Mammoplasty is one of the most spectacular plastic surgeries. The changes in the before and after photos will not leave anyone indifferent. Surgeons at the GALAXY Beauty Institute are ready to help every woman create the breasts of her dreams. Well, patients, accordingly, are required to follow all the rules of rehabilitation after surgery for as long as required. Then the final result will be truly stunning.
- Why is it important to follow all recommendations in the postoperative period?
- First week of rehabilitation
- Compression garments after mammoplasty
- Limitations after mammoplasty
Why is it important to follow all recommendations in the postoperative period?
The correct selection of techniques and implants, careful preparation for surgery and skillfully performed intervention will provide only part of the success. The appearance of the breast after full recovery largely depends on how the rehabilitation after mammoplasty goes. Compliance with all doctor’s recommendations will ensure:
- minimal risk of complications;
- beautiful shape and symmetry of the mammary glands;
- correct position of the implant;
- invisible scars even when located around the areola;
- minimum pain and other unpleasant sensations.
IMPORTANT! The recovery time for the body depends on the type of mammoplasty. If a lift or reduction surgery has been performed, the tissue will return to normal faster. Breast augmentation using implants requires more recovery time as the body must get used to the foreign body.
Other complications
Swelling and pain are normal after any surgery. But in any case, it’s worth monitoring how long it hurts and when breast swelling subsides after mammoplasty. You should consult a doctor if there is pronounced swelling, severe pain lasting more than 7-10 days, and a body temperature of 38°C or higher.
Some patients develop hematomas or seromas. This is normal provided that the hematoma or seroma does not increase in size, does not cause discomfort and gradually resolves. Otherwise, it is better to seek help and remove the formation.
An allergic reaction may occur. The material of modern implants is inert and does not cause allergies, but any drug or consumable material can cause the body to react. In this case, eliminating the cause of the allergy helps.
Most possible risks and complications are related to the qualifications of the surgeon and the clinic. An insufficiently experienced surgeon can cause unpleasant consequences. Fortunately, the number of proven clinics in Moscow allows you to choose a reliable professional.
First week of rehabilitation
The patient wakes up in a comfortable room at the GALAXY Beauty Institute. The first day you must remain in the hospital under the supervision of medical personnel. Strict bed rest with minimal physical activity is required.
If recovery proceeds at a normal pace, discharge occurs the next day after surgery. The decision on this is made by the surgeon after a thorough examination. The patient is taught the rules for caring for sutures, prescribed painkillers, antibiotics, antiseptics for treating the wound, and other drugs can be added if necessary.
The first days at home should also be spent in peace. At this time, a woman may be bothered by a slight increase in temperature, swelling of the tissues and pain in the chest area. Doctors at the GALAXY Beauty Institute will give detailed instructions on what and how to take in this situation.
Bruising and swelling are normal tissue reactions to surgery. As they recover, their severity will decrease.
IMPORTANT! It is necessary to come to the clinic for an appointment to check the condition of the stitches and dressings as often as the attending physician advises.
If suture removal is required, it is carried out 7-10 days after the intervention. 2 weeks after the operation, you can go to work if it does not involve significant physical activity.
Features of bust care
Seam processing
The surgical site is wiped with sterile wipes and treated with antiseptics - hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, furatsilin. After tightening and lightening the sutures, the surgical site is lubricated with Contractubex.
Wearing compression garments
During the first month, be sure to wear compression garments. It prevents the operated breast from sagging and becoming deformed. Lingerie is selected during the preoperative consultation.
Personal hygiene and skin care
They wash only in the shower. Moisturizers are applied to the skin; after using antiseptics, the skin becomes dry. Good hydration will help not to lose the attractiveness of your breasts.
Massotherapy
Self-massage 4–5 times a day is recommended no earlier than 14 days after breast surgery. In the early stages, stroking movements with warm palms are shown. After a month, light squeezing and stretching movements using oils are allowed. If the patient feels pain during the massage, the pressure should be reduced.
