After Breast Implants

As with all surgeries, there is a period of recovery after breast augmentation, before you can resume your usual activities. Especially in the first few days, it is important to take it easy and to limit arm movements.

DO:

• Rest – After surgery your body needs rest.
• Limit arm movements – Avoid reaching, lifting, and swinging your arms – anything that makes your breasts bounce.
• Use compression wraps – A compression garment will provide tissue support and help minimize swelling. As you heal, your surgeon may recommend a special breast augmentation bra.
• Take medications as directed – Take prescription pain medications on schedule, and finish all antibiotics.
• Drink lots of fluids – Keep well hydrated to speed healing and prevent the constipation that is common after surgery.
• Start with light activities – Walk, do gentle stretching and low-intensity exercises on a stationary bike or treadmill to rebuild your energy.

DON’T:

• Resume activities too soon – Give yourself time to recover. Most women return to work after 5 to 7 days, but should still avoid strenuous activities for 2 to 4 weeks after surgery.
• Smoke – Smoking slows healing and increases your risk of complications.
• Exercise vigorously – Stick to light activities until your surgeon says you can safely do more. Don’t lift weights or otherwise engage the pectoral muscles until your surgeon says it’s okay. Don’t swim until your incisions have healed.
• Feel discouraged – Remember, it may take up to 6 months for you to see the final results of your recovery after breast augmentation. Be patient, and soon you’ll be admiring your new enhanced shape.

And with any plastic surgery or elective surgery, be sure to wear a compression garment to help you recover faster and with optimal results.  ContourMD carries a full line of compression bras and after breast augmentation surgery garments to help increase circulation, reduce swelling and bruising while helping stabilize your new implants.

After Breast Implants

For example, most plastic surgeons will want you to wear a compression garment for a period of time immediately after breast implant surgery. And because these plastic surgery garments come in a variety of styles, it’s important to talk to your plastic surgeon about which type is best for you.

Cosmetic surgeons may have different preferences as to whether you should wear a breast augmentation bra or compression bra or an augmentation bandeau. Which one your plastic surgeon wants you to wear may depend on the type of incision, the shape and size of your breast implants, or whether you’re getting silicone implants or saline implants.

Other things you’ll want to discuss with your plastic surgeon before your breast implant surgery include pain control during your breast augmentation recovery, breast augmentation recovery time, and when you will be able to return to work and resume normal activities.

These are the types of decisions that will need to be made in advance, so talk to your plastic surgeon today and get ready for a smooth recovery.

What is Involved in a Mommy Makeover?

Let’s face it. Pregnancy can wreak havoc on a woman’s body. In order to get back their pre-pregnancy shapes, many women choose to undergo liposculpture or smart lipo, which is also known as a mommy makeover.

A mommy makeover can be whatever you want it to be. If you’re still carrying some excess fat around the middle or if you have a lot of loose abdominal skin, tummy tuck surgery may be just what you need to get you back in shape. During tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, the abdominal muscles are tightened and excess fat and skin are removed.  After tummy tuck surgery, you should wear an abdominal binder to help with your tummy tuck recovery for best results.

If you don’t have a lot of loose skin, but you find you’ve got some stubborn areas of fat that you can’t get rid of, or liposculpture or liposuction might be a good option for you. During a liposuction procedure, tiny incisions are made in the problem areas and fat is suctioned out.  Compression garments are an important part of the after surgery recovery.  Make sure your plastic surgeon knows which post surgical support garment will give you the best results.

Sagging breasts are quite common after pregnancy. If your breasts have lost their volume, you might want to consider breast augmentation surgery, also known as breast enhancement or breast implant surgery. During breast augmentation surgery, breast implants are surgically placed beneath the breast tissue or under the muscles of the chest. If your breasts are also drooping, a combination breast augmentation and breast lift may be an ideal choice for you.  Post surgery, it is important to wear a support garment to help keep your implants in place.  Compression support bras, breast augmentation bras and other compression support vests are a good idea for the best results.

Because pregnancy can result in more than one problem area, you may want to ask your plastic surgeon about combining plastic surgery procedures.  And as always, make sure you speak with him/her about the best compression garments for the surgery procedures you are undertaking.

Post Breast Augmentation Bra by ContourMD

Immediately after breast augmentation surgery, you’ll need to wear a breast augmentation compression garment for the first few weeks. Fortunately, compression bras come in many different styles, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one that fits your lifestyle.

The Cup Bra has a hook-and-eye closure in the front, so it’s easy to put on even though your breasts may be a bit sore after breast enhancement surgery. It’s made of nylon fabric and has a non-cup design, which allows it to conform to your breast implants. The Cup Bra is a good bra for every day use during breast augmentation recovery.

