Recovery period (rehabilitation) after mammoplasty. Rehabilitation after mammoplasty: what to expect? Limitations after breast augmentation surgery
When mammoplasty surgery is left behind, an equally important stage of rehabilitation begins. You won’t be able to evaluate your new breast immediately, but only after a few months. It should be remembered that the success of the operation depends not only on a good surgeon, but also on the patient herself. All individual recommendations for breast reconstruction can be obtained from the attending physician, but the main stages and features of the postoperative period of mammoplasty are standard.
Early recovery period
After a successful operation, the patient is sent to a ward for a period of one to three days in a hospital. At this time, postoperative complications can be noticed. For example, bleeding or a reaction to anesthesia. However, with stable good health and a rapid recovery process, discharge may take place earlier.
During the first hours, the patient must be brought out of anesthesia. At first it may seem that the breasts are a little larger than planned, but after some time the swelling begins to subside and the desired size is acquired. There will be fresh stitches on the body, so the attending physician will prescribe painkillers.
As a result, the pain becomes insignificant and is reduced to slight discomfort. Every other day, the doctor examines the stitches, makes a bandage and gives the patient recommendations for favorable healing.
Discomfort and pain after surgery will be more intense if the implant is installed under the muscle; they usually last 10-12 days.
Sometimes after surgery you may experience difficulty breathing. This is due to a very tight bandage that is applied to avoid displacement of the implants and the correct formation of the future bust.
The first days may be a little difficult to get out of bed on your own, but already on the 3rd day you will begin to feel better.
With a stable normal temperature, good health and the absence of primary complications, the patient is discharged home. The surgeon must give complete instructions on rehabilitation after mammoplasty, lifestyle and prescribe the necessary medications. After this, the next, home rehabilitation period begins.
For one or two weeks, a special medical bra will be placed on the chest, which cannot be unfastened during this time. Short water treatments will be allowed only after it is removed. Such measures are necessary to keep the breast in the desired position, eliminate its mechanical damage and reduce pain.
The first week you need to be very careful and attentive to your breasts. If any unexpected symptoms appear, you should immediately report them to your doctor.
During the same week, it is prohibited to play sports or carry heavy objects. In addition, activities that raise blood pressure and increase heart rate are not allowed. It is recommended to rest more, lie on your back.
Rehabilitation in the first months after mammoplasty
The bust may not look its best at first. Experienced plastic surgeons often fill the upper part of the breast implant with “extra” volume. Under the influence of gravity, the internal tissues of the breast silently fall down, filling the lower part with the required volume and the breast takes on a natural shape. You can see the new form no earlier than in two months.
The duration of rehabilitation after mammoplasty is influenced by various factors: method of administration, age, size of sutures, health and personal characteristics.
Many patients are frightened by the density of the mammary glands; this does not give the desired naturalness to the touch. The mammary glands are dense due to edema. After 1.5–2 months, severe swelling subsides, the breasts become soft and mobile. In addition, during this time the central nervous system adapts to the implants.
After mammoplasty, your lifestyle will undergo some changes. If the patient’s work does not involve physical labor, then after a week it will be possible to return to it.
After the sutures are removed, it is advisable to eat a certain way and maintain a light daily routine in order to avoid increases in blood pressure and blood clotting disorders. Most often, women take time off during this time so that the rehabilitation period can take place in the most comfortable, home environment.
Consequences
The patient may experience several discomforts.
Pain
Tolerable, but unpleasant sensations may occur at first. The pain syndrome is easily relieved with painkillers.
Edema
It is this syndrome that causes the greatest discomfort. Depending on personal indicators, the mammary gland itself and even the abdominal area may swell. Minor swelling will subside within a few weeks, after which the new breasts can be assessed.
To reduce swelling, you will have to wear compression underwear constantly, do not overheat, and monitor the amount of fluid consumed.
Bruises and bruises
Rarely appear. It happens in women with sensitive, thin skin. Special absorbable ointments can easily get rid of such troubles.
Since mammoplasty is a serious surgical operation, the doctor prescribes various medications for the first time of rehabilitation.
