Every patient is different and their bodies react differently to the surgery so the recovery time can last longer or shorter.
Some patients may feel well enough to continue with their activities even before the recommended recovery time, but others may still feel discomfort long after the surgery.
After the surgery, the patient may need to spend the night at the hospital. Before going home, the patient needs to schedule a follow-up appointment with the surgeon. During this appointment, the surgeon examines the breasts to see if they are healing properly and removes the stitches if they are not dissolvable.
The surgeon might recommend wearing a postoperative bra to ease the discomfort and also sleeping on the back to reduce the swelling and the pressure on the breast.
1 to 2 days after the surgery the wounds will be sore, and swelling and bruising of the treated area is something to expect. The skin around the breasts might feel tight.
3 to 4 days after surgery, the patient may still need pain medications. Light activities can be performed like short walks- this is recommended to avoid blood clots.
It is important to keep a healthy and well-balanced diet during the recovery period. The patient should eat food that is high in proteins and low in sugar and salt. Also, the patient should drink a lot of water.
The patient should take the whole week off work and rest. Regarding exercise, after six weeks post-surgery the patient can continue with all sports and exercises.