Generally speaking, you shouldn't consider going braless for at least six weeks after breast augmentation. Your breasts need to be thoroughly supported during this time to ensure optimal healing. After six weeks, you may occasionally go braless, but try to keep this to special occasions, and don't make it a habit.
In general, most women are able to wear bras within 4-6 weeks of their procedure, depending on the type of implant used. However, our plastic surgeons recommend waiting to buy new bras until three months after surgery.
Generally, you should wait at least six weeks before you switch to regular bras again. Don't underestimate your compression bra. It's not sexy, but it works to keep your breasts in place as you heal, helping speed the recovery process as well as ensure your results are the most natural-looking they can be.
During recovery after breast lift and augmentation, patients will need to wear a supportive medical-grade bra for the first several weeks. This helps to minimize swelling after breast augmentation, promote proper healing, and keep patients comfortable.
Typically, most patients will be required to wear a compression bra during their initial part of recovery (two weeks after surgery). At that point, you can switch to a compression sports bra but make sure to avoid anything with an underwire. This can be worn for another two weeks, day and night.
One should really wait at least 6 months prior to assess the final size and shape of the breasts after undergoing your procedure.
Sports bra is fine for most of the patients. However if you are going for a big size augmentation, a surgical bra is recommended as it gives you lateral support on the breasts. So you don't want the breast implants to pop up laterally, that's why the surgical bras are better.
You can shave and use deodorant after 1 week if your incisions have no open areas. For pain, take prescribed pain medication, Tylenol®, or ibuprofen every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
In most cases, patients continue sleeping on their back for at least 2 – 4 weeks after breast lift surgery to minimize discomfort. Some patients are able to resume side-sleeping comfortably after 1 – 2 weeks, though stomach-sleeping may remain uncomfortable or painful for much longer.
After your breast implants with lift cosmetic surgery, you should take plenty of rest and stay home for the first week to allow for safe healing. From the third day of your surgery, you can perform light activities at home and take short walks to promote your blood flow in order to aid faster healing.
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.
Can I sleep on my side with implants? The sleeping position used after breast augmentation is essential to the healing process. After a few days, the swelling and bruising will start to dissipate, but for the first 4 – 6 weeks after surgery, you must sleep on your back.
Don't: Start Vigorous Exercise without Doctor Approval
Avoid any strenuous activity, including heavy lifting or bending, until Dr. Krau has cleared you. This could be up to four weeks after surgery. Sex should be avoided for one to two weeks.
With fresh implants, I advise no lifting and keeping the arms below the shoulder for two weeks or less. After that, your arms can then be raised. And for 3 months I recommend no lifting at all at minimum of any more than 10 pounds.
Once you've had the breast implants removed, your breasts will initially look deflated. It can take two to three weeks for the breasts to regain their volume. If you've had a breast lift after the breast implants have been removed, your breasts will not have a 'caved in' appearance.
Essentially, you'll need to sleep in an elevated position after breast augmentation surgery for at least one to two months (around six weeks for the majority of patients). The reason is that this position helps to reduce swelling, largely by taking the pressure off the incision areas and the implants themselves.
This could put pressure on the implant or your incisions as you heal, which may affect your results. My patients can typically return to side sleeping (while wearing a supportive bra) within 2 weeks. Sleeping on your stomach is an absolute no-no until you get the green light from your surgeon.
At about three weeks you will notice almost all the bruising is gone and a lot of the swelling has subsided. Your incisions may look pink or brown and they might still feel tender and firm to touch. With your doctor's okay, you can start doing more activities at this point.
Your breast implants may appear to be bigger or fuller once they've dropped to a lower, more natural-looking position on your chest and "fluffed" into a rounder and softer shape. Changes in the size or shape of your new breasts after augmentation can also occur as swelling and tightness subside.
Implants have their risks, so do your research.
Over 10% of patients reportedly experience capsular contraction, a hardening of the breast caused by shrinking scar tissue around the implant. It's possible to develop an infection, which could happen days, years, or even decades after the procedure.
It's crucial to avoid beer, wine, and liquor for at least 24 hours after surgery, and while you're taking prescription pain medicine. The standard recommendation is to abstain from drinking alcohol two weeks before and two weeks after a procedure to prevent any unwanted side effects.
When you lift something over 10lbs you can run the risk of disrupting the placement of your implant. While that might not sound awful it is actually very serious and may require a trip back to the operating room. That sets you back to square one on your restrictions. Talk with your surgeon in depth about these risks.
Proper Breast Massage Technique
Gently squeezing the breast, encourage the implant upward, towards the collarbone, hold for a few seconds and release. Using the same hand, place fingertips near the armpit and gently press the implant towards your sternum, hold for a few seconds and release.
Over time, this scar tissue could harden around the breasts and change the appearance or feel of your implants. Massaging the breasts is designed to encourage blood flow in the area. A breast implant massage can reduce the amount of scar tissue and allow the implants to stay soft and flexible.