Medicines
To ensure favorable healing of the suture and prevent inflammatory processes, patients may be prescribed a course of antibacterial therapy.
To make the recovery process after mammoplasty comfortable, the surgeon may prescribe the following remedies:
- Painkillers. It will help women with low pain tolerance. Pain after surgery is standard and occurs due to stretching of the internal breast tissue. There are medications that relieve swelling and other syndromes, but the pricing policy for such drugs is much higher.
- Hormonal ointments.
In case of illness or special recommendations, the doctor may prescribe a course of drugs in this direction.
Caring for stitches and breast skin
Sutures are removed a few days after mammoplasty. This procedure and the first dressings are done by the doctor himself. However, some surgeons use absorbable suture material, so there is no need to remove sutures.
You will still have to come for a consultation on the healing process. The doctor explains how to care for the suture. It is advisable to use tinctures with alcohol, but ointments are prohibited for 20 days.
To avoid the appearance of a bright scar and swelling, it is better to use special regenerating ointments, such as Mederma and Contractubex. It should be remembered that the use of such ointments is allowed several weeks after surgery. It is recommended to use them together with a light chest massage.
This will help avoid sealing the seams and give the breasts the correct shape. The massage technique must be shown by the doctor himself and his instructions must be followed exactly.
During the initial period of rehabilitation, the following cosmetics should absolutely not be used:
- Stimulating products that contain mint, menthol, pine needles.
- Fat oils
- Aggressive body scrubs.
- Creams with high content chemical substances and fragrances.
If the patient wants to have beautiful breasts without stretch marks, it is necessary to take care of the bust even after the recovery period. Special serums and lotions will help moisturize and nourish the skin of the breast. Scrubs will improve blood microcirculation. It is recommended to periodically use stretch mark creams and do salon or home wraps.
After breast surgery, it is necessary to wear special compression garments (bandages) to avoid complications. The period of these measures is always individual.
Removal of the band will depend on the healing process of the breast. Some people can comfortably wear regular underwear within a month, but for some this process can take up to a year. But you should not remove compression garments before the first month.
If, after a doctor’s examination, you were allowed to switch to regular underwear, you should carefully choose it and pay attention to the following recommendations:
- Form calyx follows the shape of the new mammary glands.
- Textile natural and hypoallergenic.
- Bones elastic and do not compress the chest.
- Straps wide enough to distribute the load evenly.
- New underwear comfortable and does not rub the chest.
Bras without straps and with a push-up effect should not be worn for six months. This can lead to breast deformities or other complications. To avoid sagging breasts, it is recommended to go without a bra only after complete healing.
Regeneration of the body is always accompanied by a number of restrictions. Breast surgery is no exception.
For the first two weeks, a woman is prohibited from lifting weights of more than 2 kg, raising her arms, or making sudden movements or bending. You will also have to postpone long trips, flights and housework for this time. While taking medications, you must avoid drinking alcohol.
An important aspect of rehabilitation is proper sleep. For the first week you will only have to sleep on your back. Then, if there is no pain, you can sleep on your side.
Sleeping on your stomach is allowed a month after mammoplasty. In addition, during the recovery period it is forbidden to have sex, as a woman’s blood pressure may rise and her pulse may increase, which will lead to unwanted complications.
You will have to give up baths and saunas for several months, because the implant heats up and cools down more slowly than the rest of the body. Swimming and taking baths are also not recommended for the first months. You can shower gently 4–5 days after surgery.
A solarium is especially prohibited for the first 2-3 months. You will be able to sunbathe 3-4 months after the stitches have healed using a cream with a high level of protection. Such measures are necessary to avoid the occurrence of capsular contracture and unwanted pigmentation of the suture.
Sports and fitness activities
After mammoplasty, you will have to reduce physical activity. This will promote tissue restoration and eliminate unwanted complications.
During the first week, the desire to play sports will most likely not appear due to pain and discomfort in movements. Physical activity should be introduced gradually, carefully developing the muscles. But you should start working on the chest muscles only after 3-4 months.
