Discharge Instructions for Breast Reduction
You had a procedure called breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty. Breast reduction is a surgical procedure to decrease the size of a woman’s breast. Women choose breast reduction to relieve back pain, to decrease the size of the breasts for appearance, or to balance a difference in breast size.
Home Care
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Take your medication exactly as directed.
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Keep an ice pack on your chest to relieve discomfort and to avoid extra swelling. Put the ice pack on for
20 minutes; then leave it off for20 minutes. Repeat as often as necessary. -
Wear the special bra or Ace bandage you were given before discharge as directed by your doctor. Expect to wear the bra or wrap
24 hours a day for about3–4 weeks. You may remove it when you shower, starting3 days after your surgery. -
Shower as necessary, starting
3 days after surgery. Gently wash your incision site. Pat the incision dry. Don’t apply lotions, oils, or creams. -
Do not submerge your incision in a tub bath until it is completely closed. Doing so may introduce bacteria and cause an infection.
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You will have a dressing over your incisions. Be sure to ask your healthcare provider how to care for your dressing. Your stitches may dissolve on their own. Or, they may be removed at a follow-up appointment. If you have Steri-Strips (small white adhesive strips) at your incision sites, do not remove them. They will come off on their own.
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Make an appointment to have your stitches or staples removed in
7–10 days.
Activity
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Don’t raise your arms above breast level until your doctor says it’s okay.
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Don’t lift, push, or pull anything heavier than
10 pounds for at least5–7 days. -
Sleep on your back. Use pillows to keep the upper part of your body elevated.
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Don’t drive until your doctor says it’s okay.
Follow-Up
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
When to Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
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Trouble breathing, sudden shortness of breath or gradual
shortness of breath that gets worse
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Bleeding or drainage through the special bra or Ace bandage
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Pain that is not relieved by medication
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More soreness, swelling, or bruising on one breast than the other
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Redness in the breasts or warmth to the touch
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Any rapid swelling in one area or breast
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Sudden chest pain
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Fever of
100.4 °F or higher, or chills -
Increasing pain with or without activity
