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How much will it hurt? All patients experience some pain in their chest after surgery. Patients also experience tightness of the chest and the sensation of difficulty breathing. Women liken it to the feeling of having their breasts filled with milk during breast-feeding. Most often this discomfort can be controlled with prescription pain pills. Ten percent of patients take only plain acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol) for pain. Generally, patients begin switching to acetaminophen three to five days after breast lift surgery. Ice packs also help with pain and swelling. Do I have to stay in bed after my surgery? No. Gently get out of bed as soon as possible after your surgery. Try not to use your arms when you get out of bed. An adult must help you get out of bed the first few times because of possible fainting. Begin to walk as much as possible as soon as you can after surgery. Always get out of bed to go to the bathroom. Do take it easy the first few days. Do not exert yourself in any strenuous activity. A balance of rest and reduced activity will speed up your recovery. Will there be any bandages or dressings? There are clear plastic dressings placed at the time of surgery. These must be left in place for one week. I will remove these dressings during your first office visit. I ask that you do not wear a bra for the first week. This will reduce your postoperative pain and reduce the risk of shifting the position of the implants if they have been used. When can I shower after surgery? You may shower the day after surgery. You may use the antibacterial soap that you used before your surgery. Do not take a bath or swim for one week. When do I come back to the office for aftercare? I want to see you within the first week after surgery. After your first visit, I want to see you at six weeks, six months, and one year. The reason for this extended care is because it takes six months to one year for complete healing to occur. There are no charges for these office visits. You are welcome to be seen in my office anytime you have questions or concerns about your surgery. Will there be any stitches to take out? No. I only use stitches that will be absorbed or wash out. I do this to eliminate the discomfort of suture removal after surgery. Body massage is very effective in relaxation. However, it cannot be done while there is bruising of the skin due to the risk of long term or permanent brown-gray staining of the skin. All therapeutic massage treatments must be discontinued until any bruising has completely resolved. How long you are off work depends on your occupation. If you do clerical work (i.e. stockbroker, teacher, or programmer), you can return to work when you feel up to it. This usually takes about a week. If you do manual labor (i.e. entertainer, truck driver, or trainer), you must be off work for three weeks. Regardless of your employment, do not lift anything weighing more than five pounds for three weeks. When can I work out after a breast lift? Generally, you can go back to working out two to three weeks after breast lift surgery. This depends on how you feel. Do not lift anything that weighs more than five pounds for three weeks. Avoid contact sports for six weeks. Workouts must stop if you experience any discomfort in your breasts or chest. A balance of rest and reduced activity will speed up your recovery. Can I breast feed after a breast lift? Yes provided there is not complete loss of nipple sensation. Although rare, this can occur due to nerve injury. You should attempt to breast feed if this is your goal. Will this problem return if I have children? Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict if this problem will return after having children. Changes in breast size and shape do occur during pregnancy. When can I suntan after surgery? Sun tanning damages your skin. It leads to wrinkling, discoloration, and superficial growths. It can also lead to serious skin cancer. For these reasons, I recommend that you use sun block with an SPF number of 15 or greater at all times. A physical broad-spectrum sun block works best. If you are exposed to the sun, I recommend that you protect treated areas for six weeks with clothing such as a T-shirt, or pareo. You must be careful to protect any scars from sun exposure with clothing, tape, or sun block for six months. Better yet, stay in the shade where it's cooler! How long will the results last? The results are usually very long lasting (i.e. five to ten years). Sun exposure, weight gain, weight loss, aging and pregnancy will reduce the longevity of the results. To maintain the best result, it is important that you avoid sun exposure and drastic weight changes. Some women do experience further sagging within one year of their surgery. They usually choose additional surgery to improve this.
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