If you’re considering breast augmentation surgery, you’re in good company. This procedure remains the most popular cosmetic surgery in the US, with about a half-million American women enlarging their breasts surgically every year.
Board-certified surgeon, Christopher Brooks, MD, specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgeries, like breast augmentation, at Brooks Plastic Surgery in Hollywood, Florida. Dr. Brooks also knows that once your surgery is complete, you want to get back on your feet as soon as possible.
Our team put our heads together to create a list of our top tips to ensure a smooth recovery after breast augmentation surgery. Keep reading to learn what you need to know.
Dr. Brooks and the members of your care team at Brooks Plastic Surgery provide you with specific, customized instructions before and after your breast augmentation surgery. These directions ensure you have the best experience possible.
To ensure a smooth recovery, carefully follow your surgeon’s instructions. Plan to give yourself extra care after your surgery, including following instructions about rest, cleaning, and issues that may arise.
If you need help or have questions about your recovery, your care team is only a phone call away.
Chances are the last thing you want to do after breast augmentation surgery is wear an uncomfortable bra. However, it’s also medically necessary to avoid underwire bras after your procedure.
Not only can underwire bras cause pain when they press against your tender breasts, the friction from the wire against your sutures increases your risk of infection and can slow your recovery.
Talk to Dr. Brooks about the right post-op bra, but generally, sports bras or bras that provide light support without any pressure points are the best choice as your body heals. It’s best to wait until your skin fully recovers, around 10 weeks post surgery, before wearing underwire again.
Before your surgery, you’re advised to avoid alcohol and stop smoking so you’re in top shape for general anesthesia. It’s best to continue avoiding alcohol and nicotine to ensure a smooth, full recovery after your breast augmentation surgery.
This is because smoking and tobacco products slow the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to your surgical incisions. This slows healing, making your recovery take longer and increasing the risk of infection.
Alcohol also causes issues after surgery, dehydrating your body and increasing your chances of having complications, like bleeding, infections, and drug interactions. Talk to Dr. Brooks if you need help with smoking or alcohol cessation.
After your surgery, it’s important not to submerge your incisions in a bathtub (or swimming pool or hot tub). It’s best to wait until your wounds are fully healed, and you get the all-clear from your surgeon.
The water in your bath or pool introduces bacteria to your skin, and when it reaches your sutures and healing skin, these bacteria increase your risk of infection, which can lead to serious complications and slow the healing process.
Instead of taking a bath, opt for a warm shower. You’ll still enjoy the relaxing effects of the water on your sore chest muscles without the increased risk of infection.
If possible, it’s best to sleep on your back after breast augmentation surgery. This is because side sleeping or lying on your stomach before you’re fully healed can cause your implants to move.
In addition, your breasts and nipples will be tender and sore following surgery. Sleeping on your back eases this discomfort, and it allows your incisions to stay irritation-free instead of rubbing against the sheets or your nightclothes.
It’s important that in the weeks following your breast augmentation surgery, you take it easy and give your body a break. Dr. Brooks gives you specific instructions regarding exercise and lifting.
Generally, you’ll need to stay away from vigorous exercise, which can increase bleeding and cause the formation of hematomas, blood vessels that leak into your surrounding tissue. You’ll also need to avoid picking up anything that weighs over 20 pounds—including pets or children.
If you’re interested in breast augmentation surgery, schedule a consultation by calling Brooks Plastic Surgery in Hollywood, Florida.
