Breast Surgery Recovery: 2 Complications That Can Set It Back More Than 1 Week — Advice from 20 Years of Research
Hello — we are U&U Plastic Surgery, a clinic that performs breast surgery only.
Before writing this article, we wrote about pain after breast augmentation and when patients return to daily life.
We noted there that pain mostly resolves within about a week.
( * For details, please see the column below. )
Breast Augmentation Recovery Time and Pain? A Look at the Research
Hello. We are U&U Plastic Surgery, the clinic that performs the most breast augmentation…
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The recovery period mentioned in that column assumed that no post-operative complications occur.
In actual clinical practice, however, the risk of complications is always present.
So today we will look at complications that delay recovery by more than 1 week.
If work makes it hard for you to take leave freely, please be sure to read this.
A complication that delays recovery
by more than 1 week:
hematoma
Source
A hematoma is a collection of blood after breast surgery.
It mostly occurs within the first week after surgery.
needed revision surgery on day 4 due to pooled blood
There are 3 causes of this:
- blood vessel injury during surgery
- insufficient hemostasis
- re-bleeding after surgery
It also comes with swelling and symptoms such as tenderness.
And if left alone, it can later lead to the complication known as capsular contracture.
So when a hematoma occurs, breast surgery recovery is inevitably delayed — because revision surgery becomes unavoidable.
A complication that delays recovery
by more than 1 week:
seroma
Source
A collection of fluid within the surgical site is called a seroma.
It usually occurs between 3 days and 2 weeks after surgery. Its hallmark is swelling that feels like a soft, fluid-filled pouch rather than
something that spreads like a bruise.
Seromas are usually related to the surgery itself — excessive bleeding or dissection during surgery, drain issues, infection, and so on.
Image source: https://www.mybcteam.com/resources/seroma-after-breast-cancer-surgery-what-helps-is-exercise-safe
A seroma does not always require additional treatment.
Mild seromas are often simply observed — when the amount of fluid is small, the body can absorb it.
But a moderate or larger seroma left untreated for a long time can lead to 'capsular contracture.'
Since separate measures are then needed, breast surgery recovery can be delayed as well.
Hematoma and seroma.
The causes of both complications
are directly tied to the surgical process.
Source
That is exactly why the surgeon's operative skill matters so much.
Surgical complications can be avoided when the surgery goes well.
But some complications cannot be avoided no matter how well the surgery goes.
A prime example is change in posture and breast shape.
( * Think of it as change driven by the weight of the two implants and the pull of gravity. )
So when choosing a clinic, please look at surgical skill and the clinic's aftercare system together.
A record of breast surgery research going back 20 years
Source
Listed as an author on breast surgery research papers in the 2000s
Postural changes caused by implant weight
→ managed with Pilates, manual therapy, and physical therapy
Source
Pilates care room (U&U Plastic Surgery)
Manual therapy / physical therapy care room (U&U Plastic Surgery)
Breast screening becomes harder once implants are in place
-> so we built a system that handles it entirely in-house.
Source
( Mastocheck: breast cancer screening through a blood test )
To help maintain breast shape,
consulting on proper bra wear
(with a brassiere designer)
Source
One last thing we would like to say
Source
We know how much thought goes into even considering breast augmentation.
Because we know how long you have deliberated before making up your mind, we have spent 20 years researching the breast alone — and we keep the principles below.
Limit per surgeon: 3 surgeries / 6 consultations per day
Source
In the hope of being of some help,
we also share a PDF of the breast surgery Q&A we ran for 2 years in mom-community forums.
We sincerely hope it is of some help to you.
[Free PDF] A collection of breast surgery Q&As from 2 years in mom-community forums
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Because we limit the number of surgeries, your preferred date may not be available. If you would like a consultation, please book through 'Naver Booking' via the map below.
〈 This is what U&U Plastic Surgery is like 〉
U&U Plastic Surgery: how we came to perform the most breast augmentations of 2024 <based on Motiva Korea data>
U&U Plastic Surgery is the clinic that performs the most breast augmentation…
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〈 Directions 〉
U&U Plastic Surgery Clinic
Myungkwang Building, 819 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul