All Posts Tagged: breast implants

breast implant recovery time bondi junction

Breast Implant Recovery Time: Healing After Implants

Knowing how long healing and recovery take after breast implant surgery can help you to prepare yourself and your home for the post-operative period. Most women have recovered from breast implant surgery after four to six weeks, but the recovery timeline for breast implants is divided up into five distinct stages that it is helpful to understand. Let’s take a closer look at breast implant recovery time and what you might expect to happen during each stage.

 

Breast Implant Recovery Time: The Day Of The Procedure

Your recovery starts as soon as your breast implant surgery is over and the anaesthetic has worn off. You are likely to feel tired and uncomfortable so you need someone to drive you home and ideally, stay overnight to help you.

Swelling and bruising are common at this stage and you may have a headache or some nausea because of the anaesthetic. Your chest might feel tight and sore. It’s important to take any medication prescribed for you as this will help with your pain and discomfort. 

 

Day Five To Day Seven

For most women the first three to five days after getting breast implants are the most uncomfortable and painful. You will be told not to raise your arms above your head or do any heavy lifting. Your surgeon may instruct you to massage your breast tissue during the first week, to ease discomfort and swelling. You will be surprised at how well you heal over the course of the first week, and by the end of it, most women are ready to return to work.

 

Week One To Week Three

While you won’t be able to do anything too strenuous, you would have resumed most of your daily activities by this stage of healing. By this point, most of your bruising, swelling and discomfort should have improved and you should be able to do a light cardiovascular activity (but no weight lifting). If your job is labour-intensive you may only return to work after the first three weeks after your breast implant surgery. 

 

Week Four To Six

By this stage, you should be able to resume lower body and cardiovascular exercise. Chest exercises are only recommended from the end of the sixth week and are based on your cosmetic surgeon’s advice. Your breast implants should feel and look natural and you will probably be getting used to them.

 

Breast Implant Recovery Time: Three To Four Months Later

It usually takes three to four months before your breast implants have stabilised. By this point, the swelling should have improved and the position of your breast implants will be finalised. It is a good idea to wait a few months before you start buying new bras and shirts and the size of your breast implants may change a little in the months after your breast implant surgery.

 

How To Speed Up Your Recovery

Every patient heals and recovers after breast implants at a different rate. A lot of it has to do with your physical state before the surgery so making sure you are fit and healthy can really impact how well you recover. There are other measures you can take to speed up the healing process and avoid complications:

Make sure you follow your cosmetic surgeon’s post-operative care instructions for your breast implants.

This includes the appropriate wound care as well as keeping up with your follow up appointments.

By visiting your surgeon at regular intervals he or she can check on your progress.

Wear recovery bras as instructed. Recovery bras are specially designed to speed up healing and recovery after breast implants by offering you the support you need after breast implant surgery. They also improve your circulation and help with lymph drainage so they help with swelling and discomfort.

Consider investing in some button-down shirts to wear afterwards. You should not lift your arms above your head so having some options that you can put on from the back are much more comfortable.

Prepare your home ahead of time and make sure you have help around the house. You will need assistance with shopping and meal preparation so you can actually rest and recover after your procedure. The less you have to do, the faster your healing period will go, but it’s still important that you eat healthy, home-cooked meals.

Make sure you stay well hydrated and eat nutritious foods. Food and water are the best medicine and eating foods that are nutrient-dense will ensure you have the resources you need for recovery. Avoid salty foods, alcohol and caffeine as these can make swelling worse.

Take the medication that has been prescribed for you, especially during the first week. This is when pain and discomfort are at their peak. You will be able to wean yourself off the medication as the days pass but it has been prescribed for your comfort and healing and will benefit your recovery.

If you still have questions about breast implant recovery time and what to expect after your procedure, it is best to speak to a professional about your concerns. Please contact us for a confidential appointment: (02) 8599 7161.

 

REFERENCES

How long is the recovery for a breast augmentation?

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/how-long-is-the-recovery-for-a-breast-augmentation

 

Breast augmentation recovery – what you need to know

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/breast-augmentation-recovery-what-you-need-to-know

Are You Curious About How Long Do Breast Implants Last?
how long do breast implants last bondi junction

While a breast implant cannot expire, it will not last forever either. Understanding how long a breast implant will last Read more

Breast Implant Types — Weighing the Benefits of Each Type
breast implant types bondi junction

There are several types of breast implants available on the market today. With so many options, it can be difficult Read more

Breast Implants Before and After — What To Expect On The Surgery?
breast implants before and after bondi junction

If you're considering breast implants, you may be wondering what the procedure entails. Here's a brief overview of what to Read more

Breast Implants Size — How to Choose the Perfect Size for Your Breasts?
breast implants size bondi junction

Do you know that in Australia, around 20,000 women undergo breast implant surgery every year? Yes, that’s how popular breast Read more

Read More
how long do breast implants last bondi junction

Are You Curious About How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

While a breast implant cannot expire, it will not last forever either. Understanding how long a breast implant will last can help you to make an informed decision about whether to have the surgery or when to have them replaced later on. Let’s try to answer the question of ‘how long do breast implants last’.

 

What Is Breast Augmentation?

