Recovering from Breast Lift Surgery
By David Reid | Published on December 1, 2009 | 0 Comments
A graduate of the University of North Carolina and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Dr. David Reid is a cosmetic surgeon in practice at New Dimensions Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery in Belleville, Illinois. Since 1995, he has been in private practice as a plastic surgeon. Here, he explains what the process of recovering from a breast lift operation is like.
When many women are thinking about undergoing a breast lift operation, one of the biggest things they want to know more about is what the recovery process will be like: How long will they be off their feet? How long will it be before they can go back to work? And how well will their scars be hidden?
If the specific procedure we are doing on a patient is simply a breast lift by itself—as opposed to a breast lift coupled together with various other procedures such as implants or reconstruction—then it is really common that I am able to easily hide the breast lift scar in a place that will be covered by a bikini or lingerie.
A breast lift by itself is essentially a type of skin-tightening procedure, which means that you can expect that you will need to take at least a week off of work after your surgery. That figure depends on what type of work you, obviously. But the general figure I give most women who work in desk jobs is that they need to take at least one week off before they can go back to work full time.
Even once a post-operative patient goes back to work, though, there are still things that she should not do for a while. I advise most patients to wait at least two weeks before getting in a bathtub or a pool, for example, because that could irritate the scars on a patient’s breasts.
Women should probably wait even longer before working out or exercising vigorously, as well. For women who plan on going back to just a mild exercise regimen, I would say that waiting five to seven weeks is average. Doing too much before then could lead to trouble, which is why it is important that patients follow the advice of their plastic surgeons closely.
Other factors will determine how long a woman should wait after her surgery before returning to her normal lifestyle, as well, such as what type of procedure was used and what preexisting health issues or conditions she may have had. Since there is more than one way to perform a breast lift operation, there are obviously many different recovery times what women can expect to hear about from their surgeons.
Overall, there is so much variability in what the recovery period is like for patients that each individual should really follow the specific recommendations of her plastic surgeon closely. Although the above figures are all averages for the amount of time it takes women to recover from a breast lift operation, only your personal surgeon will know for sure what is right in your individual situation.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
Tags: Breast lift surgery, breast lifts
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*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.