When can you go back to an office job after fat transfer to breast?

Question

Hey! I'm considering getting fat transfer to the breasts and want to know how long I should realistically take off work. I work mostly from home in an office job. I'm thinking about taking a week off but want to know if I’m going to be able to focus and work properly after a week?

Rodger Shortt, FRCSC · Answer

Recovery after breast fat transfer is not too bad compared to many surgeries. I typically would tell my patients that if they wished they could be doing home-based office work three to five days or so later.  I would add a week to return to an office. It would be probably four weeks for full return to most physical jobs and going to the gym without many restrictions (other than no pressure on the breasts).

It does not mean that at three days people are fully healed. They will be bruised and swollen and tender if they press on the areas liposuctioned or fat grafted. However, I think they can be managed with non-opioid medication well at that time in order to perform desk work. There will be positions they sit in which might be uncomfortable from where the liposuction was harvested. That does not preclude doing some work however.

Dr. Rodger Shortt, Oakville, Ontario, plastic surgeon.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Genius891839,
I understand your concern. It is best that you consult your plastic surgeon regarding post operative care and management (i.e including massage techniques and timing) specific to your case. Your surgeon knows your condition well and has preferences on when and what to use for faster healing and recovery. Post operative care and management depends on the type of surgery performed and the technique used during surgery among other factors.It is best, however, that you follow your plastic surgeon's advice on post operative care management for a smooth and faster healing and recovery.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

You should be able to go back to work in an office job at one week after a fat transfer. Most women are no longer needing narcotic pain medication at one week.

Kenneth R. Francis, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Genius,
In general, breast fat transfer augmentation is a well tolerated procedure with little pain.  One week should be a sufficient recovery time before returning to office work.  Keep in mind that every individual has different pain tolerance and healing capabilities, so it is somewhat dependent on what yours are.  Good luck!

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

The recovery will depend on how aggressive the surgeon is during liposuction and what areas you’re having treated with Liposuction.
Most people can go back to low impact daily activities in 3 to 5 days.
I’ve also had patients say they needed two weeks. The nurses in our clinic take one day off after getting procedures done.
Patients primarily feel stiff and sore and it’s uncomfortable to move especially in the morning when you first wake up. after the third day things get better on a daily basis and ibuprofen helps substantially.
People feel better after gentle stretching and moving around a bit.
Fat transfer is typically less invasive than harvesting the fat.
Delivering consistent quality liposuction and fat transfer results is more difficult than most people believe. This includes most plastic surgeons.
Anybody contemplating this procedure should put in a solid effort finding the most talented and experienced provider.
I recommend patients do this by having multiple in person consultations before committing to having surgery.
During each consultation ask each provider to show their entire collection of before and after pictures. make sure after pictures were taken at least three months from the date of surgery since early after pictures can look very impressive but you’re not represent final results in anyway.
When things go wrong with this procedure it’s often as a result of poorly done Liposuction.
For that reason patients should vet providers thoroughly by reviewing as many before and after pictures as possible. Ideally providers should open up their entire portfolio and let patients see you all before and after pictures.
Providers are unlikely to volunteer this and will instead show preselected pictures representing the best results of their career.
Seeing those is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of each provider.
Ask providers to show as many pictures as possible preferably opening up your portfolio and showing you as many as you want to see.
Specifically ask providers to show as many pictures as possible with patients who have similar body characteristics to your own. this also includes breast pictures.
Ask the providers to show you examples of excellent outcomes, average outcomes and less than outcomes.
Ask specifically how far after the procedure the after pictures were taken.
An experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sets of before and after pictures in highly experienced providers will have hundreds or even thousands of before and after pictures of commonly performed procedures.
When reviewing photos look carefully at all areas treated to make sure there are no skin contour irregularities anywhere.
Review the pictures with your provider and have them tell you what areas were treated with Liposuction and what areas were not then look carefully at transition zones between treated and untreated areas.
Bring pictures of your own breasts and your own torso for comparison. continue having consultation until you feel quite confident you found the most talented and experience provider in your community.
Simply being a board-certified plastic surgeon with overall good reputation is insufficient to confirm that they have mastered both Liposuction and fat transfer.
Fat transfer can increase breast cup by about 1/2 cup. The procedure does not change the shape of the breast just increases volume slightly.
For patients who are looking to change the shape of their breast alternative procedures are most likely going to be superior.
Delivering consistent quality results with this procedure is more difficult than most people believe and the majority of plastic surgeons have not mastered either Liposuction or fat transfer.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

When can you go back to an office job after fat transfer to breast?

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