Breast reduction - Recovery

After the Procedure:

You may have to stay overnight in the hospital.

After surgery, a bulky gauze dressing (bandage) will be wrapped around your breasts and chest, and drainage tubes may be attached to your breasts. These tubes will be removed within 3 to 5 days. You will remove the ace wrap, bra, or dressings after surgery, as your doctor has told you.

Within the first week, you will replace your dressing with a soft bra. You must wear this bra for several weeks.

Your pain should decrease in a few days. Take pain medicine to control it. Be sure to take the medicine with food and plenty of water. Do not apply ice or heat to your breasts unless your doctor has told you that is okay.

Within a few days, the swelling and bruising around your incisions should disappear. You may have a temporary loss of sensation in your breast skin and nipples after surgery. Sensation will return over time. Your stitches will be removed within 2 weeks after surgery.

Outlook (Prognosis):

You are likely to have a very good outcome from breast reduction surgery. You may feel better about your appearance and be more comfortable with various activities.

Pain or skin symptoms, such as striation, will disappear. You may need to wear a special supportive bra for a few months to reshape your breasts.

Scars are permanent. They will be more visible for the first year, but will then fade. The doctor will make every effort to place the cuts so that scars are hidden. Most of the time, the scars should not be noticeable, even in low-cut clothing (cuts are usually made on the underside of the breast).