After a month or two, you can begin working with dumbbells weighing up to 2 kg. You should forget about swimming, stretching, and abdominal exercises for several months after mammoplasty. It is not recommended to engage in technically complex sports (kickboxing, rock climbing, yoga, tennis, etc.) for six months.
It should be noted that during rehabilitation you can only play sports in a sports or regular, but tight bra.
There are a lot of recommendations and restrictions for the rehabilitation period after breast augmentation, but all these measures are necessary for the successful recovery of the body. If you carefully follow all the doctor’s recommendations and wishes, you will soon be able to return to your normal lifestyle.
Mammoplasty is the most common type of surgical intervention. It is performed to correct the size and shape of the mammary glands. The operation is performed in a hospital under general anesthesia. If there are contraindications to it, anesthesiologists use local anesthesia. The duration of the intervention is 2 hours. Surgeons often combine breast surgery with other types of correction (breast lift, abdominoplasty, liposuction, lipolysis). There are 2 types of implant fixation: submuscular (under the pectoral muscle) and subglandular (under the mammary gland).
The postoperative period after breast augmentation lasts from 6 weeks to 4 months. The duration of recovery depends on the physiological characteristics of the woman. During the first 6 weeks, the implant takes root and is fixed under the mammary gland or under the pectoral muscle.
Healing of postoperative wounds and a decrease in the intensity of pain with the submuscular technique occurs within 10-12 days, after the subglandular technique - 4 days. If manipulations were performed to reduce the mammary gland, the recovery period will be much longer, since during the operation surgeons expand the surgical approach and affect the gland tissue itself.
Every woman who decides to undergo mammoplasty is warned by the surgeon about the peculiarities during recovery and what not to do after breast augmentation.
Recovery Features:
- refusal of analgesics: 1-2 days;
- return to work in 3 days;
- light pectoral muscle training: 2-3 weeks;
- restrictions on physical activity are lifted after 5-6 weeks;
- appearance of scars after 12 months.
To avoid a complicated course of the postoperative period, you should follow all the doctor’s recommendations.
The main requirements for rehabilitation after breast augmentation are:
- constant wearing of compression underwear for six months, by the 7th month the underwear must be worn at night;
- water procedures are allowed for 3-5 days after surgery, the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees;
- treatment of seams after a shower, use of special plasters;
- limit physical activity (bending sideways and forward is prohibited), intimacy, avoid contact with infectious patients during the first month of rehabilitation after breast surgery.
- sleep on your back;
- protect your breasts from exposure to ultraviolet radiation for the first 4 months;
- avoid stress;
- Adhere to a balanced diet to boost your immune system.
Clinical manifestations and measures in the first weeks of the recovery period
Many women are interested in how rehabilitation proceeds day by day. After mammoplasty is completed, the breast is bandaged with an elastic bandage.
The patient is transferred to the ward. On the first day after surgery, swelling of the mammary gland, pain and discomfort, numbness of the chest, and bleeding from the sutures increase. To prevent swelling and stimulate the formation of blood clots in the suture area, ice should be applied. The ice container should be wrapped in a towel.
From 2 to 6 days after surgery
The elastic bandage is removed during the first doctor's examination and dressing. If there are no changes in the seams, then they are processed and sealed with adhesive tape. The nurse helps the woman put on a compression bandage, which should be worn until the end of the recovery period.
The feeling of tightness in the chest is explained by an increase in the volume of the mammary gland (the skin has not had time to adapt to the sudden changes). On the 2-4th day of recovery, with normal healing at the incision sites and good health, the woman is discharged with subsequent observation in the clinic.
In the first 4 days of the rehabilitation period after breast augmentation, it is necessary to monitor the patient’s body temperature, which helps to timely diagnose the start of the inflammatory reaction and the addition of bacterial flora. On the 4th day you can take a shower. It is forbidden to wash your hair yourself; it is better to ask for help. It is necessary to treat the seams daily, including after a shower. Doctors recommend walking more to compensate for the limitation in other movements.
