Recovery After Breast Implant Redo or Revision

You should expect no significant bedrest after breast augmentation. Get up and walk.

We use rapid recovery methods for all patients. For patients with simple implant removal and replacement surgery there may be essentially no pain at all. For complex revision, there may be more pain. The pain is moderate but usually controlled with arm motion, Tylenol and Ibuprofen. If narcotics are necessary they are only for 1-2 days.

There will be surgical tape or adhesive glue applied to the incision. The tape should be left undisturbed and will be removed in about three weeks. The glue will simply wear off over time. It’s important to note that neither the tape nor the glue is responsible for holding the incision together; that is the job of the internal sutures. The purpose of the tape is to protect the scar.  If the corners of the tape begin to lift, they can be trimmed as needed.

You can shower directly over the incision tape and breasts immediately. Any soaking should wait until the tape is removed at three weeks.

Drains are uncommonly used for breast revision surgery. When used they typically are used for a week. Drain instructions include:

For toddlers or children that need a lot of care, you will want assistance for a week after surgery.

You can return to light lifting with the arms and a good walk at one week. You may return to moderate lifting with the arms (10-15 lbs) and heavier lower body lifting by three weeks and full exercise at six weeks.or toddlers or children that need a lot of care, you will want assistance for a week after surgery.

Office and desk work can be resumed right away. For most physical jobs you can return at 3 weeks.

It is safe to resume sexual activity by two to three weeks after breast implant revision. Caution with handling the breasts for closer to four weeks.

Overaggressive activity can cause problems with healing. In the first week, we are worried about bleeding. This could result in a hematoma and a second trip to the operating room.

The breasts will look nice immediately after surgery. They continue to soften and improve in feel and appearance over the next 2-3 months.

This is controversial. Those plastic surgeons who recommend massage do so to prevent capsular contracture. There is no evidence to support this claim and Dr. Yates no longer recommends it for routine cases but for some implant revision cases may specifically ask you to massage.

We will supply you with a sports bra that clasps in the front. We recommend a bra that does not have padding or underwire for the first 6 weeks. If you have had symmastia repair we may ask you to use a “thong bra”

If the implants are below the muscle, aggressive pectoral muscle exercises can result in implant displacement. We are talking about extreme exercise, normal fitness is OK.

Wait until 6 weeks

It is preferred that you avoid sleeping on your stomach as much as you can. If you are a routine stomach sleeper it is most important to avoid it in the first 6 weeks.

The softening phase of implants occurs from 4 weeks to 3 months for most patients.

It is not uncommon for one implant to drop quicker than the other. Most commonly we find that the implant on the side of the dominant arm drops slower. The muscle is generally stiffer and tighter on that side.