Taking care of yourself after a surgery is essential to proper healing and the success of the procedure. While you should consult with your own surgeon regarding medical advice, the information below can give you a general idea on what to expect regarding recovery and exercise restrictions following a breast augmentation.
Bryan Forley
Dr. Bryan Forley, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a board-certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in NYC.
Avoid Exercise for Two Weeks
There are several stages involved in the recovery after a breast augmentation. The initial period of post-operative swelling of the breast and surrounding tissue of the chest wall will subside within 10 to 14 days. This will be followed by a gradual resolution of the remaining swelling of the breast and pectoralis major muscle (when submuscular implants are used) that may initially appear as excessive convexity of the upper pole of the breast. In addition, the implants will drop to the lower part of the pocket during the first three to six months after the surgery.
Strenuous exercise, lifting, or excessive physical activity other than walking should be avoided for at least the first two weeks following surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding or increased swelling. Light stretching can be performed as tolerated. Aerobic activity such as running of moderate intensity and light strength training of the lower body can be resumed at two weeks, followed by upper body exercise and more strenuous aerobic type workouts resuming around four to six weeks.
Quick Recovery Increases Augmentation Popularity
Breast augmentation continues to be one of the hottest procedures in plastic surgery, and one of the big reasons is how quick the recovery can be. Most plastic surgeons have rapid recovery programs, and with the help of that, most patients can be back to work relatively soon. A majority of patients that have desk jobs can go back to work within five to seven days. Patients that work from home can be back to work typically within three days.
Patients usually can start some light exercise in about two weeks, but we would like patients to avoid doing any type of chest exercise or extreme workouts for about a month after they have completely healed from the breast augmentation. About two or three months after the procedure, most patients can return to all normal daily activities and exercises. Getting back to these activities so soon after surgery is one of the reasons breast augmentations are so popular.
Johnny Franco
Johnny Franco, MD of Austin Plastic Surgeon.
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