Recovering from Breast Lift Surgery in Miami & Fort Lauderdale

You've taken the time and spent the money to have surgery, so take the time to follow it through by taking good care of yourself while your body heals. Your recovery is key to a successful operation. Following post-operative instructions will minimize the risk of complications and will help to ensure that your body reacts in the most positive way to its new changes. Follow your surgeon's post-operative care guide and you will be investing in your own health and wellbeing.

When you're ready to explore your breast lift options in person with one of our surgeons, request your certificate for a Free Breast Enlargement Consultation and call us at (954) 565-7575 or (800) 274-LIPO today to schedule your appointment at the South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery with locations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

This page is divided into two sections: what to do in the first 48 hours after surgery and what to do in the days and weeks following your surgery.

In the First 48 Hours

Have someone to help you. Because you will have been sedated and under anesthesia, you are not allowed (or able) to drive yourself home after surgery. You will need someone to drive you home. On top of that, you need a friend or family member to stay with you for the first 24 hours after breast lift in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Believe us when we say that you need someone there with you. And, please, make sure it is a supportive person who will be there to help you, not someone who will criticize you for choosing to have elective surgery.

Take it easy: little activity and no driving. Give yourself the gift of rest. Do not expect or plan to do any activity for the first 48 hours. Even watching TV might be too taxing for you. Plan on taking it very easy. In fact, plan on doing nothing those first two days. Driving is out of the question. After having a surgery that affects your arm and chest mobility it is not safe or smart for you to drive. So don't.

Go easy on food and abstain from drinking and smoking. What you put in your body after surgery is very important. Surgery and anesthesia can leave you with a sensitive stomach for a couple of days. Be prepared to eat bland, simple-to-digest foods. If you experience after-surgery nausea we suggest having carbonated beverages and crackers. Do not drink alcohol and do not smoke cigarettes. Drinking alcohol can interfere with medications you will be taking. Alcohol can also increase post-operative bleeding, which can cause complications. So, no drinking until you have finished your medication. Smoking reduces your body's ability to receive much needed oxygen, which is oh so important to healing. Do not smoke for a minimum of two weeks after surgery to mimize the risks asssociated with Fort Lauderdale breast lift procedures.

Follow medical instructions. Follow your doctor's instructions to a T. Take medications as directed. Keep your dressings (in this case your postoperative bra) as clean and dry as possible. Do not remove dressing until the doctor says you can. No showering or bathing for two days. Attend your follow-up appointment.

Special Care for Breast Lift Recovery

Sleep on your back, elevated: seven days.

This is important for breast placement and positioning. Avoid sleeping on your side. In addition, position yourself slightly elevated (a couple pillows to support your back and head should work). Sleeping with your upper body slightly elevated will help to minimize swelling.

Avoid lifting, straining and activity: four weeks.

Your body will need time to heal, especially in the areas where your sutures are. Because breasts are heavy, you want to minimize any extra pressure in the delicate incision area. After an initial week of rest, you can begin to do light activities. For exercise we recommend gentle walking for the three weeks and not returning to high-impact exercise without your doctor's permission. Ease back into your normal activities. You'll probably need five to seven days off from work following breast lift surgery in Miami, FL (your surgeon will tell you when you can return), depending on the type of work you do. If something hurts when you do it, it is probably too much exertion.

Dressings: up to five days.

We will change your dressing a day or two after your surgery. After that you can change them yourself. The key is to keep them dry and clean. It is normal to experience light oozing or bleeding along the incisions. However, if either oozing or bleeding causes more than a slow staining of the gauze, apply pressure for 20 to 30 minutes.

Wear your surgical bra: four weeks, 24/7.

You will be placed in a surgical bra either the day of your surgery or a couple days after your surgery. The surgical bra is an important part of your recovery: it keeps your breasts perfectly positioned and it provides required support. You will sleep in it. You can take it off to bathe and to wash it, but other than that, you will be wearing it. After three weeks (with your surgeon's permission) you no longer need to sleep in it, but you should not go braless during waking hours for another three weeks. We recommend wearing a bra without underwire, as the underwire can irritate your incision areas.

Take care of your sutures:

Most patients receive dissolvable sutures which dissolve over a period of 10 to 20 days. Occasionally patients cannot tolerate or they are allergic to dissolvable sutures, your surgeon will use standard sutures and remove them during your post-operative visits.

Bathing.

You will be able to bathe a day or two after your surgery, however try not to overly soak the sutures area.

Wait to drive a car: four to six days with power steering.

Your arm and chest muscles may be very sore or not strong enough to drive your car. Wait a minimum of four to six days after surgery before driving your car.

Avoid sun exposure: up to one year.

This is especially important with regards to scars. Scars need to be protected from the sun for about one year after surgery. The sun can discolor scars, making them more visible.

How will you feel?

It is normal to experience some pain and discomfort after surgery. You will have medications to help manage the pain and as the days go by you will notice your discomfort levels diminishing. In addition, it is typical to experience some tingling, burning or shooting pains in your breasts for a few weeks to a couple of months. This is an indication that your sensory nerves are healing. This too will diminish with time.

Emotionally, the first two weeks after surgery can be difficult. Many patients experience depression, or a roller coaster of euphoria and depression. Be gentle with yourself and ask your loved ones and friends to be supportive.

What will you look like?

As you should expect, your breasts will be positioned higher on your chest after surgery. However, you should expect to be swollen for the first two weeks - so you won't really see your new shape for a couple of weeks. And even beyond two weeks your body will continue to heal and swelling will reduce. Sometimes the breasts will not heal at the same rate, so it may appear that you are healing asymmetrically. This almost always "evens out" with time. While you will see drastic improvement in the first two weeks, realize that your body will continue to heal for months. It may be six months to a year before you see your "real" appearance. In addition, as mentioned above, scars can take up to two years to fully mature. Have patience with your body and relax in knowing that complete healing is a slow process.

Most Importantly? Rest.

The key to a healthy recovery is rest, rest, rest, and rest. Combine this with taking it easy and remember to follow all post-operative instructions. The more time you give yourself to heal, the better your healing experience will be. So give yourself time to sleep, to relax, to heal and to repair. Do not expect yourself to heal faster than others. Instead, be gentle with yourself, giving yourself the gift of healing and regeneration.