Also known as augmentation mammoplasty, breast augmentation is the process of changing the size or shape of the breast by the insertion of implants. It can be performed for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes. A breast implant can be placed behind or in front of the chest muscle.

 

A breast augmentation procedure can be performed

  • To restore volume to the breasts after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss
  • To make smaller breasts bigger
  • To reconstruct the breasts following a mastectomy
  • To make uneven breasts more symmetrical

 

It’s important to note that breast augmentation does not address sagging breasts. If this is your concern, your cosmetic surgeon is likely to recommend a breast lift, either on its own or in conjunction with a breast augmentation.

 

What Types Of Implants Are Available?

A breast implant is typically made from silicone or saline. Saline implants are held within a silicone shell.

 

Silicone breast implants

Silicone is the most traditional material for a breast implant. A silicone container holds a gel-like substance that has been created to feel like breast tissue.

 

Saline breast implants

When you have saline implants, a saltwater solution is contained within a silicone shell. Because the substance is liquid, some patients find the viscosity dissimilar to breast tissue and prefer silicone implants. In the event of a leak, however, saline is much safer for the body to process.

 

How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

It’s difficult to answer ‘how long do breast implants last’ because the expected lifespan of implants ranges between 10 and 20 years.

breast implants how long do they last bondi junctionHowever, medical professionals advocate that you have a 10-year expectation, whereafter you should plan to have them replaced or removed. It is recommended to have your breast implants examined every year.

The research indicates that problems may develop eight to 10 years after the implants have been put in, and you may require additional surgery to address them.

 

How Do You Know If It’s Time To Replace Or Remove Your Implants?

 

If You Notice Your Breast Tissue Hardening

Sometimes the breast tissue may start to harden. you might feel and see changes in the breast. If this happens patients also report some tightness and pain in the breast tissue. It is possible for this to occur more than once.

 

A Saline Rupture

If there is a rupture or break in the saline implant shell, its contents will leak and the implant will deflate. The speed at which an implant can leak is variable; it can happen immediately or slowly over a few days.

 

Ruptures are rare in the first few years after breast implant surgery but your risk increases the longer you have had them for.

 

A Silicone Rupture

It is also possible for a silicone implant to rupture but when this happens, the contents are much thicker, and the silicone tends to stay within the implant or in the surrounding tissue. Because they can occur unnoticed, silicone ruptures are also referred to as silent ruptures.

 

For the majority of patients, this may happen asymptomatically but sometimes patients report

  • Hard knots
  • An asymmetrical appearance
  • Swelling
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Burning
  • Unusual sensations


Silicone ruptures are thought to occur in between 2 and 12% of breast augmentations.

 

Shifting Positions

It is possible for breast implants to change position over time. Weight loss, the force of gravity and loss of skin elasticity due to ageing can all contribute to your implants moving out of their original position.

 

How Do You Know If Breast Augmentation Is Right For You?

You must be guided by your cosmetic surgeon when deciding if breast augmentation is the right procedure for you. It is a very personal decision, and your general state of health as well as different lifestyle factors need to be taken into account.

 

Some of the potential risks to be aware of include

  • Having a breast augmentation may compromise your ability to breastfeed
  • Smokers are generally not recommended to undergo elective surgery. If you are serious about a breast implant you should consider quitting
  • If the physical appearance of your breasts is the primary reason for seeking cosmetic surgery, you may want to consider alternatives. Consider speaking to your cosmetic surgeon about non-surgical ways to enhance your breasts.
  • In the event that you are dissatisfied with the result, you may need to have revisional surgery.

 

In order to be considered a candidate for a breast implant, you would need to

  • Have fully developed breasts
  • Be realistic about the outcome
  • Be in a generally healthy physical state
  • Be discontent about the size, shape or position of your breasts

 

If you’d like a more insightful answer to the question of ‘how long do breast implants last’, it’s best to speak to a surgeon about the types of implants available and your individual risk factors. Please contact us for a confidential appointment: (02) 8599 7161.

 

REFERENCES

Breast augmentation (implants)

https://plasticsurgery.org.au/procedures/surgical-procedures/breast-augmentation-implants/

 

How long do breast implants last

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-do-implants-last#removal

 

Breast augmentation (breast implants)

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/breast-augmentation-breast-implants#:~:text=It%20is%20not%20clear%20how,and%20others%20within%2020%20years.

 

Breast augmentation surgery

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/breast-implants-augmentation

Breast Implant Types — Weighing the Benefits of Each Type
breast implant types bondi junction

There are several types of breast implants available on the market today. With so many options, it can be difficult Read more

Breast Implants Before and After — What To Expect On The Surgery?
breast implants before and after bondi junction

If you're considering breast implants, you may be wondering what the procedure entails. Here's a brief overview of what to Read more

Breast Implants Size — How to Choose the Perfect Size for Your Breasts?
breast implants size bondi junction

Do you know that in Australia, around 20,000 women undergo breast implant surgery every year? Yes, that’s how popular breast Read more

Breast Implant Cost — Everthing You Need To Know The Surgery
breast implant cost bondi junction

If you're not pleased with your breast size or shape, you might be thinking about getting a breast augmentation. If Read more

Read More

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message.