After Breast Implant Removal Surgery

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After breast implant removal surgery, it is important to follow your surgeon's instructions for aftercare. This will help to ensure that you heal properly and avoid any complications. Initially your breasts may appear droopy and deflated. With the proper care, your breasts can lose this deflated look and you will be left to your original breasts in no time! Whilst your body is healing, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This means eating enough fruit and vegetables to aid your body’s recovery as well as refraining from activities such as smoking and alcohol consumption that can increase the chances of complications whilst your body is healing. Staying healthy is important for everyone, but having undergone breast implant removal surgery you should focus on your health to ensure a smooth recovery.

Your healthcare provider will inform you on how to go about your daily activities and anything you must avoid in order to ensure a safe recovery. If you have any questions as to what is safe to do, be sure to ask your surgeon or a nurse. They are the experts and will be more than happy to provide you with any extra guidance.

Company after your breast implant removal

On the day of your breast implant removal surgery, you will need someone to drive you home. You should also have a friend or family member stay with you for the first 24 hours following an operation just in case there are any complications that arise during recovery time. This is because you have been under general anaesthesia for the surgery and this can leave you sleepy and drowsy as well as affecting your memory and concentration whilst it remains in your body. Due to this, you will be safest in someone else’s company.

Caring for your drain

You may be fitted with a drain after your breast implant removal surgery. Your surgeon will provide you with instructions on how to remove this safely. Whilst having the drain is not painful and may cause just a little discomfort, removing a drain can be painful. In some instances, you will need to remove the drain yourself and in others, the doctor will do this for you.

If you are instructed to remove the drain yourself, any pain can be avoided if you follow the guidelines carefully that your nurse has provided you with. This will ensure that the process is as smooth and pain-free as possible. A surgical drain is not something you should be afraid of! With the correct care, you will not have any complications. The drain must be removed when bleeding has completely stopped or is less than 25ml a day. This will take around a week. Once the drain is removed, place a dressing over it to collect any drainage whilst the area heals. A simple drug-store bandage will work. Your surgeon will also tell you whether the bandage should be changed and if so, how often. Changing your bandage is simple. It involves removing the bandage from the area, cleaning the skin with soap, water a clean cotton swab, and then replacing it with a new bandage once the area is dry. Leaving your drain on for too long can make removal more difficult and painful so be sure to check your drain regularly so as to assess when it is ready to be removed. If unsure, it is best for you to remove the drain earlier rather than later. This can reduce the risk of any infection and other complications.

Bathing after your breast implant removal

In many cases you will not be fitted with a drain at all and should only be concerned with the activities that you do whilst your body recovers, including bathing and physical exercise.

You may be told not to bathe 48 hours after the procedure. This can mean that your bandages get wet and will increase your risk of infection. After this period, you may shower and your bandages can get slightly wet but it is still best to avoid fully soaking them. It is best that you avoid showering for more than ten minutes to reduce contact with water. You should also avoid contact with hot water the week following your surgery. Hot water can cause inflammation so it is best to keep your showers lukewarm for a while. You should also use a gentle antibacterial soap when bathing after your breast implant removal surgery. This will help reduce any risk of infection.

Sleeping after your breast implant removal

You may need to sleep on your back after breast implant removal surgery. You should do this for around 8 to 12 weeks after the procedure. Sleeping on your front or sides can put excessive strain on your incisions and inhibit the healing process. Sleeping on your back can speed up your recovery as it is the best position to be in to allow your body to heal. It may also feel uncomfortable sleeping in these positions, having recently undergone surgery. To achieve the best night’s sleep, therefore, it is best that you sleep on your back. Once you’ve fully recovered it is safe to sleep however you desire.

Wearing a compression bra to sleep can also help with a faster recovery. You may opt to wear one of these for a couple of weeks after your breast implant removal surgery.

Scarring after breast implant removal

If you are worried about scarring after your breast implant removal surgery, there are a number of measures you can take to reduce this risk. First and foremost, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help your body recover without scarring. This means avoiding smoking, having a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water. You should also use any creams and medications that you have been prescribed to aid your recovery. These will not only help with pain and bruising, but also allow for better results once you are fully healed. You can also take other measures to reduce the risk of any scarring. Staying out of the sun or wearing sunblock (although it is best to steer clear of products containing vitamin E) can reduce the risk of scars turning darker than the surrounding skin. Wearing compression garments can help by relieving some of the strain on your stitches. This can reduce swelling as well as any excess bruising. Contact with hot water can also increase the risk of scarring so it would be best to keep your showers lukewarm for a while. Massaging your breasts can soften and flatten your scars but it is important that you wait until 2 weeks after your surgery before you start doing this. Once all of the scabs have recovered on their own and your sutures have been removed, it is safe to start massaging out the scars. You can either massage your breasts one at a time or both together. Push down on the breasts and then hold for a few seconds, release and repeat the motion. Repeat this 3 times a day for 10 minutes and you must continue this for at least 6 months. You should apply as much pressure as you can tolerate. If you begin to feel any pain, bleeding, redness or warmth around the incision sites, ease off slightly or stop all together. Your breasts will still be very sensitive whilst they are recovering so it is important to be gentle.

