The Phases of Recovery After Breast Reduction Surgery
Breast reduction surgery, (Contact Us) also known as reduction mammaplasty, is often performed to relieve women of medical symptoms associated with large, pendulous breasts. Following surgery, patients can expect to progress through four phases of recovery. It is important for all members of the operative team to understand these phases and how they typically unfold for the recovering patient. Increasingly, education on a variety of preoperative and postoperative topics is taking place in the preoperative setting, and the more educated patients can be as they progress through each phase, the better prepared they will be to begin the journey of healing and recovery.
The most common patient motivation for breast reduction surgery is a desire to reduce physical symptoms related to breast hypertrophy. Physical symptoms may include back pain as well as neck, shoulder, arm, and breast pain. Following successful surgery, many patients experience relief from these symptoms and can remain asymptomatic even after years of follow-up.
The Early Phase of Recovery
Post-operatively, the first few days following a breast reduction procedure will include typical physical reactions. You can expect some discomfort, swelling, and mild bruising in the breast area. Your wounds will be bandaged and need to be kept clean and changed for the first 7 days. A small thin tube may have been placed during the surgery to help drain any excess fluid out of the breast; the nurse will advise you on how to care for this. Swelling is common after injury, and the body can try to increase blood flow to the tissues in the short term in an attempt to heal and repair damage. This can trigger more of the components of the inflammatory cycle and result in the feeling of swelling, heat, and a stretching discomfort. This experience will settle as your body heals, first moving unnoticeably and then more noticeably as the initial swelling resolves. During your surgery, your body’s responses are in activity deep in your breast tissues, and it’s important to allow them time to heal. As your body heals and the small blood capillaries in the tissue knit close and your lymphatic system drains the unneeded fluid away, this stretching pain settles from an uncomfortable feeling. The skin has also been lifted and draped again over the reshaped breast tissue. The breast skin has its own circulation and, in particular, after a breast reduction, there are times that the tissues present as needing just a little extra circulation to thrive. There are small nervous signals that can produce shooting feelings. Your nursing staff will ensure you have adequate analgesia and will provide instruction on how to care for your wound before you go home after surgery. Attendance at your 7–14 post-operative clinic appointment is essential so that the early outcome of your care will be reviewed. The few requirements detailed above need to be followed to best care for you in this early phase of healing. This instruction is general information and may differ in some details as per your surgeon’s advice. You may wish to make a pre-operative list of your questions to ensure these professionals are guiding your expected immediate post-operative recovery. Please prepare a list. Always keep in mind that you will adapt to manage this stage quite quickly. You have undergone general anaesthetic and have had surgery. You will be weak for a couple of weeks. You should not drive within the first 2 weeks of surgery.The Later Phase of Recovery
After about three to four weeks of recovery, most breast reduction patients can gradually ease back into a normal lifestyle. During this time, you may still have emotional ups and downs with your recovery, but the rollercoaster seems to level out with each passing day. You are told to take it easy while the immediate, intense recovery period draws to a close. In general, after the first month, many of the physical changes or difficulties reverse or ease.- Your previous emotional state begins to level out. You may notice a return of fluctuating emotions or mild depression, which is common, but these brief episodes lessen in intensity and frequency.
- Listen to your body. Today, some of your old personal restrictions, as well as those you have been given by your surgeon, will begin to lessen. As long as you respect your healing process and work within your limitations, you can function more like your old self as you recover from breast reduction surgery.
- You may begin to develop the ‘itchies’ as nerve growth begins to surge at this point in your healing, especially with dissolving stitches. This is a totally normal part of healing. Your sensation of heat could return. Your energy levels will be back to normal, so try some light exercises like walking. If, until now, your nipples were oversensitive or numb, they will gradually move toward a more normal feeling sensation. Keep a lookout for these budding changes and distinguish between them and any unusual breast reduction complications or side effects. Let your doctor know if you have any concerns.