Breast Implant Recovery

When you return home, you should rest and be extra careful for the first week. You should avoid any lifting, stretching or strenuous exercise for six weeks.

Most people are back to work within two to four weeks. However, complete internal healing requires up to one year after surgery. After breast augmentation, the appearance of your breasts will change with time, and three months or longer may be needed to achieve the optimum natural look and feel of your breasts.

Complications

All operations carry risks. A surgical complication is defined as any undesirable result of surgery. A few of the more common problems are listed below.

After the operation, the skin over the nipples and breasts may feel numb but usually this improves after six months or so.

In rare cases, body fluid ( seroma ) or blood clots ( hematoma ) can build up underneath the skin. Often this needs treatment using a needle and syringe, or by a small second operation.

There is a small risk of infection of the wound, which may lead to breakdown of the area, and even removal of the implants. This is much more likely in smokers, which is why you should stop smoking at least ten days before and after the operation.

Long standing implants may cause breast tissue atrophy causing a patient's breast tissue to thin and shrink. This condition can occur even when breast implants have been removed.

Capsular contracture refers to a situation where a layer of scar tissue forms around the breast implant and thickens and squeezes the implants. The symptoms of capsular contracture range from mild firmness and discomfort to severe pain and movement of the breast implant.

Breast implants have been known to rupture or deflate (saline implants), after a hard blow to the chest or even spontaneously. This may necessitate further surgery.

Cosmetic problems such as wrinkling of the skin, asymmetry, implant displacement, unanticipated shape, implant palpability, scar deformity may occur.