After you have woken up from your surgery I will come and see you and explain how everything went. I’ll also go over how to look after yourself and your new breasts until I next see you for your 1 week follow-up appointment.
You will be given enough time to recover before you are assessed and discharged from the hospital. Myself and my team are always available should you have any concerns, but formal follow-up appointments are typically made at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months and 1 year after surgery.
Immediately following surgery it is likely that you will find that your breasts will feel tender and swollen. This can cause you some discomfort in the initial period following surgery but you will have been given appropriate pain relief to help manage this. You will also be provided with information about how best to care for your wounds, as well as when the best time is to start showering, driving and how long you may need to take off work.
While your body is healing it is always best to take it easy for a couple of weeks, only undertaking low level activities, increasing your activity levels gradually as and when your body is comfortable. Wearing a supportive sports bra or post-surgical bra will help to make you feel comfortable following surgery
Swelling following surgery is to be expected and although most will resolve by 2 to 4 weeks it takes many more for all of the swelling to disappear. Similarly, in the early phase of wound healing, the scars may appear red or raised. I will advise you on scar management which will encourage the scars to soften and fade over time.