Breast augmentation mammoplasty is an invasive procedure that requires patients to follow post-operative instructions, which can help avoid post-operative complications after breast surgery. Breast augmentation mammoplasty recovery can sometimes be overwhelming for some patients. It is important for patients to remember and understand all aspects of the instructions provided by their surgeon. Often, patients can get lost in a sea of paperwork when trying to keep on top of their meds, sleep in the right position, engage in the right physical activities, and take the right precautions in everyday activities. This blog post aims to summarise and simplify the post-op instructions for patients undergoing breast augmentation mammoplasty in Brisbane, by providing one clear, helpful resource.

As you will likely hear from many sources, including breast augmentation mammoplasty surgeons such as Dr. Phil Richardson, (Brisbane Plastic Surgeon) it takes around 6 weeks to fully recover from breast augmentation mammoplasty surgery. Full recovery refers to complete mobility and freedom to return to all of life’s activities. This includes the gym, swimming, and any other physical activities you desire. There are a number of important milestones throughout your breast augmentation mammoplasty recovery. We will discuss day 1 to week 6 and beyond. The most important thing to understand is that your breasts will change dramatically over this time. For the first 6 weeks they may look strange, boxy, small, asymmetrical, and not what you desired.

This is the settling process. You should prepare yourself mentally for this period, and avoid judging your results until the 6 week mark. In fact, your breasts will continue settling and improving for months to come. You should trust the process, and avoid analysing your results before this time. 

WEEK 1 POST-OP 

The first day after surgery is an important part of breast augmentation mammoplasty recovery in Brisbane. Directly following surgery, patients must have someone accompany them home. This person should stay with them for the first 24 hours post-operatively. It’s important that patients have assistance and monitoring during this time as the general anaesthetic begins to wear off and the patient acclimatises to their levels of pain and mobility, and adjusts to their medication schedule. Here at Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we provide patients with a post-operative bag containing all the essentials for recovery. This bag includes medications including antibiotics, panadol, laxatives, and a script for strong pain relief.

It is important that patients only take the medications approved by Dr. Richardson, as other medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen can increase the risk of bleeding and should not be taken. The post-op bag also includes your surgical tape, bio oil, and a detailed post-op booklet to ensure you understand all your instructions thoroughly. This booklet is especially helpful for remembering the recommended medication schedule and managing pain after breast augmentation mammoplasty. 

For the first 1-2 days after surgery, patients must apply soft ice packs or frozen peas to the top of the breasts to minimise swelling and bleeding inside the breasts. 20 minutes out of each hour during the day should be sufficient for the first 48 hours. Here at Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, our clinic nurses will call each breast augmentation mammoplasty patient the day following their surgery to check in, ensure they are on top of their antibiotics, and remind them of any other aspects of recovery. The nurse will then book you in for your post-op appointment that will fall between the 5th – 7th day post-op. 

SHOWERING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY

How do you shower during breast augmentation mammoplasty recovery? When patients return home from surgery, they will have small dressings on the wound site under the soft bra. These must be kept dry until the post-op appointment (5-7 days post-op). The clinic removes the dressings at the post-op appointment. Patients should opt for a detachable shower head to bathe the lower half of their body for the first week. They may use a sponge or wet wipes to clean their top half—avoiding the dressing area. After the first post-op appointment the nurses remove the dressings and patients can shower normally.

SLEEPING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY

Once you are home, the most important thing for recovery is to rest. You may have heard that sleeping after breast augmentation mammoplasty can be uncomfortable. You are required to sleep elevated on 2-3 pillows for the first week to reduce swelling. From the experience of Dr. Richardson’s breast surgery patients, the best sleeping set-up involves elevating your upper body with a wedge pillow, or a couch cushion which supports the whole back, neck and head, as opposed to a stack of pillows that only elevates the head and shoulders. Having additional  pillows to rest your head and support your neck further can help alleviate discomfort. The key is to produce a steady incline by supporting the back as well as the shoulders and head.

COMPRESSION STOCKINGS AND BLOOD FLOW

When you leave the hospital, you will have your compression stockings still on from the surgery. Patients must wear the stockings for a minimum of 4 days. Patients should make a conscious effort to stand up every hour during the day. They should continue moving their legs and feet while resting to keep up blood flow. The rationale behind the compression stockings and consistent movement is to prevent the development of a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), or blood clot. The risk of blood clots following breast augmentation mammoplasty surgery are relatively low (but can be high for some patients with a history of clotting). It is still incredibly important for every patient to keep their compression garments on and promote blood flow consistently.

