Breast reduction surgery, like other surgical procedures, comes with down time. Your body will take time to adjust to the contours and heal the incisions that come with the surgery.
If you are considering breast reduction surgery in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or beyond, here are some top tips for a smooth, healthy breast reduction recovery.
Receive help from friends or family!
You may be in some discomfort or feel rather exhausted in the first few days after returning home from your surgery. This is completely normal, but you don’t want to over-exert yourself and risk impeding on the best results from your surgery. Make sure you have a friend or loved one to help you around the house for around 72 hours post-surgery – it will make a world of difference.
Finish your antibiotics course
Your surgeon will most likely prescribe a course of antibiotics to take post-surgery. These help keep away infections, so be sure to take the full course and don’t skip out half way!
It’s good to move around (when you can!)
You will most likely have to rest, relax and stay off your feet for some time after surgery. But, as soon as you can, it’s a good idea to get moving again. This doesn’t mean jumping back into exercise, more like light walking to improve the blood’s circulation in the body. Moving around also reduces the risk of blood clotting, so be sure to move around every so often when you feel up to it.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water helps flush out the anesthesia from your body, ensure your cells are hydrated for healing purposes and reduce the risk of constipation that comes with taking pain medications.
Take your medications as directed
Before you leave the clinic, your doctor will most likely prescribe some pain medication to help with recovery. Be sure to take the medication exactly as directed by your surgeon as it can relieve some of your pain and discomfort.
Eat well
You may want to get stuck into some naughty comfort foods when you are recovering. But it is important to eat healthily throughout the recovery process as your body needs all the nutrients it can get to recover as quickly as possible. You may want to prepare your healthy, nutritious meals in advance, as this takes away the stress of you or your carer having to do it whilst you should really just be relaxing!
It’s good to move around
You will most likely have to rest, relax and stay off your feet for some time after surgery. But, as soon as you can, it’s a good idea to get moving again. This doesn’t mean jumping back into exercise, more like light walking to improve the blood’s circulation in the body. Moving around also reduces the risk of blood clotting, so be sure to move around every so often when you feel up to it.
Keep your compression garment on for some time
Your breasts will be bandaged and you will receive a compression garment to support your breasts. They help maintain the form of the incisions, as well as control inflammation and swelling. It may not look the best, but it is important to keep wearing it until your surgeon says you can take it off.
Of course, your surgeon is there to help you have the smoothest recovery possible. If you have any queries or concerns throughout your recovery period, it’s always best to consult your surgeon. The recovery period lasts a few months but varies from person to person, with different recovery situations occurring for different people.
The most important thing to do is rest until it’s time to start getting back to your daily activities. Listen to your surgeon’s advice and take medications and antibiotics exactly as directed. In a few weeks you should be able to get back to work as well as doing more regular activities on your path to a smooth recovery!
