Bruising After Breast Reduction
Before surgery, your surgeon will talk with you about bruising after breast reduction. Yellow bruising after breast reduction is common, and generally subsides within a month or two. Swelling on sides after breast reduction happens to most women and goes away quickly. You won’t know exactly how long will bruising last after breast reduction until after the procedure.
In this guide, we review the aspects of Bruising After Breast Reduction, yellow bruising after breast reduction, swelling on sides after breast reduction, and how long will bruising last after breast reduction.
Bruising After Breast Reduction
If you’re considering a breast reduction, there’s good news: It can help relieve the pain and discomfort that causes you to seek out surgery in the first place. But how do you know if your breast pain is caused by something else? And what are some other reasons for bruising after surgery? We’ll answer those questions and more below.
A breast reduction is not the same thing as a breast augmentation.
It’s important to distinguish between a breast reduction and a breast augmentation. Both are surgical procedures, but they differ in the way they achieve their final results.
A breast reduction is an operation that reduces the size of a woman’s breasts by removing excess skin and fat from her breasts. It doesn’t involve implants at all: instead, it uses internal tissue to create new shapely curves in place of sagging skin on top of droopy tissues inside your chest cavity.
The goal of a breast augmentation is just the opposite—it increases the size of your cleavage by inserting cosmetic implants into your body (either through incisions made around each nipple or underneath each armpit).
An implant-free procedure can help treat breast pain.
If you’re looking for a surgical procedure that will help reduce breast pain and make your breasts smaller, consider an implant-free breast reduction. Breast reduction surgery is performed by a plastic surgeon or general surgeon and can improve the shape and size of your breasts. An implant-free procedure can be used to treat symptoms like:
- Pain in the breast area
- Swelling (edema) in the arms and hands
- A shortening of neck muscles that results from excess weight on the chest
Breast pain may be associated with breast cancer.
Breast pain can be associated with breast cancer. However, it is important to note that this is a rare condition and that most cases of breast pain are not related to breast cancer.
Breast cancer is a serious condition. It is estimated that around 200,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States each year and about 40,000 people die from it annually (National Cancer Institute).
In women under age 40, chances of developing breast cancer are 1 in 1 million; for women aged 40-49 years old, 1 in 810; for women aged 50-59 years old, 1 in 423; for women aged 60-69 years old and 70+ years old: 1 in 30 (National Cancer Institute).
Breast pain may be linked to problems in your nerves, muscles or bones.
- Nerve pain. Nerve damage is the most common cause of breast pain after a breast reduction, and it can occur if your surgeon accidentally cuts into or damages nerves in your breasts. Since nerve pain is caused by an injury to one of the nerves in your breasts, there’s no way to avoid it completely—you just have to wait until it heals on its own. To help speed up recovery and reduce symptoms like tingling and numbness during healing, apply ice packs several times per day for 15 minutes at a time until you feel better (or until you’re instructed otherwise).
- Muscle pain. If your breasts are sore after surgery but not bruised or swollen, this may be due to muscle strain caused by movements such as coughing or laughing too hard (which puts pressure on tissues surrounding the muscles). This type of soreness should disappear within two weeks after surgery; if it doesn’t go away by then, see your doctor about further treatment options like medications for inflammation (e.g., ibuprofen) or physical therapy sessions focused on relieving tightness from overuse injuries such as tennis elbow syndrome (aka lateral epicondylitis).
- Bone pain: This type of discomfort occurs when bones heal slowly due to poor circulation in that area—and unfortunately there’s no known way around this issue besides waiting patiently for things like fractures/breaks do heal properly before moving forward with any other surgeries (such as reconstructive procedures).
Breast pain may be linked to a condition called fibrocystic disease of the breast.
Fibrocystic disease of the breast is a common condition that affects 75-90% of women. It’s not cancer, but it can cause pain and swelling in the breasts. Fibrocystic disease is also linked to lumps in the breasts and some other conditions like cysts on the ovaries.
If you have fibrocystic changes, your doctor will look at other causes of breast pain before they diagnose you with this condition. They may also recommend an MRI scan or ultrasound to find out if there are any other problems with your breasts that need treatment or surgery.
If you do have fibrocystic disease of the breast, it won’t necessarily cause your pain.
