Sleep on Your Back With Your Head and Chest Slightly Elevated. While it may seem a bit difficult at first to sleep in this position, it is the best way to help you recover faster.
The excess pressure may also cause swelling and discomfort that can interfere with sleep. It's important you get the rest you need after surgery as this is when your body recovers. Simply put, sleeping on your back keeps your breasts in an optimal position for healing.
Orringer suggests that you consider practice sleeping on your back in the weeks leading up to your surgery. Typically, patients can safely resume their preferred sleeping style four to six weeks after surgery.
Instead, most plastic surgeons recommend that patients who have had breast surgery sleep exclusively on their backs until they are fully healed. Sleeping on your back means that gravity cannot affect your chest muscles and reduces the risk of painful stretching and pulling that can damage your new breasts.
Essentially, you'll need to sleep in an elevated position after breast augmentation surgery for at least one to two months (around six weeks for the majority of patients). The reason is that this position helps to reduce swelling, largely by taking the pressure off the incision areas and the implants themselves.
Whether you've had breast augmentation or a mommy makeover, you'll need to sleep with your upper body elevated. This helps minimize fluid buildup and swelling around the surgical site, a side effect that could occur during the first two weeks of recovery.
We recommend sleeping on your back and a little elevated (like in a recliner chair) for the first 3 weeks after surgery. Gravity in this situation pulls the swelling downward and away from the implants. If you sleep flat then the excess fluid does not drain and the swelling will persist.
Three to Six Months Post-Surgery
Patients can shop for new bras and clothing confidently at this stage, knowing that their breast size has stabilized although the final result will be solidified one year post operation.
During the first three weeks after breast reduction, your tissues are vulnerable and painful. Also, the swelling is at its maximum level, and there is still the risk of developing a seroma. You should wear a compression bra day and night at this stage, but you can take them off when showering.
Dr. Howland requires patients to wear their compression bra for several weeks at all times except when bathing to aid the healing process.
Don't shower for the first 48 hours (2 days) after your surgery. After the first 48 hours, you may be able to take a full shower or shower only from your waist down. Follow your surgeon's instructions for how to shower. After your drains are removed, don't shower for the first 24 to 48 hours.
After 6-8 weeks, going without a bra is usually possible for special occasions. However, women shouldn't spend extended periods without a bra as the breasts are still healing and must be supported to prevent sagging.
Getting enough sleep will help you heal and recover faster. Sleep on your back for the first two weeks following breast reduction surgery as sleeping on your stomach will put pressure on your incision. To make sure you get adequate bed rest, let people taking care of you know how important rest is for your recovery.
In most cases, patients will be instructed to wear a surgical bra for twenty-four hours a day. We recommend that you wear it for six weeks after your surgery.
However, your stretches will be limited for several weeks after your surgery. Too much strain — such as an overhead stretch — could damage the breast muscles and make another surgery necessary.
Most patients who were trying to lose weight prior to their reduction will have an easier time meeting those goals after the fact. While many plastic surgery patients are happy with their results and feel that it was worth the effort, women who have had breast reduction surgery are among the most satisfied.
Typically, most reductions bring the cup size down one to two sizes, though in cases of extremely large breasts, more drastic results may be achieved. For example, a woman who is a DD but wants a reduction to reduce discomfort, especially during physical activity and exercise may be able to go down to a B-C cup.
The pain from the surgery will be highest during the first few days after surgery. However, you will most likely be on pain medications so the pain should be moderate at worst. During week one the pain will reduce and should be mild to moderate.
There is risk of infection in every surgical procedure, but breast reduction patients run the risk of losing feeling in their nipples, bruising, and developing scars in particular. I still have feeling in my nipples, but it's important to know that losing it is a possibility.
In gynecomastia surgeries or explant surgeries, not wearing compression garments as advised may result in excess skin being left over and associated sagging of skin around your breasts.
Your best bet may be to sleep in a recliner, or to add two to three pillows underneath your head to prop yourself up. Some patients use wedge pillows purchased from a medical supply store, or travel neck pillows.
Skipping Out on Rest
This is because the body does most of its healing while you're asleep. In addition to getting the regularly recommended 7-9 hours of good quality rest each night, you should aim to take frequent naps throughout the day to help your body to relax and recover.