Breast Reconstruction Surgery Recovery & Aftercare


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It is common that recovery speeds will vary from person to person, but to ensure that you recover as swiftly as possible you should follow the advice given to you from the medical professionals. If you stick to specific plans and assistance you will find that your recovery is as safe as possible as well as fast as can be.

Directly after surgery what will happen?

You will find that following surgery you will need to recover from the use of anaesthesia which quite often causes nausea and dizziness this will take a few hours. Once you are feeling back to normal, you will find that your breasts will be sore; however medical help will be at hand to deal with any pain. You should expect to stay in hospital for at least 2 days and at the most 5 days, you should be aware however that if complications occur, your stay will be increased, but do not worry you are in the best place and the medical staff are trained to assist with any kind of problem. Your appetite may be affected, and you may not feel yourself for a few days, this is normal and you should again ensure that you have support around you to ensure your mental recovery is successful.


In the long run how long will it take?

Recovery times will vary of course, however the average time it will take to fully recover is around 6 weeks. You may find that you have tubes inserted into your breast which are used to take away excess fluid, these will be removed relatively soon following surgery, but can often stay in place for up to 2 weeks. You will be required to wear a support bra if you have not had specialist bandage tape wrapped around your breasts, you should wear the support bra at all times to ensure the shape and healing of the breast is correct. If you do not wear this the scaring can stretch during healing and can take longer to heal as well as look larger once healing as started. Your stitches will most likely be removed during or after your follow up appointment around a week to 10 days after surgery. It will be requested that you do not partake in physical activity, or any strenuous activities for between 3 and 6 weeks. This will ensure that your wounds heal correctly, and that you are getting as much rest as possible. You may be able to return to work around 3 weeks after your procedure; however you will not be able to take part in strenuous tasks, so be wary that you will need to ensure your employer knows this. You should also consider that everyone is different so although most people are fit for work after 3 weeks, others may need more time to recover, make sure you do not push yourself and that you take your time with recovery.

Scarring from breast reconstruction surgery

One of the main worries following any breast surgery is the risk of scars, as there are numerous ways in which the surgery can be completed many find that scarring can be in various places. These include around the nipple, under the breast crease, or a line from the nipple down to underneath the breast. You will also find that where the tissue is removed from which is used to reconstruct your breast will scar. The scarring will appear red and lumpy to begin with, and over time will fade to a purple colour, eventually turning white. You can find numerous products on the market which assist with the reduction of scarring and many women find these products extremely useful and successful. You may even ask your surgeon or medical team what they recommend.

Aftercare team

You will find that various clinics offer different aftercare packages once the procedure has been completed. You will usually be provided with aftercare between 12 and 24 months, this depends of course on the clinic you choose. You should also find that your aftercare package includes an emergency telephone hotline, access to medical professionals, as well as numerous check ups following procedure. You should also ensure that if any complications occur following surgery that the cost of additional surgery is covered within the aftercare package, you can ask about this during your consultation.  Make sure you research into what aftercare you will receive as this can be a crucial deciding factor when choosing a clinic. If your surgery is to be completed abroad often the aftercare can be slightly different, many clinics will have a representative visiting the UK on a weekly basis to deal with follow up appointments as well as emergences. You should research into how emergencies will be dealt with, and you should also consider whether the clinic abroad has a representative clinic over here as sometimes that is where your aftercare will take place.

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