Breast reduction is a highly popular surgery throughout Australia. It can help reduce back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as bra-strap grooves caused by heavy breast volume. Skin chaffing and unwanted attention and comments, especially insensitive comments, are all reasons why Australian women request breast reduction surgery.
Breast Reduction Recovery
When recovering from surgery, only one night’s stay in hospital is required.
Breast Reduction Recovery Tips
Your comfort as you heal is the top priority for your specialist plastic surgeon. As a result, we have gathered together these tips for your recovery process.
1: Pain Management Strategies
Pain following a breast reduction is generally less than you expect and most patients are pleasantly surprised how little pain there is. Your surgeon will provide advanced pain management strategies. This will ensure that your recovery period is not nearly as uncomfortable as you may imagine.
2: Returning to Work
After breast reduction surgery, most patients generally need 2 weeks off work to recover. Patients with light work duties – such as office work – can return more quickly to work. However, patients with more challenging jobs, especially those that require the lifting of heavy objects, may need a longer break from work.
3: Exercising
Patients can generally return to light walking and activities within a few days of surgery. However, it is important you don’t do any lifting – including picking up children or pets – until your surgeon says you are ready. Strenuous exercise should be avoided until your surgeon also approves of your return, which is typically around the 6 weeks mark.
4: Read All Materials and Ask Questions
It is important to ask your surgeon plenty of questions during your consultations, and during your post-operative period. Read all materials given to you by your surgeon and seek any assistance you might need during recovery. It is crucial that you attend all post-operative appointments, so you and your recovery is properly monitored.
5: Health
It is important that you rest well, eat nutritiously and stop smoking during your surgical period and recovery to get the best result. Quitting smoking is especially important as smoking can make healing difficult, and impedes your health and safety before, during, and after surgery.
Further, the healthier you are before surgery, and the closer you are to your ideal weight, the better you are likely to feel during recovery. Further, it will also improve your post-operative results.
6: Lifting
It is important to avoid lifting anything heavy for several weeks, to a month after surgery. This includes pets, children and heavy objects. If your job is labour intensive, then you will need a longer break from work.
7: Driving
We advise patients to avoid driving until they are safely comfortable in the upper body so that they can react quickly at the controls of their vehicle. Plan not to drive for one to two weeks after your operation. This is important for your comfort and safety, as well as the safety of others on the road.
Scars After Breast Reduction – What is Normal?
It is important, during your recovery period, to ask your surgical team what is normal and what is not when it comes to healing incision lines, and what to expect.
Incision lines that become red, itchy, raised or warm/hot to the touch may indicate something is wrong. See your surgeon immediately if you have any concerns about your scars.
Remember to read all your post-operative instructions and follow your surgeon’s recommendations to reduce your surgery and complication risks. However, some complications can occur randomly, despite best practice care.
If you do experience a complication or infection, work closely with your surgeon to manage it.
If you would like more breast reduction recovery tips, or to book an appointment with Dr Drielsma, contact us today!