Breast augmentation is one of our most popular procedures; every office day we see women who want to reshape, resize, or recontour their breasts. Our patients report more self-confidence and improved body image postop. It’s important to us that our patients are fully educated about what to expect from their breast surgery and the recovery period.

How Long is the Recovery Period?

Every woman’s body is unique, so each recovery period differs. Typically, women can return to work within a week, depending on how demanding their job is. Most patients are fully recovered and unrestricted within 4 weeks of their surgery.

Post-Op

Breast augmentation is done as an outpatient. Immediately after waking up, you may feel groggy and sore. These effects should wear off in a few hours. You‘ll  need to have someone drive you home after the one-hour surgery and stay with you overnight.

The First Week

The first week is typically the most uncomfortable. Most women manage with Tylenol and an anti-inflammatory. A few may decide to take a stronger pain medication for the first couple of days. Plan to rest at home for the first few days, avoiding heavy lifting and any activities that get your heart rate up, as these actions can lead to bleeding.

Weeks 2-4

After resting for your first week, you’ll most likely be able to go back to work. Most women can resume light exercise such as walking after a few days. It’s still important to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity for the first 2-3 weeks.

When Will I Will Be Fully Recovered?

Part of the healing process is scheduling a follow-up appointment at our office about a week postop. We’ll assess your healing progression and tell you how to resume your normal activities. We’ll see you again about 3 weeks later and typically give you the go-ahead to resume all activity.

Full recovery typically takes about 4 weeks.

Recovery Tips

Before surgery, we’ll provide a list of postop instructions to help you have a smooth and hassle-free recovery period. We’ll also set up any prescriptions you might need so you can get them filled before surgery. On the day of surgery, you can simply go home and rest, since you’ll have everything set up at home ahead of time. Make a space in your home where you will be comfortable and have everything you need close by. Wear loose, comfortable clothing to and from the surgery as well as during recovery. We’ll provide a soft, comfortable bra and we have more color options available for sale in the office if you want to have several on hand.

Request a Consultation

To learn more about breast augmentation and the recovery period, request a consultation with us at Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you have and go over the recovery period in more detail. Give us a call at (802) 231-4284.