Breast Implant Recovery

Breast implant surgery recovery typically will take two to three weeks. This period of time depends on the breast implant placement and also the location of the breast implant incision. Many plastic surgeons, and quite a few of the women who have breast implants, claim a woman can be back to work within a week. Chances are that while you would most likely be able to work if you needed to, you could only perform a non-strenuous job.

Breast Implant Placement

The surgeon’s choice of breast implant insertion technique greatly affects recovery time. Bust implants can be inserted under the breast. This placement is called “submammary.” Another approach involves inserting the bust implants under the chest muscle. This is called “subpectoral.” With a saline implant, the bag is filled with salt water, thereby expanding the breast area, and giving the patient a fuller bosom, increased cup size, better contour, and more cleavage. Saline implants are adjustable

The easiest place for a plastic surgeon to place bust implants is under the breast tissue, in the submammary position. The submuscular, or subpectoral, placement is slightly more difficult to perform but results in a lower incidence of capsule contracture and slightly lower incidence of rippling. There is typically more postoperative pain than with a submammary placement, however.

Breast Implant Incision

The surgeon’s choice of incision also impacts recovery time. The surgeon can make the incision to insert the breast implant in a number of ways. He or she can cut under the breast at the breast fold, at the edge of the areola (the brown area around the nipple), within the areola, in the armpit, or even in the umbilical area. The thinnest, least visible scar is usually a result of the surgeon choosing to cut in the areola. The umbilical incision requires the use of an endoscope (a tube with a light, a fiberoptic lens and tools for placing the implant).

For most people whose incision is in the nipple or above the breast crease line, two weeks is probably a realistic  wait before normal activities can be resumed. It might well be three weeks before the surgoen allows you to lift things above your head or perform any strenuous activity.

Bust implants over the muscle usually involve less recovery time than an breast implants placed under the muscle, because of stretching of the pectoral muscle.