Breast augmentation cosmetic surgery is a major procedure requiring a significant recovery period. Women considering this procedure should know how much downtime it will involve and schedule their surgery accordingly. The patient should be committed to following the surgeon’s post-operative guidelines to ensure a safe and comfortable recovery.
The surgeon will offer detailed information regarding the recovery process during the initial consultation. The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS), led by board certified plastic surgeons, provides breast augmentation surgery to patients in Houston, Texas, TX, and surrounding communities in the fantastic Lone Star State.
Estimated Post-Op Downtime
The post-operative downtime may vary between patients following a breast augmentation plastic surgery. However, a majority of breast augmentation patients can go back to their routine within one week.
While the patient may resume work in a week to ten days, she must not engage in excessive physical movement or rigorous activities for another two to three weeks. If the patient has a job that is more physically intensive, she may have to resume work after an additional week of recovery.
The surgeon will encourage the patient to take short walks at home in the initial week to maintain blood circulation in the treated sites.
However, the patient should otherwise take adequate rest and stay within their home during this duration. She should also avoid lifting heavy weights, and not strain or bend at the incisions until sufficient healing occurs. After the drains and sutures are taken out, most women can resume their normal routine.
Initial Recovery
During the initial week, the patient should plan to take leave from work and preferably enlist someone to assist her at home. The patient can take a shower, taking off the compression garment and washing the breasts gently, in about two days after the surgery.
The patient should visit the surgeon’s practice after the first week so that they can evaluate the breasts and remove the drains, in case they are not accumulating much fluid. Dependent on the patient’s healing the surgeon will remove the sutures after approximately ten days post-surgery.
Overall Recovery
If the surgeon places the implants above the pectoral muscle rather than below it, the recovery period will be comparatively shorter. While inflammation and bruising will be more pronounced in the initial week, it will gradually start to fade away from the second week. The surgeon may prescribe pain medication for the first few days after the procedure to ensure that the patient remains comfortable.
Inflammation will subside slowly over the next several weeks. The whole outcome of the breast implant surgery will be apparent after the swelling has been resolved. Patients who follow the surgeon’s guidelines correctly will usually enjoy a safer and more comfortable recovery.
Assistance in the Initial Week
Several women experience slight discomfort and tiredness during the first week of the surgery. The patient should consider enlisting someone to stay at their home for assistance with household work for the initial two or three days, especially if she has small children. Otherwise, she may employ a professional nurse for this duration.
The patient should have a responsible person to drive her home after the surgery. Kind cosmetic surgeons at ACPS receive patients from Houston, Texas, TX, and other suburbs and neighborhoods in this glorious part of the country for breast augmentation surgery.
For more information about The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS) physicians and the cosmetic surgery treatments and procedures they perform please click here or call us at 713.799.9999. We have offices in and around Houston, Texas.