Are the size of your breasts causing you pain or discomfort? Are you thinking about a breast reduction but want to learn more about what to expect during the recovery period? Here is everything you need to know about your at-home breast reduction recovery.
For thousands of women worldwide, breast reduction surgery has been a marvellous experience that has helped them find comfort and confidence in their bodies. When performed by a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon, it is an excellent method of cosmetic surgery that could potentially boost your quality of life and revitalize your appearance. Here is how you can tell if you may be a good candidate for a breast reduction:
- You are uncomfortable with the size of your breasts
- Your breasts are disproportionate to the size of your body
- The size of your breasts causes you pain or discomfort
- Your breasts cause you to miss out on activities that you would like to do
If any of the above are relevant to you, you might be a good candidate for breast reduction surgery! Once you have decided that this is a procedure that you would like, it’s time to start thinking about the specifics, such as how your body will recover from the surgery.
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If you are interested in the possibility of a breast reduction, our team at Alberta Plastic Surgery can help you navigate the journey. At our Edmonton clinic, we have the staff and experienced plastic surgeon to make your aesthetic dreams a reality
Want to learn more about breast reductions at our clinic?
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Immediately After Your Breast Reduction
Upon completion of your breast reduction, the first thing that your plastic surgeon will do is apply bandages to the wounds and prescribe painkillers to help numb the immediate pain in the first few days of recovery. Your surgeon may recommend the use of a special type of bra to support your breasts and create an optimal healing environment for your incisions.
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What You Can Do At Home
Once you have returned home, the onus of your recovery is on you. To ensure the best recovery possible, you can follow the tips outlined in each section below.
Activity and Exercise
Following your breast reduction, the most important thing that you can do is monitor your activity and ensure you are getting enough rest. Additionally, you can follow these tips for optimal recovery:
- Avoid any strenuous activity or movements for at least two weeks after surgery.
- Avoid taking a bath or entering a pool for at least four weeks while the incisions heal.
- Walk for a little bit each day while increasing the amount of walking each day gradually.
- Slowly return to your regular exercise routine after a couple of weeks of no strenuous exercise. You should be able to fully exercise within two months of your operation.
Diet and Medicine
One of the most underappreciated aspects of proper recovery is what you put into your body. The nutrients and medicine that you put into your body will have an enormous impact on how well and quickly your body will recover. Here are some tips:
- Avoid eating any foods that may upset your stomach.
- Water is absolutely essential to your recovery; make sure you are staying hydrated.
- If your bowel movements are abnormal, don’t worry, this is a common symptom. If you need to, take a fibre supplement to improve your bowel movements.
- Your surgeon will provide specific advice on your medication instructions. Ensure that you follow them precisely.
- Ask your surgeon about the safety of all of your medications.
- If you have any concerns or questions at all, please contact your Edmonton plastic surgeon, and we will be happy to help you and provide advice.
Care for Your Body
After your breast reduction, you will likely have stitches, bandages, and dressings to take care of. Since these are out of the normal routine of our lives, it can often be challenging to know how to care for them. Here is some advice on ensuring your body and its bandages are taken care of:
- Follow your plastic surgeon’s directions on how to manage and care for your incisions.
- Avoid wearing an underwire bra for at least a month.
- If you have been told to wear a special bra, make sure you do so for the required amount of time. After this, make sure to wear comfortable, properly fitted bras.
- Wash your incisions gently with warm soapy water, and pat to dry.
- If you find that your clothing is uncomfortable when it rubs against the stitches, use some gauze to cover the sensitive areas.
- Use ice or a cold compress to reduce the immediate swelling of the affected areas.
3 BENEFITS OF BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY
Contact our Edmonton Plastic Surgery Clinic for All of Your Breast Reduction Needs
If you continue to have unanswered questions about the recovery for your breast reduction or are interested in learning more about the possibility of undergoing a breast reduction surgery, contact our plastic surgery clinic today! Give us a call at 780-407-6691 or fill in our contact form online.
FAQ’s
Q: How long does it take to completely recover from breast reduction surgery?
The exact time can vary significantly based on a number of circumstances. However, the typical total recovery period will last anywhere between two to six weeks. You will know you are fully recovered once there are no visual elements remaining, and you don’t feel any more discomfort or tightness.
Q: How painful is a breast reduction?
The actual operation itself is completely painless due to the anesthesia used during the procedure. Most of the pain you will experience will come in the first couple of days of your recovery, but this can be well-mitigated by the pain medication your surgeon will prescribe.
Q: How big do your breasts need to be to have their size reduced?
In truth, there is nothing stopping anybody with any size of breast from getting a breast reduction. However, since most breast reduction patients go down one to three sizes, it is recommended for women who desire a similar reduction amount.
