Breast Augmentation (Breast Implants) Guides

Breast Implant Recovery 

Following your surgery, you will wake up with surgical dressing wrapped around your chest, and you’ll feel a bit groggy. Now what? To ensure the best recovery, it’s important to communicate regularly with your cosmetic surgeon or board-certified plastic surgeon following your surgery. In some cases, different breast implant procedures require different healing processes, so be aware of these possible disparities.

How You Will Feel After Breast Augmentation

For the first 48 hours after the procedure, your breasts are usually swollen, firm and sore.  Breast augmentation is performed using general anesthesia, so you can expect to feel groggy and tired during this period. Your cosmetic or board-certified plastic surgeon will prescribe medication to lessen the pain from these effects. Your chest will continue to feel sore for one to two weeks after the surgery.  As your natural breast tissue adjusts to the new implants, you may notice swelling, bruising, redness and tenderness.  

How You Will Look After Breast Augmentation

Right after surgery, your breasts will be firm and will sit high up on your chest.  As the days and weeks pass, they will soften and drop to give a more natural look. Here are some breast implant tips for achieving the best results.  

Tips for reducing swelling are:

• Staying hydrated
• Cutting back on salt
• Gettin• Using ice packs 
• Sleeping upright Your chest will be wrapped in surgical dressings for several weeks post surgery.g plenty of rest
• Gently massaging the chest
• Avoid taking any over-the-counter medications that can prolong swelling (Discuss this with your cosmetic or board-certified plastic surgeon)

You might also want to wear a surgical bra or compression garment to support the implants in their new position and to help with healing.  Your incisions will begin to heal and scars will form.  At first they may be red but will lighten to nearly invisible in most cases.

How to Take Care of Yourself After Breast Augmentation

You can plan on going back to work and easing back into your daily routine between one and two weeks post surgery, but the final call lies with your cosmetic or board-certified plastic surgeon. To get the best breast augmentation results, strenuous work and exercise must be avoided for the first month.  It is important to restrict movements that involve reaching over your head or bending over. This can make an otherwise simple task of washing your hair relatively difficult.  On this note, showering post breast augmentation should not be done until your incisions are closed and your sutures have been removed.  Sleeping can also be difficult post surgery and you will likely be advised to sleep with your head elevated and on your back to reduce swelling.

Pain Medication for Breast Augmentation