach to pain management in order to avoid narcotic pain medication for patients as much as possible. This means Drs. Dastoury or Zwiebel will prescribe several other medications which will help relax your muscles, relieve tension, reduce inflammation, and inject local anesthetic medication into the surgical site in order to keep the area numb for up to 2-3days.
A Few Hours Following Surgery
You will spend up to a couple of hours in the recovery room before you are released. Since you will still feel out of sorts following your procedure, you must have someone along to drive you home. Your surgical team can only release you into the custody of a guardian who will drive you home and stay with you for the day.
Your doctor will wrap your breasts with a supportive bra or elastic band for support. Before you are released, your surgeon will explain how you should care for yourself over the rest of your recovery.
Days One and Two Following Surgery
For the first two days after surgery, take it easy and rest. Your body needs to regain its strength, so refrain from lifting your arms and any other unnecessary activity. At the same time, it is good for you to get some blood circulating, so take a walk around your house every few hours.
Three to Five Days Following Surgery
In the first three to five days of your recovery, you probably will have some soreness and discomfort around the surgical area. Slight pain is expected during this period, and your surgeon will prescribe a medication to manage the discomfort. Some minor bleeding around the incision site is common, but if you have concerns for any reason, don’t hesitate to call your doctor.
One Week into Recovery
After the fifth day, you will begin to feel better and have less pain. Approaching the one-week mark, you can switch from using your prescription pain medication to over-the-counter pain medication, like Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. By the end of the first week, some patients feel well enough to ask their surgeon for permission to return to light activity.
One Month into Recovery
At the third week of post operative healing period, patients will benefit from returning back to 50% of their normal function. During the second, third, and fourth week following surgery, you might still feel slight soreness and swelling, but the hard part is over. Continue to refrain from physically strenuous tasks, especially those that require you to lift heavy objects. If you have a physically demanding job, plan to take up to 3 weeks of leave.
Two Months into Recovery
You should be approaching full recovery around six to eight weeks after your surgery. Around this point, will have settled into their proper position and a new capsule will begin to form around the implants under the breast and muscle tissues. Tell your doctor if you still feel unable to resume physical activities after two months. Everyone’s body heals at a different rate, and your surgeon will let you know when you can resume normal activities.
Please Don’t Hesitate To Give Us a Call With Any Questions Or To Schedule A Consultation!
Is exercise allowed after breast augmentation?
Exercise is inherently a physically demanding activity. Avoid exercising for at least the first week of recovery. During the first week or two of recovery, confine your activities to things like preparing food, bathing, and walking to the mailbox. Keeping your blood flowing and oxygenated without overdoing your activity is essential. Do not do anything that strains your upper body, including running, long walks, push-ups, weightlifting, etc. If any movement causes discomfort, stop engaging and let your doctor know during your follow-up appointment.
Most patients are clear to return to work by the second or third week after surgery. Gradually resuming up to fifty percent of their normal activity starting week three. This includes returning to light activities, but strenuous exercise is still dangerous. Continue to avoid running, hiking, weightlifting, and any other activity that places strain on your upper body. By the sixth to eighth week of recovery, your doctor will clear you to return to most of your everyday activities except for intense exercise. Your doctor will determine when it is safe for you to resume strenuous physical activity based on how your body heals by the second month of recovery.