Massage movements are needed for several reasons:
- Makes the implant position more natural.
- Restores lymph flow, reduces pain and swelling.
- Prevents the formation of a capsule-shaped bag around the implant.
- Preserves breast sensitivity.
Physical activity and sports
You can walk 2–3 days after plastic surgery. After 3 weeks, light movements are performed, with the exception of the chest and shoulders. After three months, you are allowed to lift dumbbells and swim in the pool. Running, dancing and bodybuilding can only be done six months after the operation.
An authoritative surgeon, Igor Aleksandrovich Butko, monitors the condition of the patient’s breasts and carries out monitoring until the body is completely restored. Our clinic uses safe anesthesia, modern equipment and instruments. The rules of asepsis and antiseptics are strictly observed.
Come get gorgeous breasts at Butko Plastic! Call us to schedule an initial consultation with a doctor.
Compression garments after mammoplasty
Wearing special compression garments is one of the most important conditions for successful rehabilitation after breast augmentation. It is put on immediately after surgery and worn for 1 month. This allows:
- reduce the risk of seams coming apart;
- form thin, invisible scars;
- ensure a neat breast shape after completion of rehabilitation;
- accelerate the resorption of swelling and bruises;
- evenly distribute the load on the neck and spine.
Surgeons at the GALAXY Beauty Institute independently select underwear for the patient. It is included in the cost of the operation and meets the following criteria:
- provides comfort in any position;
- allows the skin to breathe;
- absorbs moisture;
- looks neat under clothes;
- easily fastened by the patient herself.
In the first 4-5 weeks, a compression bra is worn constantly. After about a month, you can replace the compression garment with a regular bra without wires, which provides good support for the mammary glands. The exact timing depends on the specific operation and the individual characteristics of the body.
Breast cancer after surgery
Without surgery, chemotherapy and radiation alone cannot permanently cure cancer, but it is possible to stop its development for a while, usually for two to three years and rarely longer. Therefore, the surgical stage should be considered as a benefit, despite its often irreparable consequences.
In addition to the scar on the skin, after a mastectomy the patient is deprived of a symmetrical load on the spine, and if the loss of the breast is not compensated for by installing an implant or refusing to wear a prosthesis, the curvature of the spine will become noticeable and will lead to symptoms that are usually referred to as “ exacerbation of osteochondrosis .”
Resection preserving the reproductive organ deforms the breast, which is aggravated by mandatory radiation therapy. You must be prepared for the fact that post-radiation scar changes will intensify over time.
The main goal of partial breast removal is to reduce the degree of lymphostasis of the arm ; for this, oncologists abandoned the widespread removal of axillary lymph nodes in the absence of metastases in them, preferring a preliminary biopsy of the sentinel node during surgery.
With large breasts, there will be a need for surgery on a healthy gland - aesthetic, that is, performed for the “beauty” and symmetrical load of the spine. But this is not necessary, because today there are many ways to veil the loss of “part of yourself” from prying eyes.
Limitations after mammoplasty
Restrictions after mammoplasty last from 1-2 weeks to several months. Compliance with these rules allows tissues to recover properly. Here is a list of the most important prohibitions.
- You cannot raise your arms above shoulder level. This rule should be followed for about a week after surgery. An unsuccessful movement can dislodge the implant.
- Do not strain your pectoral muscles: lift weights, drive a car. In addition to pain, the violation can cause sutures to separate and the implant to dislodge. The driving restriction lasts no more than 2 weeks; you need to be careful with heavy weights for up to a month.
- You should not shower for 7 days after surgery, as unhealed wounds may become infected.
- You cannot take a bath or swim in a pool or open water until the surgeon’s permission (2-3 months minimum).
- You should not sleep on your stomach or side for 2-3 weeks. The reason is the risk of suture divergence and implant displacement.
- You can't have sex for 10 days. Hormonal fluctuations during intimacy cause a rush of blood to the mammary glands. This increases swelling and the risk of bleeding.