When an implant is inserted under the pectoral muscle, clinical manifestations will differ from day to day during rehabilitation. Sometimes the pectoral muscles can react to the insertion of a foreign body with a spasm, which leads to its upward displacement. It can take up to 8-12 weeks for the implant to go down, lengthening the recovery period. The total duration of rehabilitation when an implant is inserted under the pectoral muscle is up to 4 months or more.
From 7-20 days of rehabilitation
On the 7-10th day of recovery after breast augmentation, the risk of infection of postoperative wounds and bleeding remains. The patient should limit movements that lead to contraction of the pectoral muscle (brushing teeth, lifting heavy objects from a standing position, combing hair). You should not take aspirin, fish oil and other drugs that reduce blood clots. To relieve pain during rehabilitation after breast surgery, the surgeon often prescribes breast massage.
Doctors advise sleeping on your back in a semi-lying position to reduce swelling, pain intensity, and the likelihood of implant displacement. Sleeping on your stomach is prohibited. You should not start driving a car, as turning the steering wheel requires effort, and the pressure of the seat belt causes pain in many women. After mammoplasty, you can return to driving after 3 weeks of the postoperative period.
From 10-20 days the risk of bacterial flora attaching decreases, bleeding becomes less frequent. Swelling and tenderness of the mammary gland decreases. The pain appears only at night. Nerve sensitivity returns, which is manifested by tingling in the areola area. A woman is allowed light physical activity aimed at training the lower body.
Recovery in the first few months
During 4-6 weeks of rehabilitation after breast augmentation, pain and swelling decrease. The patient experiences hypersensitivity to touch and numbness in the chest. These reactions go away over time, but may become permanent. During the first menstruation, pain appears in the breast area. In this case, the plastic surgeon prescribes analgesics to relieve pain. After 9 months of rehabilitation, the stitches heal completely, the scars soften, and swelling goes away. The mammary gland becomes softer.
The shape of the breast may change depending on hormonal levels, pregnancy, and weight changes. All plastic surgeons warn about this before performing mammoplasty. In the first year, you should not sunbathe in the sun, as the seams may weaken under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. High temperature leads to inflammatory changes in the gland tissue.
Sports after breast surgery
Most patients are interested in how long it will take to exercise. During the normal course of the recovery period, training in the gym can begin after 4 weeks, after consulting with your doctor. Sports activities begin with small loads, gradually increasing them.
Complications after mammoplasty
Complicated course of the postoperative period can occur if the recommendations of the plastic surgeon are violated, as well as due to the physiological characteristics of the woman’s body. The main complications include: swelling, pain, scars, capsular contracture.
Severe swelling
Swelling is considered a normal manifestation after surgery. A deviation from this conventional norm is severe swelling that does not subside for a long time. The following will help eliminate these manifestations: limiting salt intake, regular walking, and increasing the amount of fluid you drink. It's better to drink water. You should limit your consumption of coffee and tea; they cause extreme thirst as they have a diuretic effect. Excess salt contributes to water retention in the body.
Pain syndrome
Pain is a common symptom during rehabilitation after mammoplasty. The pain threshold for all women is different. In women who have given birth, it is higher, so they rate the intensity of the pain syndrome as average. In patients who do not have children, the pain threshold is low, the pain is much stronger. In this case, the plastic surgeon prescribes painkillers (ibuprofen, paracetamol, Tylenol) every 4-6 hours. Analgesics are indicated 1-2 days after surgery.
Visualization and inflammation of scars
When performing mammoplasty, the surgeon makes incisions in the area of the areola and the natural fold under the breast. Subsequently, scars form. To reduce their visualization, it is necessary to follow the doctor’s recommendations and promptly report the inflammatory process at the site of the sutures. Sometimes scars can become swollen and inflamed. Hyperemia (redness) persists for 3 months. After 6-7 months of the rehabilitation period, the scars become white and become less noticeable.
Contracture of the implant capsule
During recovery after mammoplasty, a capsule of fatty tissue is formed. With contracture, uniform compression of the implant occurs. The breast becomes hard. This complication is treated surgically. Repeated contracture of the capsule rarely develops.