The Semi-Shape Bra with Adjustable Strap by Contour has a front closure and a non-cup design. This bra is made of Lycra spandex. It’s also a good choice for every day use.

The Surgical Bra by Contour is made of cotton compression Lycra and has hook-and-eye closures in the front and back. It also has Z hooks on the shoulder straps, which provide easy access to the surgical site. This bra is comfortable enough for every day use, and is also a good choice to wear to your follow-up appointments.

The SP Cover Bra by Contour also has hook-and-eye closures in the front and back. It has molded cups and a Velcro compression band for extra support. This is a good bra to wear immediately after surgery because of the added support of the compression band. It’s also a good choice for women with large breast implants that may need a little extra support.

When choosing a breast augmentation bra, keep in mind that your bra will need to be worn continuously, but will also need to be washed, so make sure you have at least two.

What are the Different Types of Breast Implants?

Before you schedule your breast augmentation consultation for your breast enhancement surgery, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the types of breast implants you’ll have to choose from.

Your breast implant choices are either saline breast implants or silicone gel breast implants. The most common type of breast implant is the saline breast implants.

Saline breast implants are filled with salt water, also known as saline. How much saline is in the implant will determine the shape and feel of the breast.

Silicone implants are pre-filled with a silicone gel. Some women think they have a more natural feel than saline implants.

Breast implant prices will vary, depending on your breast implant type and size, and by manufacturer. Breast implant surgeons are extremely knowledgeable about breast implant options, so your plastic surgeon can help you choose the best breast augmentation implants that are still within your budget.

Breast implant recovery time can be minimized by following your plastic surgeon’s instructions. Immediately after breast augmentation surgery, you’ll be instructed to wear a breast augmentation compression garment for several weeks. Breast augmentation recovery garments reduce swelling and increase circulation, which helps you to heal faster. Recovery garment options include breast augmentation bras, augmentation bandeaus, and compression vests.

Breastfeeding After Breast Augmentation

Multiple studies have shown that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby. And contrary to popular belief, most women who have had breast augmentation surgery are still able to breastfeed, although some may experience lower milk production. If you do find you have a limited supply of milk, breastfeeding can be supplemented with formula.

If you’re planning to breastfeed after breast augmentation surgery, you’ll want to invest in some quality breastfeeding apparel, such as pregnancy bras or nursing bras. Because your breasts continue to grow and change shape during pregnancy, a pregnancy bra that is designed to accommodate those changes will likely be more comfortable than your regular bras. Pregnancy bra also help to prevent breast sagging after pregnancy.

Nursing bras provide breastfeeding support and have easy opening systems that make the breasts more accessible for nursing.

Many women choose to wait to have their breast augmentation surgery until after they have breastfed their last child because pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause breast sagging. If you have drooping breasts after pregnancy, breast lift surgery can help restore them to their pre-pregnancy position.

As with all breast procedures, it is highly recommended that a compression support bra or post surgical bra be worn for optimal results.  Be sure to speak with you doctor about what compression garment is best for after surgery.

If you’re planning to have breast augmentation surgery, you’re probably debating over what size breast implant you should get. Just keep in mind that personal preference is only one aspect of choosing a breast implant size. Remember that bigger may not always be better. When choosing a breast implant for your breast augmentation surgery, there are several things you should consider:

• You’ll need to have enough breast tissue to cover your breast implants.
• Extremely large implants also may make look disproportionate on a small woman.
• Implants that are too large for your body type may increase your breast implant recovery time.
• No matter what size, you will need a compression bra for optimal results.

Your breast implant surgeon should be able to help you choose a breast implant size that will fit your body type. Cut out some magazine photos of women with breasts that you think are too small or too large and share them with your breast implant surgeon.

Many breast implant surgeons have foam padding you can “try on for size” to see what size implant appeals to you. Because your tastes may change over time, ask if you can take home a few different sizes and wear them around the house for a few weeks so you can get an idea of which ones might feel too large or too small.

If your plastic surgeon doesn’t have pads you can wear at home, fill up some baggies with rice and wear them under your bra for a few weeks to help you decide. If you’re having a combination breast lift and breast augmentation, make sure you wear a compression bra with a lot of support so you can get a more realistic picture of your breast augmentation results.

When you have decided on a breast implant size, take the foam pad to your plastic surgeon. Be sure to consult with your surgeon on the proper post surgical bra that is best for you, as well as scar creams and post surgical vitamins to help speed up your recovery time.

Contour Compression Sports Bra

If you’re in the market for exercise clothing, Contour sports bras are an excellent choice for both comfort and support. However, if you want a sports bra to wear after breast augmentation surgery, you’ll want a compression sports bra, which is a sports bra for breast surgery recovery.

