One can usually shower in a day or two. A lacey elastic strap may be used for support for a week or more. Recovery time depends completely upon the details of the method used to put the implants in and their position in relation to the muscle. It also is highly variable, and depends upon the woman herself, the nature of the work she does, and her physical fitness and activity. Remember when reviewing the listed averages given below, they are just that, averages of lots of patients, and the ranges are actually quite wide (for example, many women can return to work in 3 days after the behind-the-muscle way discussed below.)
Behind the muscle augmentation ("UNDERS") has the slower recovery, and is somewhat more painful. The reason is that with under-the-muscle there may be some muscle cramps. (I sometimes advise some of my my patients to stay overnight in the Surgery Facility.) The medicines can control the pain well, but then you can't drive a car or do much productive work or exercise while taking them. Return to work averages about 7 days. Full strenuous exercise usually averages about 4-5 weeks.
In front of the muscle augmentation ("OVERS"), have a little faster recovery, because there are no muscle cramps. There is still some pain, of course, but the recovery time is shorter than under the muscle. Usually my over-the-muscle patients do not need to stay overnight. In front of the muscle, recovery does depend further upon whether the incision is inside the navel or not. If not through the navel, the return to work averages about 5 days, full strenuous activity averages about 3 weeks.
Breast enlargement via the navel generally has a more rapid recovery than any other method. It is not usually necessary to stay overnight if the implant is inserted in front of the muscle via the navel, although I prefer that patients from out-of-state spend at least the first night in a local hotel. With implant via the navel ("TUBA") in front of the muscle the return to work averages about 3 days, full strenuous activity averages about 2 weeks. The most likely explanation for the quicker recovery and lower pain with the through-the-navel method is that there are two aspects unique to that method, both of which decrease pain and bleeding:
Remember, these are averages, and the range is great.
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