Breast reduction, or reduction mammaplasty, is a surgical procedure to remove excessive tissue and fat from your breasts. Candidates for the surgery should not smoke, be healthy and have realistic expectations regarding the outcome. Patients considering surgery should have a breast size that causes significant physical and emotional discomfort (such as embarrassment, back pain or neck pain), indentations from your bra straps, skin irritation beneath your breasts and/or nipples that point downward. Knowing what to expect after surgery can help to ease your recovery.
Right After Surgery
Avoid drinking alcohol. You should not drink while on pain medication; additionally, it will cause you to retain fluids (making swelling worse). Similarly, do not smoke as smoking delays healing and can increase the risk of complications after surgery.
Bruising and swelling generally subside within two to four weeks, but swelling may last up to four months. Bruising may be alleviated by supplements such as vitamin A, bromelain or vitamin C along with warm compresses several days after your surgery. This can help to dilate the blood vessels close to your skin's surface, enabling them to take blood and damaged tissue out of the area. Swelling can be alleviated with cool compresses for the first 48 hours after surgery and warm compresses thereafter. Persistent swelling may be alleviated by increasing your activity level (gentle walking), drinking more fluids and decreasing the sodium in your diet.
You may be sent home with a drain inserted in your incisions. This allows any fluids to exit your body rather than accumulate at the surgical site. Unless otherwise directed by your doctor, you should not attempt to do anything with these drains. The drains are usually removed at your first appointment after surgery. You will be required to wear a surgical bra or compression garment.
Keep your incision clean and dry. 48 hours after your drainage tubes are removed, you will be able to shower. Until then, take sponge baths, gently cleansing the skin around your incision. Inspect your incisions at least once daily to watch for any signs of infection (such as redness, swelling or severe/increased pain). If your doctor has used dissolvable stitches, you will not require suture removal. Otherwise, your doctor will remove your sutures, usually approximately 10 days after your surgery. Until your sutures dissolve or are removed, avoid taking any baths or soaking in a tub or hot tub.
The First 6 Weeks
For four weeks after surgery, you will need to wear an athletic bra, avoiding any underwire undergarments.
Do not lift anything heavier than 5 lbs. for the first two weeks. Avoid being overactive for the first two to six weeks after your surgery. Gradually increase the level of your activity as you can tolerate it.
Longer-Term Care and Expectations
Cover up. Avoid exposing your scar to the sun for a minimum of one year and use a sunblock with SPF 30 or more if exposure cannot be avoided.
Expect to temporarily experience a loss of nipple sensation. This will gradually return as you recover. Also expect to experience shooting pains. This is normal and should subside after a few months. Your incision scars will remain quite red for about six months, after which you will notice them gradually fading.
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