Pharmacological drugs and bandage refusal
To improve the general condition after surgery, a woman can use medications. In order for the rehabilitation period to go well and quickly, you need to consult a doctor about choosing a bra.
Drug therapy
The rehabilitation period after breast augmentation will require the use of pharmacological agents to alleviate its course. The plastic surgeon will prescribe a course of antibiotic therapy to prevent infection. If necessary, you can use anti-inflammatory hormonal ointments and creams.
At the beginning of the recovery period, you will need painkillers in tablet form, as well as creams. When scars form, the doctor will prescribe an ointment that speeds up their healing. An example of such a drug is Contractubex. When using it, the scars will become less noticeable.
Switching to regular underwear
During rehabilitation after breast enlargement, a woman can switch to a regular bra only on the recommendation of her doctor. Early refusal of a bandage and corrective underwear leads to complications in the form of contractures of the implant capsule and its upward displacement. Doctors recommend wearing special bandages for about 7 months.
Linen requirements:
- cups follow the shape of the breasts;
- the bones do not squeeze or rub;
- natural hypoallergenic fabric material;
- the straps are thick;
- no tight seams.
Compliance with these simple requirements will help you complete your recovery after surgery safely.
Conclusion
Rehabilitation after mammoplasty occurs without complications if all recommendations of the plastic surgeon are followed. If there is the slightest change in the body (suppuration of sutures, fever, severe chest pain), immediately notify the doctor. To avoid a complicated course of the recovery period, you should not remove compression garments early, drive a car or rush into sports. Walking in the fresh air and a balanced diet will help your body. A successful outcome of rehabilitation depends not only on the doctor, but also on the positive attitude of the woman herself.
Only when faced with the limitations of the rehabilitation period do we notice how many habitual movements the upper half of the body and arms are actively involved in. Only during the first examination, many women ask: how long and why can’t you raise your arms after mammoplasty? When can you drive? do household chores? etc. In the first days, every movement is painful, and such questions are natural. Before surgery, patients are usually only concerned about whether there will be noticeable scarring.
The speed and correctness of tissue healing directly depends on how carefully you follow medical recommendations.
The load on the muscles of the arms and chest should be increased very slowly, otherwise scarring and the formation of a capsule around the implant can be rough:
- You can drive a car on day 7 if the steering wheel is equipped with power steering. Some women start driving as early as day 5, but this rarely happens.
- Doing feasible household chores is allowed after about 14 days. Lifting weights over 3 kg and work that requires bending the body forward are not allowed.
- When you can raise your arms after, the doctor decides. Typically this ban lasts for about 2 weeks. In case of emergency you need to pick up a child or pet, do it correctly. Sit down, keep your back as straight as possible, wrap your arms around your baby and slowly rise up.
- If you are used to actively playing sports, you can return to exercise after 1 month. Mandatory conditions: wearing compression garments, avoiding sudden movements and strength exercises on the muscles of the chest and arms, and gradually increasing the duration of the workout.
- Intimacy should also be postponed for about a month. The fact is that during sexual arousal, blood rushes to the breasts: pain and swelling may intensify.
- Wear compression garments constantly to ensure the tissue heals properly and quickly. You can take it off at night only in the second month after surgery.
So why can’t you raise your arms after breast surgery?
Firstly, you will already experience quite a lot of pain with any movement during the first month. Secondly, the implants may move out of the correct position, and the effect of the operation will be reduced to zero. Thirdly, there is a high risk of suture dehiscence and the formation of rough keloid scars.
Mammoplasty is an operation to change the shape, contours and volume of the breast. It allows you to change the appearance of your bust for the better. But during the rehabilitation period, many are faced with a number of problems and questions that they had not previously thought about. As a result, such ignorance can lead not only to complications after surgery, but also to a decrease and damage to the achieved aesthetic effect. So, let's look at the most common questions in the “When can you” style.
When can you sleep on your side and stomach after mammoplasty?
