Recovery from Breast Reductions
As with many surgeries, the overall recovery time from breast reduction surgery can depend on your overall health before and after the procedure. If you are in generally good health the recovery time will be proportionally quicker. With around one to three nights in hospital in most cases a lot of people are able to return to more physical activity within two to six weeks depending on the job at hand (more physical jobs may require a longer time to recover first). This could also depend on the stitching you have in place (between dissolvable and those that will need to be removed at an outpatient clinic). Discussing the options with your surgeon is advised in determining when you feel would be the best time to return to your daily routine.
Upon waking from breast reduction surgery, you will find that your breasts are bandaged up and that plastic tubes will be attached to them to drain away blood. In some cases, a lot of bleeding occurs and as a result a blood transfusion can be required. These tubes will stay in place for around one to three days and it is when these are removed that you will be able to return home. There is likely to be some pain in the breasts for some time but if you visit your GP, they might be able to prescribe something for that. As with breast augmentation surgery, when you are home you will need to make sure your breasts are well supported with the use of a sports bra. Your surgeon is likely to advise this to remain in place for twenty four hours a day for as long as they think is appropriate. You should be able to remove the dressing when the wounds have healed and clearly the timeframe of this depends on how fast the healing is taking place. During this recovery period, you should not do any stretching, vigorous exercise or heavy lifting.
In terms of scarring, there are some you should be aware of, including scarring around the areola, from the nipple to the crease under the breast and another from the breast bone to the armpit.
For more information concerning recovery times attributed to breast reduction procedures, you can feel free to visit any of our partner Cosmetic Surgery Consultants’ sites. |
