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Swelling is a normal part of recovering from breast reduction surgery, but it can make your breasts sore and tender along the way. It can also make them look uneven if one breast swells more than the other. Fortunately, swelling is temporary and manageable. We’ll tell you what to expect and give you a few pointers on how to minimize swelling along the way.
Swelling after surgery is part of your body’s natural inflammatory response. When your body suffers an injury, blood flow to the area increases to assist with tissue repair and deliver white blood cells to fight off any infections. Breast reduction involves removing a significant amount of tissue and skin, which results in a sizeable trauma for your body to heal. Swelling occurs as a result.
Breast reductions cause more swelling than breast augmentations and even breast lifts due to the size of the incisions. After a breast augmentation, the swelling tends to focus around the pocket the implant sits in. It centers around the area where excess skin is removed after a breast lift. But after a breast reduction, swelling is more widespread across the breasts and involves deeper tissue.
Patients heal at different rates, so your age, overall health, skin elasticity, and how strictly you follow your post-op instructions all impact how long swelling lasts after a breast reduction. Even so, swelling reduction tends to follow a general timeline that can help you know if your breast reduction recovery experience is going as it should.
Because it’s a natural physiological response, you won’t be able to prevent swelling entirely after your breast reduction. You can take steps to reduce it, however, so that you feel more comfortable during your recovery. You can minimize swelling if you:
As mentioned above, your age and overall health help determine how quickly your swelling subsides. Genetics, too, play a role. So does the extent of your surgery. The more tissue removed during your breast reduction, the more swelling you’ll experience. You can help keep swelling under control by closely following the aftercare instructions your plastic surgeon gives you.
Reputable plastic surgeons don’t perform your procedure and then disappear into the sunset. They will want to see you for a follow-up appointment after your breast reduction to check your healing and will make clinic staff available to help you during your recovery should a need arise. It’s vital that you contact them if you experience potential signs of surgical complications, including:
If you’re here, you’re probably looking for information about breast reduction surgery. Our qualified surgical coordinators are ready to offer you a free virtual consultation where you can learn about all aspects of breast reduction surgery, including swelling.
We can, of course, already tell you that swelling is normal but temporary after a breast reduction. The best way to manage it overall is to maintain a healthy lifestyle after surgery and to follow any and all post-op instructions carefully. Speaking to you in person, however, allows us to take your past medical history and overall health into account so we can provide you with more personalized information.