Fibrocystic disease of the breast is not the same as breast cancer. It’s a condition that causes lumps in your breasts, but it’s not painful or dangerous. If you do have fibrocystic disease of the breast, it won’t necessarily cause your pain.
Understanding what causes breast pain during and after surgery is important.
After breast reduction surgery, you may experience some breast pain. Understanding the causes of this pain can help you treat or avoid it.
This is especially important because not all types of breast pain are treatable. For example, if your pain is caused by an infection in your surgical site (called a surgical-site infection), then there are specific steps that you should take to get better faster—for example, taking antibiotics and keeping the area clean. But if your surgical-site infection causes no symptoms other than tenderness around where surgery was performed and doesn’t go away after a few days, it’s probably not something that needs treatment right away.
However, even though some sources of breast pain after surgery are not treatable with medication or other means (such as massage therapy), they might still be uncomfortable enough that they affect how well you heal from surgery overall; therefore treating these sources of discomfort should still be considered one of our goals during recovery time!
yellow bruising after breast reduction
No matter the size or shape of the breasts, they are all naturally imperfect. Unfortunately, global studies have shown that more than 70% of women are unhappy with how their breasts look, and many see breast cosmetic surgery as a logical step.
When it comes to breasts, bigger is not always better. Big heavy breasts can cause back, neck, and shoulder pain. They might look disproportional with the rest of your body. This is why many women opt for breast reduction. Breast reduction improves your natural proportions and gives you a smaller, symmetrical, youthful, and more comfortable pair of breasts.
Dr. Craig Rubinstein is one of the best accredited plastic surgeons here in Australia. His passion for his profession sets him apart from others. Dr Rubinstein specializes in cosmetic breast surgery. Together with his dedicated care team, you’ll be offered a customized plan for all your breast reduction procedure goals and needs.
Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure, it’s important to know what lies ahead and after your surgery. The recovery process of breast reduction surgery is fairly smooth, comprising mainly of bruising and swelling.
What is Breast Reduction Surgery?
Breast reduction surgery, also known medically as breast reduction mammaplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that involves the surgical removal of excess breast tissue, fat, and stretched-out skin, to give you breasts that are in proportion with your body shape and size. If you have large sagging breasts and want smaller lighter ones, boob reduction is the surgery for you.
While many women choose breast reduction mammaplasty to alleviate discomfort associated with heavy drooping breasts, such as neck and back pain, the cosmetic perks of boob reduction should not be ignored. Breast reduction surgery can help firm and lift your breasts, eliminate sagging breasts, correct breast asymmetry and enhance your overall silhouette.
What to Expect During Recovery from Breast Reduction Surgery?
Your chest will be covered in post-operative garments such as a bra, binder or bandages. In the first few days following your boob reduction surgery, you will experience some soreness and discomfort, this is when bruising and swelling are at their worst. In your one-week follow-up appointment with Dr Rubinstein, you will have sutures and drains removed (if drains are used) and the surgical area will be cleaned. You’ll notice that most of the pain, bruising, and swelling have decreased significantly at this time. In fact, a lot of women feel comfortable enough to drive and can return to office work or light duties 7-10 days after surgery.
The pain, bruising, and swelling will decrease over time in the weeks following your breast mammaplasty. Dr Rubinstein will advise you when you can start returning to your usual routine. However, you will need to wait to do any strenuous job or activity for at least three weeks. In fact, this is usually discouraged until you have fully recovered.
It usually takes six to eight weeks before you can return to your full normal life routine such as gym classes, swimming, running etc. You will feel a newfound lightness in your chest area and your general body weight will feel lighter because you will be less restricted by your breasts.
Why Do Bruising and Swelling Happen After Breast Reduction Surgery?
During breast mammaplasty, several surgical techniques may be used that involve a significant amount of breast tissue manipulation. Bruising and swelling after boob reduction is your body’s natural reaction to any form of injury. Both are common and you should expect their occurrence after any cosmetic procedure.
Bruising appears as an area of discoloured skin around your chest. It is the result of ruptured underlying blood vessels that are inevitably damaged during your breast reduction surgery. Blood will collect into certain areas, giving your skin its black/purple colour.