LIFTING KIDS/HOUSEHOLD CHORES

A common concern for mothers is there is “no lifting” for 6 weeks following surgery. For mothers, we recommend trying your very best to organise help with the kids during this time. If you do need to pick up your child, try to do so from a sitting position. Patients may be relieved to hear they should refrain from household chores such as making the beds, hanging washing, packing the dishwasher, gardening etc. for 2-3 weeks. It’s recommended that you try and get everything in order pre-operatively. Bring any commonly used utensils or objects to countertop level. Do your major washing and bedding, and set up the house in a way that is low maintenance and convenient for you. This will make a world of difference in the first few weeks after you’re surgery.

2-6 WEEKS POST-OP

DRIVING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY

Patients should avoid driving for the first week following breast surgery in Brisbane, due to the reduced mobility of the upper body as well as the effect of pain killers on awareness. After pain killers have been ceased, patients are fine to return to driving. They should proceed with caution and ensure that it is comfortable for them to do so and does not involve any strain. 

SWIMMING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY

After 2 weeks, swimming in the pool or ocean is permitted. It’s important to understand that you should not do anything strenuous or strain the upper body. You can wade in the ocean or pool, but don’t take it as an opportunity to swim laps or exert yourself as this can have serious complications. 

THE COMPRESSION BRA

At your first post-op appointment—one week after your surgery—the nurse will fit you with a compression bra. The compression bra is so important for the first 6 weeks of recovery. It ensures the breast implants are healing correctly and that scar tissue is forming. It’s recommended that the compression bra be worn as close to 24/7 as possible. Wearing supportive bras will become the new norm for many patients, particularly when exercising. Failing to wear a supportive bra when engaging in dynamic activities can cause significant strain on the lower-pole of the breast. This can result in displacement of implants. In some patients that are more prone to implant displacement, it’s important to wear a supportive bra as often as possible to maintain the longevity of results.

INCISIONS

At your first post-op appointment you will also have micropore tape placed on the scars at your incision site. This is to ensure proper healing of the site and help flatten the scar in the first 6 weeks. This tape is to be changed weekly for the 6 weeks. The tape should be removed, cleaned in the shower, pat dry, and replaced with fresh tape directly after. 

6 WEEKS POST-OP AND BEYOND | BREAST AUGMENTATION RECOVERY MAMMOPLASTY

After the 6 week mark, patients are typically cleared to engage in any activities they wish. Patients are advised to proceed with caution when it comes to any high intensity activities. They can do this by wearing a very supportive bra to reduce impact on the lower pole of the breast. Patients with weaker skin integrity are strongly advised to wear their compression bra as often as possible. To treat scarring, patients should begin the use of the provided bio oil, rubbing this into the scars twice a day for 3 or more months. Additional scar therapy such as silicone gel, silicone tape, and LED light therapy may be advised to soften the appearance of the scars, and is available for purchase from the Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery clinic. 

EXERCISING AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY RECOVERY

After the 6 week mark, patients can typically resume all gym activities freely. Patients should wear very supportive sports bras when exercising. If chest exercises can be avoided, this is generally recommended. The rationale behind this is that consistent use of the pectoral muscles can distort the appearance of the implant. Unless you have your heart set on training chest, it’s generally best to avoid this muscle group. 

BREAST IMPLANT REVIEWS

Here at Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we offer a life-time follow-up guarantee to patients who have had cosmetic breast surgery with Dr. Richardson, (Plastic Surgeon in Brisbane) and for any patients who have had surgery elsewhere and require a review. Dr. Richardson advises his breast augmentation mammoplasty patients to have yearly review at our BRAS clinic, which is entirely bulk billed with no out-of-pocket costs. This review involves a physical check and routine ultrasound to check the integrity of the breast implants. This is a pivotal aspect of long term maintenance and breast implant health. 

TO CONCLUDE… 

Breast augmentation mammoplasty recovery has many aspects. This blog post has aimed to provide a comprehensive resource to answer most of the commonly asked questions regarding recovery. If you have any questions regarding the process of recovery after breast implants in Brisbane, contact our rooms today and our lovely reception team will answer any questions you might have!