Choosing to undergo breast augmentation—often referred to as a ‘boob job’—is a big decision, and the reasons our patients from London, Waterloo, Kitchener, and throughout Southwestern Ontario cite for choosing to do so are as diverse as the patients themselves. Perhaps they feel their breasts are too small, uneven, misshapen, or they’ve experienced changes after pregnancy or breastfeeding. Similarly, there are many reasons patients cite for choosing not to pursue breast augmentation. One of the most common? Recovery time.
Don’t believe everything you’ve heard.
Misunderstandings or misinformation about recovery time often hold women back from pursuing breast augmentation. Many have heard horror stories or have been led to believe that recovery from this procedure involves many painful months away from work and day-to-day activities.
While this simply isn’t true, recovery is an important part of any plastic surgery, and it’s crucial that our patients know exactly what to expect in order to prepare for an efficient recovery. Here’s the truth about boob job recovery time.
Immediately following surgery.
Breast augmentation surgery is an outpatient procedure, which means you’ll be heading home following your surgery. Even though the operation itself takes about 1 hour, you can expect to spend approximately 3 to 4 hours at our practice on the day of your surgery. This time will include check-in, set-up time, the surgery itself, and some time spent in the recovery room.
Pain, bruising and mild swelling are normal and should be expected after surgery. We recommend limiting the use of your arms and chest immediately following surgery, so it’s a good idea to wear loose fitting clothes that do not have to be pulled over your head (some patients also benefit from wearing support bras for a short period of time after surgery).
Before you head home, our team will discuss pain management options, as well as at-home care instructions to ensure your surgical incisions heal as quickly and comfortably as possible. We’ll also schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your recovery every step of the way.
3-4 days post-surgery.
Your first follow-up appointment will be scheduled within a few days of the operation, which is an excellent time to ask any questions you might have. By this point, some of the initial swelling that occurs following the procedure has typically resolved, and you should be able to resume normal daily activities such as driving, cooking, and shopping.
1-week post-surgery & beyond.
Depending on the physical nature of your job, you may already be back at work 1 week after surgery! Your swelling should now be at a manageable level, but you should know that residual swelling may take a few weeks to a month to disappear.
We advise avoiding vigorous activities for 4 to 6 weeks, at which point you can resume physical activity and exercise. Lastly, take extra care to be gentle with your breasts for at least 1 month.
So, there you have it. Breast augmentation recovery isn’t as scary as it’s sometimes made out to be. The composite breast augmentation technique (described in this blog post) can make it even easier. Most importantly, we want you to know that our team will be with you every step of the way throughout your recovery process; we’re always just a phone call away! Review our online photo gallery of breast augmentation patient photos to see the beautiful results our plastic surgeons have achieved.
If you’re interested in learning more about breast augmentation, contact us online to schedule a consultation or call (519) 746-1132 to schedule an appointment.
