During your consultation, your surgeon will give you specific instructions on the breast enlargement aftercare process.

Post-operative appointment

After your breast enlargement, you will usually be able to return home the same day or the day after. Before you leave the hospital, a post-operative appointment will be arranged within two weeks time. During this appointment, your surgeon will examine your breasts, remove any non-dissolvable stitches and address any surgical complications.
As part of your breast enlargement aftercare process, your surgeon will give you specific timeframes and advice regarding things such as time off work, sports & exercise, driving etc. These time frames can differ greatly from surgeon to surgeon. It is therefore important to follow the specific advice that your surgeon gives you, as it is specific to your recovery.

Time off work

The time you need to take off work after a breast enlargement procedure depends on the type of work you do. If your job includes a lot of physical activity, for example waitressing, you may have to take at least one full week off. If however, it does not involve a lot of activity, such as an office job, you may only need to take 4 to 5 days off work. In any case, you should avoid even light duties for at least 1 to 2 weeks.

Return to sports & exercise

Although you will need to rest after your surgery, it is important that you do not stay in bed all day. You should take occasional light walks to prevent the risk of developing blood clots in your legs.
Although it is recommended for you to be mobile, the following advice for sports & exercise is:

Week 1 – 3

No exercise at all. Even minor aerobic activities may lead to increased swelling and longer recovery times.

Week 3 – 6

You may begin to resume sports that do not involve vigorous movement, for example cycling.

After week 6

6 weeks after your surgery, you should be able to resume all types of exercise again.

Driving

You will not be able to drive immediately after your surgery. You will therefore need to arrange for a family member or friend to take you home after your breast enlargement.

Post-operative bra

After your treatment, you will have to wear a post-operative bra for around 2 to 5 weeks. The amount of time you will have to wear this recovery bra for depends on your BAAPS/BAPRAS surgeon’s advice. The bra you during your recovery by reducing swelling, bruising and helping achieve the best result possible.

Scar care

There are a number of different techniques that your surgeon may recommend to aid the healing of your scars after your nipple correction. These include:

Scar massage – you can gently massage your scar after it has full healed and the scab has completely disappeared by itself.
Silicone creams/gels/sheets – silicone based products may help reduce the appearance of your scars. Your surgeon may recommend using these products for 6 to 12 months. Make sure to use them only after the glue or tape from surgery has been taken off and your incision has fully healed.
Avoid exposing your scars to the sun or sunbeds. You should use a high-factor sunscreen to protect the healing skin and avoid colour differences.

Your surgeon will advise you specifically on how to take care of your scars.

Results

Although you will see an immediate difference in your breasts after surgery, it may take 2 to 9 months before you are able to appreciate the full cosmetic results of your breast enlargement.
It is important to keep in mind that the exact recovery time will vary from patient to patient. These timings are different for each patient and each surgeon gives different advice. Therefore, it is important to follow the post operative advice your surgeon gives you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Top asked questions

Book your consultation with one of our specialists