Blog

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Breast Augmentation?

As a plastic surgeon in Las Vegas, the safe and quick recovery of my breast procedure patients is a priority. My patients often want to know when they’ll be able to return to normal activities and what to expect while recovering. Here is the helpful timeline I give my breast augmentation patients in Las Vegas to help them prepare for their recovery.

  • Establish a person who will help you get up and around these first few days. You’ll need help taking medications, eating, and drinking. During the first 12 to 24 hours, you will follow a liquid diet. After that, you can gradually return to solid food as tolerated.
  • Make sure you get out of bed and do some walking within the first few hours of your surgery to reduce the risk of blood clots, even if you feel tired and sore.
  • Any discomfort can usually be helped with prescription medication.
  • You may bathe, as long as you do not submerge the incisions. After 3 days, showering is usually permitted. Just make sure you don’t submerge the incisions, including in the bathtub or swimming pool.
  • You’ll start wearing a zip-front sports bra at all times.
  • You will take antibiotics for 5 days after the procedure to lower the risk of infection.
  • Most patients are ready to return to work within 5 to 7 days. However, if you’re a mom or do the heavy lifting for work, you may need to ask for extra help.
  • I will ensure you understand how to conduct specialized implant massage several times a day. Some data suggests this implant manipulation reduces the risk of scar tissue complications. We also recommend External Ultrasound treatment post-surgery, which could help prevent capsular contracture (hardening of scar tissue).
  • Your breasts will probably be sensitive to direct stimulation until the end of this period.
  • You may experience a burning sensation in your nipples for the first 2 weeks, but this will subside gradually.
  • You will be ready to stop wearing the special sports bra.
  • You will be able to resume your regular exercise program, including lifting and strenuous workouts. You can learn more about exercising after breast augmentation in this related blog post.
  • Swelling will likely have gone down and your fuller breasts will feel softer and look more natural.

Please note that these recovery details will vary if you’ve opted for a combination procedure, such as a mommy makeover. If you’re interested in reading more about breast procedures and would like to see real patient photos, visit our photo gallery.

If you’d like to know more about recovery for any breast procedure, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with me so we can go over the details. You can request a consultation online or call my office at (702) 734-8100.

Contact Us