Patients who corrected sagging in the chest area with gynecomastia surgery wonder how long it will take to heal. However, it is not possible to give an exact date that is the same for everyone. Because the difference in the procedures performed on the patients and the characteristics of the patients cause the healing process to vary from person to person. You can find all the issues you are curious about the recovery after gynecomastia surgery in the rest of our article.
In the gynecomastia procedure performed surgically, the breast and adipose tissue in the chest area are removed. Different techniques can be used for this process. Besides, considering that the pain tolerance of the patients is different, it will be understood more clearly that the recovery time varies.
How much improvement is achieved after gynecomastia surgery and at which stage? What are the ways to get over the pain most slightly? All the details are in our article.
Table of Contents
Recovery Chart for Gynecomastia
Below are the recovery periods after gynecomastia surgery.
The First Days after the Surgery
In the first days, there will be pain and sensitivity in the chest area. You can use painkillers and other medications prescribed by your doctor to spend this period much more comfortably. It is normal for some patients to experience numbness in the chest area. If a long-acting local anesthetic such as exparel is used, numbness can be expected to last for more than 3 days. Besides, this anesthesia can cause nausea. These details are among the first to know about gynecomastia surgery.
When you look at the chest area immediately after the operation, it will be seen that there is swelling. By wearing compression clothing, the swelling is rapidly healed. In the first days, patients only need to walk lightly and thus increase the blood flow rate. They should stay away from other exercises. Besides, a shower should not be taken for the first 24 hours.
1 Week Later
In this process, pain and swelling are greatly reduced or eliminated. A significant number of patients can return to work. Light physical activities can be started. However, strenuous exercises and movements should be avoided. If you have stitches, they may need to be removed during this period. You should also continue to wear compression clothing. Thus, your healing process will continue rapidly.
2 Weeks Later
During this period, most of the patients feel themselves as healed. Nevertheless, tiring and challenging activities and jobs should be avoided. There is also an important comfort in the way of sleeping. Now patients can start sleeping in the position they want. Compression clothing should still be worn.
3-4 Weeks Later
During this period, exercises other than those targeting the chest muscles can be performed. Compression clothing can now be taken off.
6 Weeks Later
At the end of this period, patients are completely healed. All desired exercises and activities can be done. It is very important to consult your doctor about the exercises you will do just in case. There may still be some swelling in the chest area. This is quite normal and swelling will disappear completely after a few weeks.
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Struggling with Pain
Gynecomastia is a surgical procedure and it is normal for patients to feel moderate pain after the procedure. The severity of the pain may vary depending on the patient’s tolerance of pain and the content of the surgery. However, almost all patients should use pain killers during this period. In some patients, local anesthesia can be applied to the chest area, which lasts for 5 days.
Post-Operative Scarring
During the operation, incisions of different sizes are formed. When these heal, some scarring is usually considered to be normal. However, a skilled surgeon opens the incisions in less visible places. Thus, even if traces remain, they are not visible from the outside.
After the surgery, scar tissue in the form of lumpy areas may occur in the chest area. If you experience this condition, which is a side effect of surgery, you should contact your doctor.
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Things to Consider for Recovery after Gynecomastia Surgery
Paying attention to some issues after the surgery both speeds up and facilitates the healing process. The highlights of these are as follows:
- Act according to your doctor’s instructions.
- Apply cold compression to reduce pain and swelling.
- Rest for the first week after surgery.
- Stay away from alcohol and smoking during this period.
- Consume healthy and nutritious foods.
- Drink 2-2.5 liters of water daily.
- Choose comfortable clothes.
- After the operation, lie on your back and support your sides with pillows.