After you awake and are taken into the recovery room following your breast reduction surgery, the recovery nurse will monitor your vital stats until you are ready to be released. This is dependent upon the individual but may take up to two hours or more. You will feel quite tender and possibly confused as the anaesthesia wears off.
A drain may be inserted to allow the fluids an exit from the incision sites or from the bottom most portion of the treatment area. You will be swollen and bruised and will more than likely be wearing a type of compression garment or surgical bra with elastic bandages binding your breasts to your body.
It is important that you keep your incisions/suture line dry. Your breast reduction surgeon may have placed Steri-Strips on top of your incision line and sutures, or you may have internal sutures and tissue glue externally to bind your incision edges. Either way your surgeon will give you specific care instructions.
You will have your incision sites checked and your stitches removed in approximately 10 days.
Whilst you are healing from breast reduction surgery, take your temperature regularly. An elevated temperature could mean an infection.
Pain tolerances depend upon the individual, but you will feel tender, stiff and sore for a few days and will more than likely not want to move too much. This will subside. Be sure to take your required medications and follow the precise instructions provided to you by your surgeon.
As with all surgeries, swelling will be an issue. Swelling is a normal reaction to an injury and is categorised as a natural inflammatory action.
You may be swollen for up to 3 to 4 months, although this could be very slight and only noticed by you. Your breasts, of course, will be smaller than they were before, and higher, so you may not notice swelling too much, perhaps just soreness.
Bruises may or may not be present after your surgery. This depends entirely on the patient.
Sleeping can be difficult initially, it is important to sleep with at least 2 to 3 fluffy pillows under your upper back and head to keep your torso elevated. This helps relieve pressure on your treatment area, reducing swelling and pain.
Even though you may not feel like it, your surgeon will more than likely advise you to walk and move around as soon as you are able. If you do not and you lie around, you may develop clots and or retain fluid (swelling, oedema) a lot longer.
You will most likely be instructed not to exercise or engage in strenuous activities for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Breast reduction recovery times vary for each individual. Take your time in healing so that you give yourself the best healing environment possible.