For the first time after surgery, you should sleep exclusively on your back. This applies to two weeks after surgery. After two weeks, you can try sleeping on your side. But it is worth considering that this must be done in compression garments, which will prevent muscle overstrain or displacement of the implants.
If pain appears after sleep, then you need to wait a little longer with this pose. If the night went well, then after a month you can try sleeping on your stomach. In general, you should sleep on your back until the wound heals and swelling subsides.
The video below will tell you how to behave after mammoplasty surgery:
When can you have sex
Having sex will have to be postponed for a month after the operation. Any sudden movements, even in the most passive positions, can lead to a lot of complications. Therefore, until the fabrics tighten, you should refrain from such actions. The same applies to any kind of contact with the breast.
It is important to understand that during sex not only enormous tension arises, but also hormone levels fluctuate. The latter affect the body as a whole and blood vessels in particular, which can provoke a number of undesirable effects, including hematomas. And muscle tension can affect the displacement of implants.
When can you raise your hands?
For the first week, raising your arms up is strictly prohibited. This is explained by the fact that the seams may come apart. When the stitches are removed, such activity becomes possible, unless there is an additional load of more than 1.5 kg. Ideally, it is better for the first month not to engage in any type of activity that requires constantly raising your hands up.
When can you walk
You can walk after the operation on the second day, but little by little. Please note that long walks and any exercise will be prohibited. It is better to get out of bed gradually. The first time you try to just sit.
3-4 days after the operation, the patient can go home, but it will not be possible to lead a normal lifestyle right away. During the first week, even despite taking a break from work, you should still get up and walk periodically to get used to the new sensations and reduce swelling in the chest area.
When can you drink alcohol?
Alcohol, like cigarettes, is postponed for at least a month. They impair healing processes. If cigarettes constrict blood vessels, then alcohol dilates them.
In any case, the effect will be negative and will affect the process of tightening the seams. Therefore, you should not decide on such an operation before the holidays if you are not sure that you will be able not to drink or smoke all this time.
Solarium and tanning after mammoplasty
Solarium and tanning are quite aggressive procedures that, in addition to the aesthetic effect, also affect the skin, and not from the best side. Accordingly, in the first month it is strictly prohibited to use such “benefits of civilization” so as not to cause complications.
It is also worth noting that overheating and exposure to ultraviolet radiation on injured tissue can develop the degeneration of healthy cells into malignant ones, that is, into a tumor. Therefore, it is better to eliminate risks, especially if there is a hereditary predisposition to cancer.
How long after breast augmentation surgery can I buy new underwear? The answer is in this video:
Sports and fitness
Sports should also be postponed for at least a month. But this is due to the fact that during the period of tissue healing and implant survival, the structure of the new breast is still unstable. Any overexertion can lead to injury and displacement of the implanted capsule. Therefore, it is important to respect this restriction.
Later, you can start exercising, but slowly increasing the intensity. At first, training is carried out without weights and for a short time. Loads on the pectoral muscles should not be present or be very minimal. Gradually the list of chest exercises is increasing. As you get used to it, two months after the operation you can start exercising with weights (no more than 1.5 kg).
Bathhouse and similar events
Baths and saunas are procedures that can cause vasodilation. Strictly speaking, this is their direct purpose, which allows you to cleanse the body of waste and toxins through the skin. But such exposure after mammoplasty is prohibited, since pressure changes in the operated areas can lead to a number of negative consequences - from hematomas to bleeding. Therefore, for the first month you must refrain from any type of steaming, including in your own bath.
When can you get pregnant
You can think about pregnancy after mammoplasty only a year after the operation. During this time, you can do a great job planning your pregnancy, take a course of vitamins, prepare your body, which will benefit your breasts. It is worth noting that having a breast implant, contrary to urban myths, does not prevent you from breastfeeding your baby.
If pregnancy occurs earlier than the specified period, then this is not considered something terrible. In general, during the period of bearing a child, the breasts will completely heal and recover, but it is necessary to wear compression garments. In this case, it will not affect the shape of the breasts during pregnancy.
When can you drive?
