Breast augmentation, medically known as augmentation mammoplasty and informally known as boob job, is a common cosmetic procedure performed to increase or change the size of the breast. The augmentation is done by placing implants or by transferring fat from other parts of the body. The implants, usually silicone-filled, can be placed either under the chest muscle or over the muscle.
Patients get breast augmentation for a variety of reasons. Many women choose the procedure to simply increase the size and volume of their breasts.
Breast augmentation surgery is a popular procedure. A boob job is also done for medical purposes to restore the natural look after a mastectomy. It can be also done to correct asymmetric breasts or to correct issues following previous augmentation mammoplasty. It can also be done in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures like a tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty or as part of upper body lift surgery.
Recovery after breast augmentation surgery takes about four to six weeks on average. If you have been leading an active lifestyle before the surgery, you might want to keep the momentum and get back to it as soon as possible. One of the most asked questions is how soon can I exercise after a breast augmentation surgery?
There are a few things you need to keep in mind about exercising after breast augmentation surgery with implants. You need to give your body time to recover before resuming physical activity. It is important to understand the timeline of healing as well as follow the aftercare instruction given by your surgeon. Below we talk about recovery following a boob job, answer some of the most frequently asked questions exercising post-procedure, and offer some advice on speeding up your recovery time.
Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Jeremy Hunt has completed hundreds of breast augmentation procedures in Australia. Dr Hunt is Sydney plastic surgeon who practices in Sydney and Wollongong NSW.
If you are concerned about what to expect after a boob job, we will make things simple for you. Here is a detailed breakdown for recovery following a successful breast augmentation surgery with implants:
You will be placed in the surgical postoperative room immediately after the procedure. You should rest while you recover from the effects of anaesthesia. You need to have someone to take you home after surgery. Arrange someone to help with household chores and take care of you for a few days after surgery.
For the first twenty-four hours after your boob job, you will experience soreness, fatigue, and tightness in your chest. You might feel some discomfort and pain. Take pain-relieving medications or muscle relaxants prescribed by your surgeon.
Following the implant surgery, you might experience a loss of sensation in the breast or even oversensitivity. You will also may notice bruises and swelling over your breast which is perfectly normal.
Your implants will begin to settle in by the first postoperative week. The discomfort and pain will significantly subside within three to five days of surgery. Wear fitted surgical bra recommended by your surgeon. You could also be given a stabilising strap that maintains the optimal position of your breasts and reduces the swelling.
The intensity of pain and discomfort will gradually subside. The swelling and bruising will now be mild or non-existent. Keep your incisions clean and dry. Limit physical activity to gentle walks which promotes healing by encouraging an optimum blood flow. Check with your surgeon before showering, which can be generally be done after 2 to 3 days.
If you have been placed in the hospital, you will be cleared to go home 48 hours after the surgery. If you are at home, your surgeon may ask you to make a follow-up visit to the hospital for checking the wounds and changing the dressing.
Expect to return to physically non-taxing jobs after the first week. It is normal to experience mild pain and itchiness in your breast, as the wound begins to heal.
You will be cleared for lower body workouts like stairs, squats, stationary bicycle, etc.
By the fourth week, discomfort, swelling, pain, and bruising will have subsided completely.
By the third month, you will start feeling normal. You will be cleared for all high-impact exercises and swimming and your arm movements will be back to normal by this time.
Complete healing and thinning out of scar tissues will take around six months. Delay upper body workouts if your implants have not dropped.
As your skin covering the breast stretches, the muscles begin to relax and the inflammation subsides, your implants will gradually move down and outwards. Fluff is when implants begin to fill the breast area below the nipple. This drop and fluff begins after the first few days of augmentation and will almost reach their final position by the sixth week. By the third month, the implants will have dropped, fluffed, and settled in completely.
If you notice any of the signs and symptoms mentioned below, immediately stop exercising and seek advice from your surgeon:
Some things that you should do:
Don’t:
Dr Jeremy Hunt is specialist plastic surgeon performing breast, body, face and nose surgery in Australia. He is a member of FRACS & ASPS and has over 20 years of experience providing plastic surgery in Sydney.
Careful, considerate and honest, Dr Jeremy Hunt works with you to find a solution that is optimal for your body and your lifestyle. Every patient is unique and, through his guidance, can achieve good results.
Dr Hunt’s personal, one-on-one service and attention to detail has given thousands of women and men from the Sydney & Wollongong NSW area and across Australia the aesthetic results they desire.
Dr Jeremy A Hunt MBBS FRACS graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Sydney University in 1990 and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and member of ASPS – the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. He completed a Fellowship at the prestigious University of Texas in the United States, where he learnt from some of the world’s very best plastic surgeons.
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If breast reduction is something you’re considering, Dr Hunt can thoroughly explain all the options to you in a one-on-one consultation.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health professional.