Your recovery after breast reduction surgery will affect how your breasts look over time.
It is performed under general anesthesia.
As with any bang out of surgery, breast reduction surgery has a significant recovery period.
Illustration by Michela Buttignol for Verywell Health
If you had stitches that weren’t absorbable, they will be removed within two weeks after surgery.
There will be sutures and possible drainage tubes.
The drainage tubes will be in place for a few days after the procedure.
ensure that you are extremely comfortable with him or her because you will need assistance in washing and bathing.
You will be unable to raise your arms without pain.
After Two Weeks
In addition, your breasts will be tender.
There will be swelling and bruising which will gradually fade.
You will probably experience some itching and dryness as the surgical area heals.
To reduce painful swelling, you should reduce your sodium intake and increase your water intake.
This helps to flush the fluid out of the body.
Long-Term Recovery Considerations
Everyone may recover from surgery differently.
For instance, some patients may experience hypersensitivity of the area.
Some patients may experience numbness of the area, for up to a year, following surgery.
And there are some patients, who may not have any of these sensations.
Also, how people heal from scars can also be different.
There will be visible scars that may fade over time but, in many cases, will not disappear.
For women, the breasts may swell and become tender at the first menstrual cycle after the procedure.
Patients may continue to experience sporadic pain, especiallyduring menstruation, for several months after the procedure.
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.
American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
US National Library of Medicine.
American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
