I clean houses for a living and I want breast implants; could I go back to work in 4 days?

I appreciate your question.





I would advise against that.  For my patients, I recommend no heavy lifting or strenuous activity for 6-8 weeks following surgery.



The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.



Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.





Best of luck!





Dr. Schwartz



Board Certified Plastic Surgeon



#RealSelf100Surgeon



#RealSelfCORESurgeon

Thank you for sharing your excellent question.  Due to the intensity of activity required of most house cleaning I think you need to allow yourself at least 2-3 weeks away from work to ensure an uncomplicated recovery.  Early return to cleaning will cause an increase in soft tissue swelling, and pain, to your chest, and may stress your incision sites.  Hope this helps.

Hello,I think all doctors will say the same thing - it would be best to wait until your discomfort is gone so you can continue to perform your quality cleaning. Taking post operative pain medication and working is not a good idea. You are also making a financial investment. By "doing a good job" cleaning, you make open up blood vessels and create an unwanted hematoma. Why take the risk?Best wishes

Honestly, no.  At 4 days after surgery, that's when you will be at your most swollen and tender.  Particularly with your physical job, I would recommend at least 7-10 days off, and no heavy lifting or upper body straining for 3 weeks.

Obviously, you can do whatever you want to do, however, in my practice, I tell patients not to resume strenuous activity for three weeks following surgery. 

No, you should not return to house cleaning 4 days after having a breast augmentation. House cleaning is strenuous work, and you should not do any lifting or physical activity involving your upper arms and chest for a couple of weeks following your surgery. Please consult with your plastic surgeon for specific instructions.

Surgery requires healing and that takes more than four days.  Your chosen plastic surgeon will guide you about specifics of your recovery. 

Thank you for the great question! At four days after surgery you will likely still be a bit sore. The main issue is that you don't want to overdue it. Heavy lifting and other job related activities may cause post operative issues such as bleeding and/or wound breast down. The best thing to do is to talk to your surgeon about what type of activities you are and are not allowed to do. Best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

Thank you for the question. Your plastic surgeon will be your best resource when it comes to returning to your specific line of work. He/she will know how you are progressing, whether or not you have experienced any complications,  and exactly what the details of your occupation (specific activities) are. Generally, most patients are able to return to a “desk job” within 5 to 7 days. More strenuous work, for example involving lifting or extensive upper body movement, will require more time off.  In your case, given your relatively strenuous occupation, you may need at least 2 weeks off, unless you are able to return to some type of modified duty. Generally, I ask patients to ease back into activity slowly and "listen to their bodies" as they do so.

Best wishes for an outcome that you will be very pleased with.

No, Please do not believe the hype that you read on the Internet which says that you can return to work a day or so after breast augmentation surgery. You will have discomfort for up to 3 weeks after submuscular breast augmentation and I recommend that you wait 10 days to 2 weeks before significant lifting and physical activity involving your upper arms.