Surgery is only the first step towards fuller and more beautiful breasts. Following your breast enhancement surgery, the recovery period is a crucial time during which your body heals and your new breast implants settle into their proper position and shape.
During this time, it is essential that you follow our post-operative care guidelines and attend your follow-up visits at the Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute. Failure to do so, may lead to sub-optimal, or even unwanted results. We view the recovery period as a time when your body and your breasts are still fragile and must be cared for appropriately.
Please read carefully the below do’s and don’ts after your surgery in Toronto. If you need clarification on any of these instructions, or you have a question that is not answered by the following information, please contact us and one of our staff will be ready to help you.
Dr. Jugenburg (do not massage your breasts if you have also had a Breast Lift performed at the time of your Breast Augmentation).
If you choose not to follow our post-operative Breast Augmentation protocols and/or not to attend your scheduled follow up visits at the Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute, you must understand that we cannot be held responsible for any unforeseen complications or problems that may develop.
Your implants will settle into the breasts over the course of 3 months. Patients typically notice a dramatic difference in the implants by 1 month and this continues to improve; they become softer, more mobile, and positioned just behind the nipple. For further information, please refer here.
You should wear the surgical bra day and night until Dr. Jugenburg advises otherwise; this is dependent on your healing and is typically until 2 – 4 weeks after surgery. We advise patients to wait to purchase new bras until 1 month after surgery, so that the sizing is accurate after any swelling has resolved and the implants have settled. If you wish to purchase one or two bras for the time period between wearing your surgical bra and the final fitting, be aware that your bra size may be less accurate at this point.
Yes. Sensation changes immediately following surgery are very common and normally resolve within 3 – 6 months. You may experience numbness or tingling, or may be extra sensitive.
You may begin driving again when you have finished your pain medication containing codeine (which impairs your reflexes and can make you drowsy) and can safely and comfortably maneuver the car.
Strenuous exercise that raises your blood pressure should be avoided for 2 weeks (this includes participating in sexual activities). After this period, you may begin to gradually work up to low impact cardio (exercises and movement that will not shake your breasts and breast implants).
After 6 weeks you can slowly resume more vigorous activities. If your implants were placed below the muscle (sub-muscular or sub-pectoral), we advise that you avoid activities that directly involve the cheat muscles (pectoralis major) for 12 weeks (such exercises include: push-ups, chest press, chest flies, and yoga positions where your body weight is supported by the upper arms).
Most women can return to office type work a few days after surgery. If your work involves being active, you must either arrange to undertake non-active tasks for a period of 2 weeks, if possible, or to take this time off work.
Dr. Jugenburg is an expert at creating minimal scars and hiding them in ways that make them virtually undetectable. To help further minimize any scaring, silicone-based treatments are best, but should be used only if needed (and usually only after the incisions have fully healed). DrJugenburg will advise you if and whenyou should start using these treatments.
At the Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute, we offer the skin gel Kelocoteto all our patients. Kelocote is a silicone-based gel that is applied over a healing scar to minimize the scarring process.It helps to promotetheflatteningof the scar and any discoloring to vanish. Massage after surgery, in addition to silicone-based treatments, are likely the best tools to fight more prominent scarring.Shouldsuch treatments be necessary for your scars, during one of your post-operative follow-up visits at the clinic, you will be advised both on the application of the gel and, if appropriate,on scar massage techniques.