POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
BREAST AUGMENTATION/IMPLANT EXCHANGE/
MASTOPEXY (BREAST LIFT)/BREAST REDUCTION
ACTIVITY
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Rest. Walk at least 3 minutes every few hours while awake.
Massage is not necessary, but if you would still want to massage your breasts, you must
wait 2 weeks after surgery or when soreness is gone.
Gradually increase activity as tolerated.
Refrain from lifting anything over 20 lbs. for 6 weeks after surgery.
No heavy exercise, bending, lifting, baths, swimming, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol or
sports for 4 weeks following surgery.
POSITIONING
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Elevate head and back on 2-3 pillows when you sleep for the first two weeks to alleviate
swelling.
DIET
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Good nutrition: Eat non-constipating nutritious food (as tolerated) after surgery. Stick to
a diet of soft, bland, nutritious food for the first 24 hours. Prevention of constipation is
important.
Fluids: Adequate fluids are important following surgery especially the first few days
Avoid carbonated drinks, alcohol, and tea for the first 3 days. Ideally you should
consume at least 8 ounces of fluid every 2 hours.
Avoid eating shellfish for 3 months. Although not necessarily bad for you, many people
have allergic symptoms after eating shellfish and it is generally best to avoid it.
WOUNDCARE
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If present, leave tapes in place until next appointment.
After 3 days, remove ACE wrap and bra and any gauze (leaving brown paper tapes in
place), and shower. Use a blow dryer on COOL setting to dry the tapes after you
shower. Reapply the bra and ACE wraps on your chest (making sure that the wraps sit
on top of your breasts, pushing the breasts down. No baths or swimming for 4 weeks.
ICE PACKS
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Apply ice 20 minutes on/20 minutes off for 48-72 hours after surgery for comfort and
swelling.
DO NOT apply ice directly on skin.
A bag of frozen peas work well.
GARMENT
POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
BREAST AUGMENTATION/IMPLANT EXCHANGE/
MASTOPEXY (BREAST LIFT)/BREAST REDUCTION
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We will provide a bra and ACE wrap for you. Make sure the wrap is always sitting on top
of your breasts. You may readjust it as necessary to ensure it is smooth and
comfortable. You should wear the wraps 24 hours a day for 5 days. We will remove the
wrap for you at your post op appointment.
We recommend that you wear wireless bras (no underwires or push-up bras) for 6
months. Some patients choose to wear sports bra at night for comfort.
DRIVING
 Driving is restricted for 4-6 days after surgery and while taking prescription pain
medication.
MEDICATIONS AFTER SURGERY (NOT ALL MAY APPLY TO YOU)
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Antibiotic (Keflex)-Take 1 pill every 6 hours until the course is completed.
Pain Medication (Norco)-Take 1 tab every 4 hours as needed for pain. Blepharoplasty is
not a painful surgery, so most patients do well with just regular Tylenol Extra Strength
for pain control.
Stool Softener (Miralax)-Constipation is a common problem after surgery because of the
pain medicines and decreased activity. Miralax 1 capful in 8 oz of any beverage of your
choice should be started the morning after surgery, and repeated every morning until
your bowel habits have returned to normal. Miralax is available from your drug store
without a prescription.
Healing Supplements (Traumeric)-Take 2 pills once a day until finished. These
supplements help decrease bruising and swelling.
Antinausea (Zofran)-Dissolve 1 tab under the tongue every 8 hours as needed for
nausea.
NORMAL POST-OPERATIVE SYMPTOMS
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Expect bruising and swelling. Numbness and itching are also normal during the healing
process
Shiny skin or itchiness: Swelling can cause the skin to stretch and appear shiny.
Asymmetry: Both sides of your body heal differently: One side of your body may look or
feel quite different from the other in the days following surgery.
Scars: The incisions in the beginning will appear raised and uneven. This part of the
normal healing process. It will take 6 months-1 year for your incisions to settle and look
its best.
Numbness: It is common for patients to experience increased or decreased sensation in
the nipples after surgery. It may take 6 months-1 year for normal sensation to return.
POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
BREAST AUGMENTATION/IMPLANT EXCHANGE/
MASTOPEXY (BREAST LIFT)/BREAST REDUCTION
USE OF PAIN MEDICATIONS
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Tightness and discomfort are present in all patients following breast surgery and is
normal. Pain medicines are not designed to remove all pain but rather to make it
tolerable. Taking too much pain medicine may be dangerous and can result in poor
respiratory effort leading to pneumonia, decreased activity leading to increased
incidence of blood clots, constipation with secondary abdominal wall pressure, nausea,
vomiting and dependency.
CALL THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY IF YOU EXPERIENCE
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A high fever, (over 101º), shaking chills followed by significant sweating, severe nausea
and vomiting not controlled by anti-nausea medications, continued dizziness or
incoherent behavior, such as hallucinations.
Intolerable pain not controlled by your pain medication.
Bright red skin that is hot to the touch, or purulent discharge (pus).
Excessive bleeding or fluid seeping through the incisions.
Progressive or severely misshapen region anywhere on your breasts