After your surgery

After surgery, your breasts will be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a crop top or sports bra over gauze dressings. A small suction drain may be placed in each breast to drain off blood and fluids for the first day or two.

You may feel some pain for the first couple of days - especially when you move around or cough - and some discomfort for a week or more. I will prescribe medication to lessen the pain.

The bandages will be removed a day or two after surgery, though you'll continue wearing the crop top or sports bra day and night for two weeks, until the swelling and bruising subside. Your stitches will dissolve and the skin incisions will be covered with steristrips (adhesive paper tapes).

If your breast skin is very dry following surgery, you can apply a moisturizer several times a day, but be sure to keep the incision lines dry.

Your first menstruation following surgery may cause your breasts to swell and hurt. You may also experience random, shooting pains for a few months. You can expect some loss of feeling in your nipples and breast skin, caused by the swelling after surgery. This usually improves over the next six weeks or so. In some patients, however, it may last a year or more, and occasionally it may be permanent.

You will be given very comprehensive pre and post operative instructions and I or my staff are available to talk to you should you have any concerns.