How painful is breast lift recovery? A breast lift is a surgical procedure and the recovery period after any surgery is marked by slight pain and discomfort. However, this pain can be easily managed and by the end of the first week, the feeling of discomfort disappears almost completely.
While discomfort or pain after surgery is to be expected, women usually mention that breast reduction or breast lift surgery is a lot less painful than what they expected. Generally people comment that it's more 'discomfort or pain limited to the incisions', rather than pain within the breasts or over the chest.
Most patients report experiencing mild to moderate pain following their breast lift procedure. Pain is typically greatest in the first 2-3 days following the procedure and subsides thereafter. Your surgeon can prescribe pain medication to relieve any discomfort experienced by the patient.
Pain Rating: 3 to 5/10 Unlike a breast lift, breast implants are inserted into the body either over or under the chest muscle. Dr. Buford, and many other cosmetic surgeons, tend to place them underneath the muscle for a more natural look—and this technique hurts more.
After a breast lift, you'll have some discomfort, swelling and bruising. Your skin may feel tight. These effects get better over time and last about two weeks. If you had drains near the incisions, your healthcare team will remove them a few days after the procedure.
A breast lift will enhance the appearance of your breasts but is considered major surgery.
Choosing not to wear a bra after your breast lift procedure will have no negative impact on the results of your breast lift and is an entirely personal decision.
Like any major surgery, a breast lift poses a risk of bleeding, infection and an adverse reaction to anesthesia. It's also possible to have an allergic reaction to the surgical tape or other materials used during or after the procedure.
Cons of a Breast Lift:
There may be temporary or permanent loss of sensation in the nipples or breasts. Scarring from a breast lift is more significant than other breast surgeries because the procedure requires the removal of excess skin tissue and repositioning.
According to AEDIT, many surgeons would rate a tummy tuck a 4-6 out of 10 in terms of pain. Speaking to Women's Health about her painful experience recovering from an abdominoplasty, Erin S. said: “I could not roll over, sit up or grab anything further than a few inches away.
Don't raise your arms above breast level for 10 days. And don't lift, push, or pull anything heavier than 10 pounds for at least 7 days.
Wear a compression garment or sports bra
Wearing a compression bra or sports bra following your surgery can help accelerate the healing process. These garments help to minimize swelling, improve blood flow in the area, provide support and comfort to the surgical site, and help to flush harmful fluids from the body.
Breast lift typically reduces bra size by one full cup. However, in a study featured in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, it was suggested that this has less to do with a loss of volume than with a restoration of comfort.
What will my breast lift scars look like? As your incisions heal after surgery, your scars will initially appear as raised, red lines. They will eventually fade, flatten, and lighten to become even less visible.
Some patients find that their breast lift results last for well over 15 years while others may seek minor cosmetic alterations sooner. On average, breast lift results last for 10 to 15 years.
Most women are very happy to undergo breast lift surgery, with or without an implant.
After breast lift alone, the breasts typically retain a natural teardrop shape, with more fullness on the bottom. If a patient desires to add fullness to the top of the breast or to create a rounder shape, implants are required.
Everyone recovers at different rates, and your unique procedure will determine your length of recovery. However, you should plan to wear your bra for around 6 weeks after surgery. You should wear it as much as possible (even while sleeping), but can remove it to shower.
There are usually only one or two sutures that need to be removed. The rest are buried under the skin and will eventually dissolve.
A vampire breast lift (VBL) augments your breasts without surgery. Providers inject platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to improve skin texture and make your breasts appear fuller. Side effects are minimal, but may include bruising, swelling and tenderness, and there's no downtime.
Thermage. This is another procedure that produces collagen under the skin, and it utilizes radio waves to tighten protein fibers in your skin. During this non-invasive process, your surgeon will use a TheramCool device, which sends radio waves deep into the skin.
Over time, that fat may be replaced by firm scar tissue that feels like a hard lump. The lump may be as small as a pea or could be a larger, hard mass. It is usually not noticeable until 6-8 months after the surgery, once the tissue flap has softened and the swelling is gone. Doctors call these lumps fat necrosis.
How soon can I work out after a breast lift surgery? You can return to your exercise routine six to eight weeks after the surgery. You can begin light walking a few days after the surgery.
Every person is different, but generally-speaking, after a breast lift you can expect: Normal sensation in the nipples. Normal reaction to temperature changes. The typical changes in breast appearance and sensation throughout your monthly cycle.