Breast Lift Recovery in Charlotte

Once you have decided to have a breast lift to improve your body contour, you may start to worry about recovery from such a surgery. Your body will need extra pampering in order to heal well. The real trick to a great recovery is getting ready for your recovery time before your surgery and having the help you need after the procedure. Below are some of our top tips for a successful breast lift recovery in Charlotte.

Before Surgery

You want to avoid difficulties after surgery, and good preparation goes a long way towards preventing problems later. Be sure to get all your prescription medications filled. We will provide your prescriptions for post-op pain medications before your breast lift surgery in Charlotte so that you will not need to stop on the way home to pick them up. Any routine medications also need to be refilled to avoid running out unexpectedly.

Preparing food will not be easy immediately after surgery because you will not want to use your arms very much. Be sure you have a plan, whether you order food delivery or have someone else cook.

Think about all the people you care for and what you do for them. You will need to make arrangements so that you get a break from doing all those things while you are busy recovering.

The Day of Surgery

You will be having general anesthesia, so you will need a driver on the day of your breast lift surgery in Charlotte. You will also want to have someone who will stay with you that evening and overnight so that you have all the help you need.

Dress based on how you want to feel after surgery. A button or zipper front top is best because you will not be able to raise your arms up. Stretch waistband pants are the easiest to get into; save the tight jeans for another day. You will wear a surgical bra home. If you have long hair, putting it into a braid can help keep it out of the way for the day.

The Days Following Surgery

Listen to your body. If it wants to sleep, find a comfy spot for a nap. You are not being lazy. Extra sleep gives your body additional time to focus on healing. Hopefully, you have arranged for about three weeks off work (this includes those who work from home!).

You cannot return to your usual exercise routine immediately, but you can start walking as soon as you feel up to it. Start with extra walking inside but feel free to start walking your neighborhood. Movement will help you keep your strength up and your bowels moving. Strenuous exercise will need to wait for at least four weeks.

Use pain medications to your advantage. If you know you will be able to walk more when you are not in pain, take a dose of pain medication, give it a chance to get into your system, and then head on out. At first, you will need the stronger narcotic medication, but you will quickly progress to using more over-the-counter pain medications.

You will be given specific instructions on how to care for your incisions. If you run into any problems, like an extra sore spot or oozing fluid, call our office. We will tell you what you need to do. Remember that your incisions will go through phases as they heal completely. It takes about a full year before your incisions will assume their final appearance so do not panic if your incisions feel like a rope under your skin. That phase will pass. Keep tension off the incisions as much as you can (support bras), and once your skin is closed, do not forget to moisturize your incisions liberally.

Lifting and reaching will be your enemies for the first few weeks after surgery. Be sure you have lined up family and friends to help. Have a plan for transportation, as you will not be able to drive until you can move your arms well. You should not lift more than a loaf of bread for the first week and nothing more than five pounds for the entire first month. The ban on lifting means you cannot push or pull anything that is beyond your weight limit either. This means you will need help with grocery shopping and house cleaning. Do not be too shy to ask for help.

Remember, your friends and family may not know what to do for you after your breast lift in Charlotte, but that does not mean they do not want to help you recover.

The Most Important Thing About Your Breast Lift Surgery Recovery in Charlotte

The most important thing to remember is that Dr. Ditesheim and his staff are here to guide you through your entire surgical experience from beginning to end. If you have a question, call. If you are worried that something is going wrong, call immediately. We want you to have the smoothest breast lift recovery in Charlotte.