Getting Ready: Tips pre and post breast reconstruction
Pre-Surgery Tips
Stay active
Maintain a healthy weight
Care for your skin
Avoid cuts, bruises, sunburn, and insect bites.
Post-Surgical Tips
Attire
Button-down shirts or zip-ups will be your best friends for the first 7–10 days.
Meal Prep
Consider grocery delivery.
Reach out to friends and family to assist with daily routine tasks for the first week after surgery.
Compression
After your post-op visit, if you are experiencing swelling, sensitivity, seromas, or similar concerns, consider investing in a good compression bra.
Prairie Wear (one of my personal favorites)
Carefix by Tytex offers great post-op bras for both elective surgeries and non-elective breast procedures
Proper compression can help manage swelling and improve comfort during healing. If you are unsure which garment is appropriate for your stage of recovery, booking a consultation with our team can help you choose the right level of support.
Stay Active & Exercise
Participate in exercises once cleared by your doctor.
For the best outcome, it is beneficial to be guided through exercises by a trained therapist for 1–3 weeks post-op to keep you on the fast track to recovery.
Scar Management
Scar management is an important part of the recovery process and one not to ignore.
It is crucial not to start scar management too soon or before your surgical incision is fully closed, as this could lead to adverse effects.
A trained therapist can perform and teach hands-on soft tissue techniques for scar management.
If you are unsure when to begin scar management or how to do it safely, schedule a consultation with our team for personalized instruction.
Additional Tools for Scar Management
Lotion
This is the first line of defense. Please don’t let your skin dry out. Any non-scented lotion is fine — cocoa butter, Lubriderm, CeraVe, etc.
Silicone sheets (at night)
Cica-Care
Mepiform
If your skin is very sensitive or you have a reaction to silicone, Oleeva is a great alternative.
Scar creams, gels, or oils
Skinuva
Mederma
Bio-Oil
Every individual’s skin is different, so it is important to find what works best for you.
*(I have no disclosures to report or affiliations with the products mentioned above.)
