Breast Reduction
Recovering from Breast Reduction Surgery in New York
What happens after breast reduction surgery?
After you recover you will notice bandage dressings around your breasts and, depending on the technique used, the presence of drains. These are usually inserted under the wounds to drain any build up of blood or fluid that occasionally develops after surgery. Once the drainage is minimal (usually the next day) these drains are then removed. Your bandages are then readjusted and you are then instructed to wear a wireless sports bra for support.
How long before I get back to normal?
A breast reduction is a relatively major operation and should always be respected as such. Don't try do too much too quickly. It is likely that a few weeks will pass before you feel yourself again. Remember variations do occur in the time individuals take to heal. As a guideline, although many people go back to light work duties by 10 -14days, others find it more appropriate to take a further 1-2 weeks to rest. Walking is helpful in the first 3-4 weeks as this improves the circulation and helps reduce the swelling, and the chance of blood clots developing. Heavy lifting or Strenuous activity is prohibited in the first 6 weeks after surgery. Overall common sense rules in the recovery period. If what your doing is uncomfortable then don't do it!
What kind of after effects should I expect?
Following surgery you will experience considerable swelling and bruising of the breasts. The bruising usually lasts about 2-3 weeks. While most of the swelling will have dissipated by this time, some subtle swelling may still be present for up to 3 months.
After surgery you may notice that the breasts feel quite firm and taut, particularly along the edges of the incision site. This will be as a result of the normal healing process laying down elements of scar tissue to facilitate healing. When this occurs, massage as instructed by your surgeon will speed up the recovery. It gradually resolves in time but may take a few months to complete.
You should expect the sensation to the skin in the nipples and surrounding skin to be reduced after surgery. This is as a result of surgical trauma to the nerves in the region. Although this usually recovers in a few months, permanent numbness may ensue.
It is normal for breasts to be slightly uneven and this is no exception in large breasted ladies. Although every effort is made to make the breasts symmetrical, it is not always possible to achieve this exactly. Breast reduction surgery is possibly one of the most demanding aesthetic procedures. It is imperative therefore that you always talk with your surgeon in order that he has a full and proper understanding of your wishes. Try to convey, as much as is possible, how little or large you would like to be following your surgery. This will minimize the possibility of having too little or too much removed.
Although the technique used by Dr. Klapper ensures the best possible continuity between the breast and nipples thus increasing the possibility of breast-feeding after breast reduction surgery, this cannot ever be guaranteed.
What are breast reduction scars like?
Scars are not a complication but a normal event after any surgery. In Breast Reduction the scars are quite lengthy and may take many months or years to settle. You should always expect these to be red, raised, lumpy and even itchy to begin with but with time they should fade and flatten. This is the natural evolution of the healing process. However it is important to keep in mind that this may take up to two years to complete. Daily massage of the scars during this time period is advised to expedite and facilitate this process. You must understand however that no responsible surgeon will ever be in a position to predict any scars ultimate appearance. Although as mentioned, scars do fade and improve in time it is unlikely however that these could ever be characterized as being mainly only "hairline" in nature.
Is breast reduction painful?
For a few days after your surgery, you will probably experience some moderate degree of pain which should be well controlled with pain killers. The pain usually improves after the first 4-5 days.