Breast Augmentation Recovery Process, Tips, and Timeline

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

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.

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.

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.

Tips for Minimizing Bruising During Breast Implant Recovery

At Modern Surgical Arts of Denver, we believe in a holistic approach to healing. Our patients benefit from starting a high protein diet 2 weeks prior to their surgical procedure. By combining organic herbal supplements both pre and post operative, our patients benefit from reduction in bruising and swelling during their course of healing. Although, it is normal for bruising to occur around the implant area following surgery, minimizing the swelling will increase healing time and ultimately reduce post operative pain. Organic supplements can help to reduce the amount and extent of bruising. Arnica, bromelain, and VitaMedica Recovery Packs are proven to reduce bruising following breast augmentation surgery. Other tips to minimize bruising in the first two weeks of recovery include…

• Wear a compression, sports, or post-op bra
• Do not lift anything heavy
• Stay well hydrated
• Sleep upright
• Refrain from strenuous activity

The best way to ensure the results you desire from breast augmentation surgery is to take care of yourself during recovery. Please rely on your surgical team to assess how you are healing and let you know when it is safe to increase your physical activity. Contact Modern Surgical Arts to schedule a consultation and discuss with Drs. Dastoury or Zwiebel your breast augmentation recovery.