Swelling, also known as oedema, is the accumulation of fluid inside your blood vessels. Similarly, it is also a result of “trauma” experienced during your procedure. In the area of injury, damaged cells release chemicals that increase your blood vessels’ permeability. The fluid accumulated contains white blood cells, and other chemicals that help kick start the healing process.
How Long Do Bruising and Swelling Last After Breast Reduction Surgery?
The amount of time required for your bruising and swelling to disappear depends on;
Bruising and swelling reach their peak approximately three days following your breast reduction surgery. After about a week, the majority of your swelling will start to decrease. The remaining bulk of your swelling will continue to wane over the following six weeks. Any lingering swelling should be gone in two to four months after your initial breast surgery date. This may be so minimal only you will notice.
So, while you may enjoy the prompt relief from your neck, back, and shoulder pain immediately after your boob reduction, it’s important to be patient and note that it may be a while before your new breasts completely settle.
What Are the Best Ways to Reduce Bruising and Swelling After Breast Reduction Surgery?
Breast reduction is a rewarding procedure that alleviates both physical and psychological discomfort associated with large heavy breasts. Bruising and swelling are common after most surgeries. They shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your newfound sense of freedom to wear whatever you want, or from participating in physical activities you previously steered away from. Here are some tips to deal with bruising and swelling after breast mammaplasty:
Wear Your Compression Bra
Before you’re discharged after your procedure, your plastic surgeon will instruct you to wear a compression bra for at least a month’s time. Both day and night. Compression garments provide support to your sensitive breasts and help quicken your recovery. The pressure from your support bra prevents blood from seeping out from your damaged blood vessels, therefore limiting your post-op bruising. Swelling is also reduced, due to increased blood circulation to your injured breast incision sites, flushing out any chemicals and toxins there. Wearing a garment also reminds you that you are still in the healing phase even if you’re feeling great.
Keep Active
After your breast mammaplasty, plenty of rest is necessary and welcome. However, as tempting as your bed might be, light activity and gentle walks are beneficial as soon as two days following your boob reduction procedure. Moving your body promotes blood flow and reduces postoperative swelling. It also decreases the risk of developing blood clots (which can be a serious complication after surgery).
Note that any activity involving reaching above your head or lifting anything heavy should be absolutely avoided in the first weeks. You can ask Dr, Rubinstein for some safe recommended exercise after your procedure. We do recommend putting your gym membership on hold and can supply a medical letter if needed.
Apply Cold Compresses
Cold temperatures can cause your blood vessels to constrict, decreasing blood flow and fluid leakage. This will not only help with your swelling but also limits the spread of further bruising. In the first three days following your breast reduction surgery, apply cold compresses like ice packs or bags of frozen peas on your surgical site. Make sure you wrap them in a towel and avoid any direct application to your surgical breast incisions. You may use cold compresses multiple times a day, in 15 minutes intervals with a 20-minute break in between.
Sleep Right
Sleep is an essential component of any cosmetic procedure’s recovery process. Breast reduction surgery is no exception. Having a good night’s sleep is more than how many hours you get in each night. It’s also the position you sleep in. After breast surgery, the best sleep position is on your back with your upper body resting at a 30 to 45-degree angle. This allows your breasts to rest in a relaxed position, without any strain tugging on your surgical incisions. This position also causes your blood to flow away from your sore breasts, decreasing pain, bruising, and swelling in the process.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Good nutrition plays an important role in your body’s healing process post-breast reduction surgery. It helps manage postoperative bruising and swelling and boosts immunity and breast tissue repair. Make sure to include food rich in proteins, fibers (berries, broccoli, beans, nuts), complex carbohydrates (bananas, vegetables, whole grain), iron, and vitamins (Vitamin K and C) in your diet.
Avoid food with high salt content, as tempting as it may be. Salt causes your body to retain fluid inside its blood vessels, worsening your bruises and swelling.
Stay Hydrated
It may seem counterintuitive to drink a copious amount of water when you’re suffering from swelling, but in actuality, staying hydrated can reduce your swelling. The more you drink, the more your body will feel it’s unnecessary to retain fluid inside its tissues. Adequate fluid intake encourages your blood circulation and aids nutrient-rich blood to reach your injury site for a speedier recovery. We suggest you drink 2 L of water daily and avoid the use of any supplements that may interfere with your water balance like caffeinated beverages and diuretics.