Selfie photo after breast augmentation.

How can you
​recover in 24 hours
after 
breast augmentation?

Many women think that breast augmentation is really painful and that you can't do anything for weeks. That's the old way of doing augmentation surgery. 

Dr. John Tebbetts showed that, in the right patient, recovery can be reduced to 24 hours by following certain principles.
Details of recovery after breast augmentation performed by Dr. Hayes:
  • Breast implants placed under the muscle
  • Virtually bloodless surgery
  • Minimal bruising and swelling
  • Most patients only take ibuprofen
  • Brush your hair, take a shower and go out to dinner the same night as surgery

See One Woman's Recovery Process
​
*All photos are of this actual patient*

The Day of Surgery

"The evening after my surgery we went downtown for a walk and shopped."
The procedure takes 1-2 hours. After being discharged from the surgery center women return home for a 2-hour nap. When you wake up you can get into a warm shower and start using your arms normally. Your only dressings are a waterproof Band-Aids. No special bras are used for the first week.

To keep your chest muscles relaxed, you'll be asked to do gentle arm raises above your head every hour. This takes only 1 minute to complete. We ask our patients to go out of the house for a walk, or out to dinner, the night of surgery.  

All patients have Dr. Hayes' cell phone number and call/text him directly with questions after the surgery.
-The only dressing is a waterproof Band-Aid. You can start showering the day of surgery.
-Arm raises start a few hours after surgery and help relax the chest muscles. 

One Day After Surgery

"I've had very little pain."
Dr. Hayes see all patients the first day after surgery. During your visit he can answer any questions that you may have. He examines you to make sure that you're recovering as expected. 

The implants typically look high the first day after surgery. This is completely normal. They start settling during the first week and take 2-3 months to settle completely. 
-No special bras are used in the first week. No underwire bras are worn for the first 6 weeks.  

One Week after Surgery

"My friend who had an augmentation can't believe how much easier my recovery has been."
One week after the surgery you're back to day-to-day activities. This young woman took care of herself starting the day after surgery. She could wash her hair, put on makeup, do work at home, and drove herself to her one week appointment. 

​
-She gets a fresh set of Bands-Aids that stay on for one more week. You can see how the incision is hidden in her natural crease. 
-During the one week visit she learns how to massage the implant. This takes less than 2 minutes and helps her breasts stay soft as she heals. 

Six Weeks after Surgery

"I love the size. Thank you so much."
Six weeks after surgery this young woman has returned to all activities. At four weeks she restarted cardio. She can now restart chest exercises (yoga, planks, spinning). She'll now start wearing a supportive underwire bra. 

She is very happy with her size choice. She initially wanted a larger implant, but during her consultation discovered that a 375cc Natrelle Inspira silicone implant accomplished her goal look of a larger/full breast. 

Her implants have settled significantly already, but will continue to "drop and fluff" for the next 2-4 months. 
-Her incision has healed beautifully. It hides in the crease. The incision still has color, but will become pale and white in the coming months. 

The Next 4 months....

Watch her implants settle. Pay close attention to the top of her breasts. Photos are 1 day, 1 week, and 6 weeks after surgery. 
Drop and Fluff (implant settling): 
​Over the next 4 months her implants will continue to settle. The bottom of her breasts will round out more and her breasts will look slightly larger. The top of the breasts (upper pole) will become less full as the implants move down slightly. The whole process will take 6 months for her implants to settle fully.