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Breast
Augmentation Recovery
After Breast Surgery
Breast Augmentation Recovery - Pre-opt & Recovery Tips - Resuming
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Breast Augmentation Recovery
Reovery & What to Expect After Surgery
Breast Augmentation Recovery Time: The recovery time period for breast augmentation surgery depends on whether your breast implants are being place over or under the muscle (longer recovery time) and what kind of technique your breast surgeon uses. Finding a qualified plastic surgeon will lesson your recovery time and lower the rate of possible risks.
Perhaps
the biggest thing I didn't expect is how much pain I would
be in. You can read about that in My Experience.
Keep in mind, some women incur little or no pain, everyone is different.
The pain is especially worse if you opt for UNDER THE MUSCLE. The
second factor I did not realize at the time was how important it is
to find the right breast surgeon.
One surgeon who was right for your friend may not be right for you. Recommendations from friends that had plastic surgery is good, but be sure to research your surgeon.
I
also didn't realize how high my implants would sit until they settled.
This caused my nipples to point down! This corrects itself as the
implants settle. About 2-6 weeks before they stop looking freaky,
another 4-6 weeks to look normal. They even drop some more past that.
How
hard the implants will be at first. Don't worry, they will soften,
but will never be as soft as real breast tissue, but remember real breast tissue is just fat. :)
Expect
possible bruising, particularly with the armpit incision.
Scarring: Your
incision scar will be permanent, but most are light to nearly invisible.
At first it may be thick & red, but should become thin and light.
Vitamin A & E cream or vitamin E oil capsules, splitting them
open, and applying the oil directly as often as possible. Neosporin
may help (do not apply to fresh incision). I've also heard of using
Rosa Mosqueta (which is essentially Rose Hip oil). Previous scar history
does not indicate how your BA scars will heal. Dr.
DeWire states most heavy scars (aka: hypertrophic scars) occur
in about 10% of crease incisions, about 5% of areola and less than
1% of axillary (armpit) incisions. Mine
scar is very thin on my areola line and is barely noticeable. If you
are worried about MEN KNOWING, I wouldn't. Implants usually look so
great, that even if they do notice, they won't care. In fact, other
women will be able to spot "implants" faster than any man. Men are
typically naive in this department. If you are really concerned, don't
go too large.
In my
opinion, the greatest benefit of this surgery was the lift it
gave to my sagging breasts. Your breasts change with age, pregnancy
& childbearing and will change whether you have implants or not.
Be prepared for this change. Another
wonderful benefit, implants "fill out" any stretch marks you
may already have there from pregnancy or previous weight gain. I did
get one new stretch mark secondary to the surgery. The LARGER YOU GO,
the more likely you are to get stretch marks from the surgery. Stretch
marks will lighten after time, but never go away.
Pre-op & Post-op Reovery Tips
Consult
ASAP! It may be 1-2 months or more before
the doctor can perform your surgery or even get you in for a consult.
We recommend these surgeons. Consider
having blood work done by your primary care doctor if your plastic
surgeon doesn't require it.
Dry
Skin
-- Proper moisturizing and exfoliating scrub will get rid of flakiness.
Wax--You
may want to consider an underarm wax, as that area will be difficult
to reach after surgery and you can't shave if you have the armpit incision.
Be prepared,
you may need at least a week off from work.
 Before
surgery, prepare your life to be real simple for the two weeks following
surgery. Buy microwave dinners, soda in cans or boxed juice. Bring things
you will need down from shelves so you won't be killing yourself, I
mean stretching, to get them later. Lay out all your shirts that don't
require being pulled over your head. You'll want to wear them for at
least two weeks. Put the remote, pain killers and something to drink
by your bedside. Make sure you have plenty of bathroom tissue on hand,
and that it is not on a high shelf.
 Clean the house so you won't have to contend with it when you're feeling yuckie.
Fill the car up with gas (you won't be driving right away, but when
you do, your arms won't feel like pumping gas).
Water
plants. 
Nails:
Leave unpainted for monitoring purposes if you go under general anesthesia.
The doctor needs to check your nails for blood and oxygen circulation
problems associated with anesthesia. They need to make sure your nail
stays a healthy color and doesn't turn blue!
Check with
your doctor first, but a hot tub does wonders for the pain
from surgery. If you don't have access to one, at least try a hot bath.
I was in our jacuzzi tub an hour or two everyday for at least the first
week or two. I do NOT recommend a public hot tub until your incisions
are completely healed!
Someone
suggested drinking Boost after surgery. This is a great idea
since many of us don't like to eat when we feel bad, Boost has the nutrients
you need.
Turn off
the phones! Sleeping is the best and most natural pain killer.
Have plenty
of pillows stacked on your bed to help you get up. See
example here. Getting out of bed will never be so difficult and
painful! Lay upward after surgery not flat to avoid swelling and will
help you get out of bed easier. Some people prefer stay/sleep in the
lounger the first few nights.
If you
have children, arrange to have someone take care of them away
from your house. If not, make sure someone can help you with them for
at *least* the first 24-48 hours (you'll need help during this time
anyway).
 If
you have long hair, plan on some simple styles if you must be
seen in public. If not, you may feel like I did and not brush it at
all. If you insist on keeping your hair washed, let someone else do
it for you.
Most bras
and bathing suits will be itchy! The only bra I have found
not to itch was a T-shirt. The bralett (modeled by Eauphoria) is another
good choice. This side effect lessens somewhat with time. So only buy
what you absolutely need in the bra department until the implants have
had time to settle. Some doctors suggest not wearing an underwire
bra, and they may itch or be uncomfortable anyway. You can make
a small cut in the side of the bra to pull out the underwire.
Underwire
Bras -- If your doc recommends not wearing them (they usually do,
at least at first) you can make a small snip in the bra and pull the
underwire out.
Ice
Bra -- Debra took four of those little super cold packs that they
sell for kids lunch boxes and froze them over or in something curved,
like a tupperware mixing bowl. Put an athletic bra over your bra and
stick two frozen packs in on each side. VOILA! You can sit at the computer
and type instead of lying in bed holding ice packs on your boobs! Or
you can use a bag of
peas.
Stool
Softener --- Some people become constipated even days after surgery.
Cordran
Tape may help with your scars, ask your doc.
Resuming
Activities
Most
doctors say to wait about 4 weeks before resuming any kind of physical
activity. You need to wait at least 2 weeks before resuming any kind
of physical activity that can increase your blood pressure (including
sex). Allow about 3-4 before doing activities that involve your arms.
I was playing tennis lightly at 3 weeks. Everyone is different go with
what your body tell you.
Photo
Developing
DO
NOT give your nude photos to any local lab, Kmart, supermarket, Walmart,
etc. EVER! There is NO form of privacy guarantee.
Use sites
that GUARANTEE your privacy:
www.filmdevelopingbymail.com
www.anythinggoesphotos.com
www.dccphoto.com (one of our faves)
www.sinsuality.com
Overnight
labs (such as Sav-on and Walgreens) send out your photos to a huge factory
to be developed. They can then EASILY become lost (like some wedding
photos of one of our site visitors who gave us this tip) or accidentally
shipped to the wrong Sav-on which is sometimes in the same state. One
hour labs almost ALWAYS make a second copy of "good" prints
and who knows what they do with those! Protect
yourself.
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