What is the recovery time for breast augmentation?

After Your Breast Augmentation Surgery a breast strap will be placed around the top part of your chest. It is placed to keep the breast implants from rising too high on the chest wall. Your incisions will be coated with tissue glue. The surgery sites will be covered with gauze and an ace bandage. Please make sure that the ace bandage is not too tight. Do not apply heat or cold to the surgery sites. Prescriptions for an antibiotic, a muscle relaxant, a pain medication, and an anti-nausea medication were given at your pre-operative visit. The muscle relaxant should be taken 6 hours after your surgical procedure and every 6 hours after that for the first 48-72 hours. The pain medications may be taken every 4-6 hours as needed. The antibiotic should be taken every 6 hours, if prescribed four times daily, or every 12 hours if prescribed twice daily. The anti-nausea medications should be taken as needed. You may remove the ace wrap, gauze and breast strap 48 hours after your surgery and shower. It is OK to get the breasts and incisions wet. After your shower, replace the breast strap around your back and underarms and across the top part of your breasts. Patients normally wear the breast strap 24/7 for 2 weeks.Do not wear a bra; camisoles and tank tops are OK. Patients may resume wearing a bra 6 weeks after surgery. Swelling and bruising are normal after surgery. Your implants will appear high, round, and firm. This is a normal early post-operative appearance. It will take 3 weeks to 3 months for the implants to settle into their final positions. You may resume your normal diet after surgery. Do not use any nicotine products for 6 weeks after surgery. Walking and stair-climbing are permitted immediately after surgery and are encouraged. You may use a treadmill, exercise bike and elliptical machine 48 hours after surgery. You may not perform cardio activities, swim, get in a pool or hot tub, or lift more than 5 pounds until 4 weeks after surgery. You may resume sexual activity 4 weeks after surgery. You are allowed to drive 24 hours after you have stopped taking your pain medication and muscle relaxant. You should be seen in the office 1 week after your surgery. Please call the office for your appointment. You will be instructed in breast implant massage techniques at your post-operative visit.

What is breast augmentation?

Breast Augmentation is performed to enhance the breast shape and size using implants filled with either silicone or saline. Both types of implants are now FDA-approved and are available in a variety of sizes. Moderate and high-profile shapes allow fuller and more projecting results. Implants may be placed either above or below the chest wall muscle and through incisions under the arm (trans-axillary), under the breast (inframammary), or around the nipple (peri-areolar) based on patient-preference. The procedure is done in an outpatient setting and takes 1 to 1 ½ hours. Temporary soreness and chest wall tightness that last 24-48 hours are the usual side-effects. Most patients are able to return to work by the third post-operative day and resume strenuous exercise after 4 weeks.