Pain relief after your breast implant removal

Most people experience some degree of pain following breast implant removal surgery. As well as anaesthetics, the nurse will give you medication to reduce pain and swelling before and after the surgery. You will also be prescribed medication for the days following your surgery. This will minimise any pain and discomfort you may feel whilst you recover. You will also have some swelling and bruising, which will typically resolve within a few weeks. These are all natural aspects of the recovery process. In the case of excessive and prolonged pain, be sure to contact your surgeon to discuss this.

If you are taking prescription analgesics (for pain relief) it is important that you maintain a healthy diet as they can increase the risk of constipation. Eating plenty of soluble fibre can eliminate this risk and ensure that you don’t face problems when on this medication. This can be found in foods such as nuts, pulses and legumes. Consuming enough of these fibrous foods will mean that you won’t suffer from any bloating, stomach cramp or pain that can come with constipation.

Working after your breast implant removal

Working can be physically and mentally exhausting. In the weeks after your breast implant removal surgery, your top priorities should be rest and recovery. Due to this, most women take a week off work. However, it is important to note that everyone’s recovery time is different. This is dependent on the size of the implants you had removed as well as your own body and health. Furthermore, some people’s occupations are more strenuous than others’. These factors will determine how long you should take off work. Whilst it is important to seek out advice from your surgeon on this, you know your body best and if you are not ready to go back to work, you should take some more time off. The recovery process is crucial and it is important that you take care and rest during this period. This will minimise the chances of any risks and complications as well as making sure that you have the best results possible from your breast implant removal.

Physical activity after your breast implant removal

It is important to avoid any strenuous activity during this time so that you can heal properly. Not only will exercise feel uncomfortable but it can slow the recovery process. Even activities such as driving should be avoided one to two weeks after surgery. You should also avoid lifting heavy objects. It is important that you avoid any strenuous exercise for at least 6 weeks after your procedure.

Activity can resume 10 days to 2 weeks after your breast implant removal surgery. Begin with light cardio such as walking and other activities that don’t require too much movement. Walking is a great way to get back into exercise as it helps maintain your circulatory system which can aid your recovery from the surgery. This helps reduce the risk of any blood clotting and other complications. You can then go for a light jog 4-6 weeks after your surgery. After this you should gradually build up the intensity of your workouts and before you know it, you will be exercising just as you were before the surgery!

The nurse will provide you with guidance around activities that you can and can not take part in for the first few weeks after your surgery. If you are unsure as to whether it is safe to do certain things, your nurse or surgeon will be happy to answer any of your questions. It is important to understand that everyone recovers at different rates so you must listen to your own body. If certain activities feel unusual or more painful than normal, you should stop and wait a while before carrying on as normal.

Alcohol

It is important that you look after your body in the weeks after your breast implant removal surgery. Consuming alcohol causes your blood pressure to rise. It is, therfore, crucial that you refrain from drinking alcoholic drinks in the first two weeks after the procedure.

Smoking

Smoking can significantly hinder the recovery process. Not only does smoking increase the risk of anaesthesia-related complications, but it can mean that your body takes longer to heal. Due to this, you may want to consider quitting before your surgery. This will give you time to adjust and means that after the surgery you can focus solely on your recovery.

Excessive heat

It is important that you do not allow your blood pressure to increase too whilst you are recovering from your breast implant removal surgery. This can mean avoiding physical exercise or avoiding saunas whilst your body recovers. If you feel yourself sweating, be sure to stop whatever is causing this and cool off.

Excessive caffeine

Caffeine can also cause your blood pressure to rise. It is, therefore, important that you monitor the effects of caffeine on your body. You must remember that caffeine is not only found in teas and coffees, but is also a major component of fizzy drinks, energy drinks and even dark chocolate. Keeping an eye on your intake of these foods will ensure that your blood pressure remains within a healthy range.

Excessive sodium

Like caffeine, some sodium within your diet can be healthy but it is important that you refrain from consuming this in excess. The amount of sodium that is right for you depends on your natural blood pressure. If your blood pressure is low, you should not consume more that 3 grams of sodium per day. If, however, your blood pressure is naturally high you should restrict your sodium intake further to a maximum of 2 grams per day. This will ensure that your blood pressure does not rise to dangerous levels. Sodium is found in many processed foods such as pizza, bacon and many other fast foods. Avoiding these will not only help for a smoother recovery from your breast implant removal surgery, but will also maintain your overall health and fitness.

Follow-up appointments after your breast implant removal

You will need to return to see your surgeon for follow-up appointments. At these appointments, your surgeon will check on your healing and give you instructions on how to care for your incisions. They will also check for any issues or complications in order to tackle them early. It is important to follow your surgeon’s instructions carefully during your recovery. This will help ensure that you have a successful surgery and recover quickly. If the pain and swelling worsens or does not subside after several weeks, inform your surgeon.

Everyone’s recovery period is different. Some take longer than others to heal from the surgery and with the correct care, your life will soon be back to normal with your new look!