The Skinny
The Specifics
What to Expect During Breast Reduction Recovery
So, what’s it actually like to create your ideal breast aesthetic? All candidates can expect pain, swelling, and bruising following this plastic cosmetic surgery. While actual recovery time will vary depending on how invasive your procedure is and your natural healing, one to two weeks is a safe amount of time to assume you’re going to feel significantly uncomfortable and not be up to going about your usual routine.
Another factor to consider is how you recover from general anesthesia, which will most likely be a component of your procedure. Many people experience nausea, drowsiness, and disorientation in the hours following anesthesia. These side effects resolve quickly, as the sedating medications wear off, but are a part of the immediate post-surgical recovery.
The Ultimate Breast Reduction Recovery Timeline
Ok, let’s get into the nitty gritty of breast reduction recovery. We’ll start with how to utilize your pre-op time to reduce the intensity of your post surgical experience and then we’ll look at what you can expect from the first few days, weeks, and months.
It should also be noted that your surgeon should provide comprehensive pre- and post-op instructions, and you should always defer to the advice of your medical team. This is simply meant to serve as a guide.
Tips to Improve Your Breast Reduction Recovery
Now that you know more about the recovery timeline associated with breast reduction plastic surgery, we’ve got some tips to help you progress along your recovery as efficiently and effortlessly as possible. Every individual body heals at its own pace, but there certainly are universal truths that augment healing.
1. Be Mindful & Be Patient
We’re not being deliberately vague here. Your body will let you know what it needs. If you feel like taking it slow one day, do it! If you suddenly have the desire to get some fresh air, go for it (albeit you are medically cleared for it)! The mind-body connection exists and the more you respect it the easier your recovery will be. Patience rules the day, so be kind to your body and slowly ease yourself back into your routine without forcing things like your return to work or working out.
2. Eat well, sleep well, & stay hydrated
This is just good life advice, but, especially during times of increased stress on the body (think: following a major plastic surgery), the more you nourish yourself and properly rest the better. Some of the best repair hormones only get cycled through your blood while you sleep, so be like a pro-athlete during the months following your surgery and get those eight hours. Your chest (and your entire being) will thank you for it.
Additionally, eating a balanced diet free from processed foods in combination with plenty of water and taking it easy on caffeine and alcohol will naturally reduce inflammation and help lessen swelling more quickly (check out our guide to what to eat before and after cosmetic procedures). Oh, and don’t smoke. Our advice is to never smoke, but it’s particularly vital to lay off after a major surgery.
3. Elevate, Compress, and Ice
Cold compresses and a compression garment will lessen blood flow to the area and reduce the amount of fluid accumulation in and around your chest. While blood does bring all the good nutrients and healing cells, it can also leave large deposits of infection-fighting cells and other materials you don’t really need hanging around. This is why icing for periods of time (i.e. not continuously) creates the best balance of blood flow.
4. Moderate Your Activities
This probably doesn’t need to be said, but, just in case, three weeks after your breast augmentation is not the time to begin your CrossFit training regimen. Vigorous exercise makes blood pressure increase. Increased blood pressure means increased swelling. Intense exercise also naturally increases the stress hormone cortisol. While it’s great in moderation when you're healthy, it’s not ideal in the months following a major surgery.
Other activities to avoid or limit: chest presses and/or heavy lifting, sun bathing, and laying on your stomach.
Breast Reduction Side Effects & Complications
So now that we’ve thoroughly covered the days and weeks following a breast reduction procedure, let’s review what you can definitely expect versus what may or may not occur. Every breast reduction patient should expect at least one to two weeks of bruising and at least four to six weeks of swelling.While rare, more serious complications are possible. Infections of the breast tissues are a possible complication of breast reduction and can be treated with antibiotics. Permanent numbness from nerve damage, intractable pain, asymmetry, capsular contracture, and scarring are more significant complications that may require further surgical revision or be unable to be fixed.