- You can't play sports. This issue is resolved individually with a doctor. The duration of the restrictions depends on the type of sports activity. Ignoring this limitation often provokes complications: hematomas, seromas, bleeding, suture dehiscence.
- You can't overheat. It is advisable to wait at least 6 months. A hot bath, sauna, steam bath can affect scar formation.
- You cannot sunbathe in the sun or in a solarium for up to 1 year. Ultraviolet light can cause darkening of the seams.
- It is undesirable to smoke and drink alcohol 1-2 weeks before and 1 month after surgery. Bad habits slow down blood circulation and tissue healing.
- You can’t suddenly lose weight or gain weight. Weight fluctuations must be very slow, otherwise the tissues may stretch and the appearance of the operated breast will become unpresentable.
On average, complete recovery of the body after surgery takes from 6 months to 1 year.
The rehabilitation period after mammoplasty is very important. If a woman follows all the doctor’s requirements, then very soon the swelling and bruising will go away, the scars will become invisible, and the breasts will delight with an ideal appearance.
What sutures are used for mammoplasty?
During a consultation with a plastic surgeon, you should find out what method of applying sutures during mammoplasty is followed by the doctor. This is very important so that a woman is psychologically ready to see the result of plastic surgery.
If reduction mammoplasty is performed, plastic surgeons use the following types of sutures:
- Short seam method.
The scar after surgery will extend from the nipple to the inframammary fold of the breast. Doctors use this suture in cases where, during reduction mammoplasty, it is necessary to remove a small amount of breast tissue (no more than 800 grams). - T-shaped seam.
Another name for the suture technique is anchoring. The postoperative incision extends from the nipple down to the inframammary fold of the gland and then horizontally along the inframammary groove. This suturing technique is used by plastic surgeons when it is necessary to reduce the breast gland in a large volume. The scar, which runs along the inframammary fold, remains invisible, and the vertical sutures, with proper care, heal quickly and become colorless.
During plastic surgery for breast augmentation, there are 3 types of sutures:
- Periareolar
. The scar runs along the line of the nipple-areolar complex. The seam after mammoplasty is very thin and invisible, so it does not bring any inconvenience to the woman. - Submammary suture.
The scar runs along the line of the inframammary fold and becomes invisible during the tissue healing process. - Axillary.
Breast augmentation occurs endoscopically through an incision in the armpit. Thanks to this, the scar becomes invisible, as it is hidden by the natural folds of the skin.
Features of plastic surgery at the Beauty Doctor clinic
Axillary access to the mammary gland is performed by the most professional and trained surgeons, since endoscopic manipulations to create a pocket for an endoprosthesis require high qualifications.
In our clinic, located in Moscow, operations using endoscopic technology are performed by experienced and distinguished plastic surgeons. They work together with anesthesiologists who use the safest and most modern types of general anesthesia and local anesthesia.
Breast cancer survival
It is not easy to determine how long a woman will live after the disease is diagnosed, since the prognosis depends not so much on the size of the tumor, but on the potential for aggressiveness inherent in the cancer cells.
Poorly differentiated carcinomas with initially high sensitivity to cytostatics eventually stop responding to drugs , which requires a change in combination. It has been noted that a high level of hormonal receptors is associated with a good prognosis for life.
At stage 1, the survival rate is the highest - 80% of patients survive 5 years, at stage 3 - half as much, but of those who have undergone radical treatment, regardless of the stage, almost 60% will live longer than five years.
However, not a single oncologist will undertake to say how long and how his patient will live, because everything is very, very individual and even computer programs are not able to calculate an individual prognosis. A recent meta-analysis of a large number of articles with several million patients showed that an accurate calculation of the life expectancy of an individual patient is still beyond scientific understanding.
There is no doubt that the quality of therapy - the optimal selection of drugs , adherence to the correct dose and intervals between administrations contribute to increasing the patient’s life.