It is not recommended to drive for the first 2-4 weeks. This is due to the fact that the hands must be held at shoulder level for a long time, which can negatively affect the woman’s condition and cause unpleasant symptoms in the form of pain. Therefore, in the first month you should not overstrain your pectoral muscles.
When can you bathe and wash?
You can wash yourself a day after the operation. In this case, you should avoid the chest area and seams. The place where the incision was made must be carefully protected from getting wet. At the same time, it is still important to maintain hygiene. In this case, it is recommended:
- Wipe the area with seams with sterile wipes;
- Then treat with antiseptics (peroxide, furatsilin, chlorhexidine, alcohol, miramistin, fucarcin, etc.);
- Then apply a bandage or silicone patches that hold the edges.
You can take a bath only after the wound has completely healed. It is important to remember that steaming for the first month is strictly prohibited.
When can I go to work?
If you wish, you can go back to work within a week. But this condition will be relevant if the work does not involve frequent or constant raising of hands, as well as heavy physical or emotional stress. Otherwise, it is better to refrain from such work for at least 2-4 weeks, taking sick leave.
The video below will tell you what to do with scars after mammoplasty:
Despite the fact that rehabilitation after breast augmentation takes quite a long time, the woman is discharged within a day if the operation is successful. The patient stays at home for a week or a week and a half, and on days 7-10 a consultation with a surgeon is scheduled. As a rule, the stitches are removed at this time.
Painful sensations during the recovery period after mammoplasty are normal. Their intensity is different for each woman. It depends not only on the individual pain threshold, but also on the characteristics of the operation. For example, discomfort in the postoperative period will be stronger if the implant. The pain will also be more intense if large endoprostheses are installed.
The greatest discomfort persists in the first 2-3 days after surgery. Sometimes during the rehabilitation period after mammoplasty, a woman feels like her breasts might burst. Approximately a week after surgery, severe pain goes away in most patients.
How to help: take painkillers and antibiotics. The doctor will definitely prescribe them upon discharge. If severe pain persists for more than a week, you should consult a surgeon.
- Bruises
During rehabilitation after breast enlargement, bruises almost always appear. Sometimes they are small and localized in the area of the incision, and sometimes they spread to the entire chest. There is no need to worry - all the bruises will disappear in a couple of weeks. But if fresh bruises or bleeding appear, you should consult a doctor.
- Edema
Swelling after breast augmentation is always observed, but the severity may vary. Normally, both the gland itself and the axillary area and even the abdomen can swell. Severe swelling should go away in 10-15 days, and minor swelling can last two to three months.
How to help: wear compression garments, monitor the amount of fluid consumed, and do not overheat. To reduce swelling during rehabilitation after mammoplasty, the surgeon may recommend special massage or lymphatic drainage.
Caring for seams
Despite the fact that the incisions for installing the implant are made in hard-to-see places, the scar can still ruin the picture. To prevent this from happening, during rehabilitation after breast surgery you need to pay attention to caring for the sutures.
Because the tissue is under increased tension, a wide scar may be left. A special patch helps make the scar thin - one-piece (for example, Meliform) or in the form of separate strips. Wearing compression garments, which should be used for at least a month, also helps to reduce the seam.
To make the incision site less noticeable, you can gently rub Contractubex or another cream with a similar effect. But you need to wait until the scar is completely healed: it should become light and soft. If you start using the cream too early, the seam will stretch and become rough and wide.
Physical activity
The recovery period after mammoplasty should take place in complete rest. It is forbidden to sleep on your stomach, bend over, make sudden movements with your arms and lift them above your shoulders. For the first week, you should not lift weights exceeding 3 kg.
On the 7-10th day of rehabilitation after breast augmentation, you can begin to do light housework, but the ban on bending over and lifting heavy objects remains. Doctors do not recommend driving for the first two weeks after mammoplasty.
Sports activities during the rehabilitation period should be excluded for at least a month. If you start putting stress on the pectoral muscle prematurely, the recovery time will increase and the implant may move. You will also have to stop having sex for a month.