The purpose of a compression sports bra is to increase circulation, reduce bruising and swelling, and to keep breast implants in place. Breast implants have a tendency to lift following breast augmentation surgery, but a quality breast augmentation sports bra can help to stabilize them.

Compression sports bras come in different styles include racerback bras, which you can wear under tank tops.

If a sports bra isn’t your first choice, there are several other types of breast augmentation recovery garments you can choose from, so there’s no need to sacrifice comfort during breast augmentation recovery. Additional choices for post-augmentation recovery garments include augmentation bandeaus, breast augmentation bands, compressions vests, and breast augmentation bras.

Breast augmentation compression garments must be worn continuously after your breast implant surgery until your plastic surgeon gives you the okay to switch to another type of bra.

Before exercising after breast augmentation surgery, consult your plastic surgeon.

Male breast reductions are becoming more and more popular

The differences between male and female breast reduction surgeries are quite distinct. With male breast reduction surgery, also known as gynecomastia, the goal is to remove excess skin and tissue. With female breast reduction surgery, the contour and projection of the breast needs to be maintained as well. This requires a completely different strategy from the surgeon.

With male breast reduction surgery, the incisions are usually much smaller since the skin contours do not require re-shaping. While there may be some loose skin immediately after the surgery, the typical aesthetic of the male chest is preserved. Also, a smaller incision means a shorter recovery time and less potential post-operative complications.

Female breast reduction surgery is more complicated. The surgeon needs to shape the breasts so that they project outward in a desirable manner. Since the incisions are larger, more attention is paid to reducing the size of the scars. In most cases, the woman wants to preserve the lactation function of the breast, so care must be taken with the nipples and the surrounding nerves during female breast reduction surgery.

As with any plastic or reconstructive surgery, you should have a couple compression garments on hand for the recovery.  For women, it is recommended to wear a compression support bra, while men are suggested to wear a compression vest to help keep the shape of their new bodies.

More and more women are considering breast lift surgery

Breast lift surgery is a procedure to correct breasts that are pendulous or lack firmness. This type of surgery can also be used in cases where the nipples point downward or are positioned below the crease of the breast. Unlike breast reduction or breast augmentation procedures, a breast lift generally does not affect the overall size of the breast. In addition, breast lift surgery does not affect the nipples and milk ducts, so women can continue to breast feed in a normal manner after the procedure.

Breast lift surgery usually consists of three incisions per breast. The first is made around the areola, the second runs vertically from the nipple to the breast crease and the third is beneath the breast and matches the natural curve in a horizontal manner. The nipple and areola is then shifted to a higher position and the skin is reshaped.

Breast lift surgery can include many variations depending on breast size, as well as on the shape and size of the areolas. Newer techniques may exclude the third horizontal incision for a less invasive procedure. Some patients may also choose to augment their breasts with an implant at this time.

It is also recommended to wear a post surgical bra immediately following the surgery.  Your doctor should fit you with the breast lift compression bra before leaving the office or the clinic.  With the new size and shape of your breast, you should consider a breast augmentation or breast lift bra to help maintain their shape.

Compression Bra

Breast augmentation recovery may be easier than you think. A high-quality breast augmentation recovery garment may be just what the doctor ordered to reduce post-surgery swelling and decrease breast augmentation recovery time.

Breast augmentation compression garments are specifically designed to stabilize breast implants, keep them in their correct position, and prevent the breast implant’s natural tendency to rise. Options for breast enhancement post-surgical garments include augmentation bandeaus, compression vests, and compression and post-surgical bras. Which one is best for you will depend on your breast implant size and what type of breast implant surgery you are having.

Breast augmentation bandeaus are designed to be used following sub-muscular breast augmentation. They help to prevent breast implant migration. Compression vests are available with sleeves or without sleeves, and may be a good choice for women with large breast implants who want a bit more breast support. Compression bras come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are a good option for every day wear.

Since breast augmentation recovery garments are usually worn continuously for several weeks, it may be best to have more than one on hand.

Breast augmentation recovery may be easier than you think. A high-quality breast augmentation recovery garment may be just what the doctor ordered to reduce post-surgery swelling and decrease breast augmentation recovery time.

Breast augmentation compression garments are specifically designed to stabilize breast implants, keep them in their correct position, and prevent the breast implant’s natural tendency to rise. Options for breast enhancement post-surgical garments include augmentation bandeaus, compression vests, and compression and post-surgical bras. Which one is best for you will depend on your breast implant size and what type of breast implant surgery you are having.

Breast augmentation bandeaus are designed to be used following sub-muscular breast augmentation. They help to prevent breast implant migration. Compression vests are available with sleeves or without sleeves, and may be a good choice for women with large breast implants who want a bit more breast support. Compression bras come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are a good option for every day wear.

Since breast augmentation recovery garments are usually worn continuously for several weeks, it may be best to have more than one on hand.