Today, at the international clinic Medica24, they select a combination of cytostatics taking into account the sensitivity of cancer cells, individual programs for maintaining good health and timely relief of toxicity help to “hold on” to the required dose of the drug and not get confused by increasing the interval between administrations.
Relapses after breast cancer
In the English-language oncology literature, the term “ relapse ” often refers to any manifestation of the disease after radical treatment, and metastasis too. Domestic experts usually understand relapse as the re-formation of carcinoma in the area of the postoperative scar.
The likelihood of relapse—the development of a tumor in the same place—is reduced by the use of radiation therapy and high-quality execution of the surgical stage. Long-term observations have shown that the frequency of recurrence in the scar after resection is almost similar to that after mastectomy, which became the reason for expanding the indications for organ-preserving interventions.
In preventing relapse, the art of the oncologist surgeon plays an important role in correctly determining the volume of intervention and performing it efficiently, as well as compliance with radiation standards.
Rehabilitation after breast cancer
Rehabilitation measures begin already during the operation, because the main essence of organ-preserving resection and sentinel lymph node biopsy is maximum preservation of hand function. When it is not possible to avoid removing lymph nodes along with tissue from the axillary, and even more so, the subclavian and subscapular areas, there is a high probability of developing lymphostasis of the arm.
Additional radiation therapy, unfortunately, also contributes to impaired lymphatic drainage, which is manifested not only by an increase in the size of the upper limb, but also by a decrease in its motor capabilities. Adding to the troubles are scar tissue changes, enhanced by the use of cytostatics that increase the sensitivity of soft tissues to radiation.
In fact, after radical treatment, a syndrome of combined treatment of breast cancer is formed, the components of which are postoperative scars, increasing local stagnation of lymph, post-radiation changes, and impaired outflow of venous blood as a consequence of damage to the veins by cytostatics.
Physical therapy and selection of compression garments, hardware methods for relieving lymphostasis and pharmacological agents help restore performance.
The range of therapeutic options is wide, and specialists at the international clinic Medica24 will select the optimal one for each patient.
Metastases after breast cancer
The likelihood of metastasis increases in parallel with the size of the tumor and the number of lymph nodes affected by metastases.
The role of the lymph node is to absorb everything harmful to the body, including cancer cells, but the “protected” lymph node with metastases simultaneously becomes their source.
In most cases, death after treatment for breast cancer is due to metastasis. Particularly unfavorable in prognosis are metastases to internal organs, multiple ones and damage to several organ systems and tissues by the malignant process, for example, the lungs, liver and skin. Single and solitary - a single metastasis have a good prospect for stabilization and even regression with good sensitivity to drugs.
Adequate selection of chemotherapy at this stage of life is the main thing, because drug treatment is the only possible one, but in some cases it can be supplemented with radiation therapy and even minimally invasive innovative interventions. Complex treatment of metastases is the standard approach of the international clinic Medica24, which allows us to improve the quality and life expectancy of our patients.
Nutrition after breast cancer
There is no cure for cancer diet, but nutrition is important to maintain the body's defenses and recovery after treatment. Eating salty foods can be a trigger for the development of lymphostasis, and spicy food will be complicated by intestinal spasms that have not restored the mucous membrane after chemotherapy.
After treatment for breast cancer, women often gain excess weight - a path to high blood pressure and diabetes. Usually, the increase is blamed on the use of hormonal drugs, but in fact, the rapid increase in body kilograms is a consequence of a decrease in physical activity. Of course, all women gain weight with age, but this should only happen within certain “frames”, because extra pounds of fatty tissue reduce health and, in turn, reduce activity even more.
You can break the vicious circle alone by going on a diet, but it is easier and more effective to do this with the help of a nutritionist.
At the international clinic Medica24, they will select an optimal and very individual diet, taking into account the consequences of difficult treatment, the likelihood of developing unfavorable conditions and supporting the body in the fight against a malignant tumor.
