Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

Question

Should I be extra careful of being sunburned or will that have an effect on the surgery? I will obviously wear lots of sunscreen but I want to make sure I don't have to hide under long sleeves! I don't want to do anything to postpone or mess up my surgery. Thanks so much!

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.
Sun bathing before breast augmentation surgery should be
okay. Nothing should be done excessively, and I’m sure you do not plan to
either.
Put on your sun screen to prevent sun burns, especially in
the areas of the breast. Moderate sun bathing should not interfere with the results of your breast augmentation surgery.
All this being said, after your surgery, you should try to
avoid sun exposure for at least 6-8 weeks, especially those tanning beds. 
Sun burns may negatively affect the wound healing process.
For example, a sunburn can change the distribution and function of
disease-fighting white blood cells for up to 24 hours post-sun exposure. If you
do sun-bathing for a long-time before surgery, it may affect the healing of
your breasts after augmentation.
Two, they have a negative impact on the quality of your
skin. Studies show that on a cellular level, increased UV exposure caused on
swelling of endothelial cells (cells of blood vessels), and causes infiltration
by white blood cells, and reduced the tensile strength of wounds. UV rays also
speed up aging and sagging of the skin by destroying collagen resulting in
premature wrinkling, brown ‘liver’ spots and loss of skin elasticity. 
Three, your breasts will be more sensitive to sunburns
resulting in more pain during the recovery period.
Five, the UV exposure can worsen the scarring (i.e.,
incision scars) and cause its hyperpigmentation and darkening. 
That being said, you are allowed to get sun exposure as it
is important for vitamin D production, etc. However, it is important to always
wear sun screen with both UVA and UVB protection with spf greater than 30. After
your surgery, you should cover your scars during tanning as they can take up to
one year to fully mature.
Hope this helps.

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and congratulations on your upcoming breast augmentation procedure.  My strong advice is to always be conscience of sun exposure by protecting your skin with sunscreen.  Post operatively, remember that sun on a healing scar can cause pigmentation.  Best of luck.

Nana N. Mizuguchi, MD, FACS · Answer

I would just take your routine care especially with protection from the sun. Enjoy your vacation and good luck with your surgery.Best Wishes,Nana Mizuguchi, MD

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

You want to fastidiously avoid the sun for the first 2-3 weeks after breast augmentation surgery.   The son can irritate your scars and caused him to become red, itchy and hypertrophic.  In addition the heat from the sun can cause you to swell more and reduce your recovery from swelling after surgery.

Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

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Answer: Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

Answer: Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

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Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

Answers (4)

Answer: Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

Answer: Having BA surgery on Wednesday but am on vacation in Florida until Sunday.

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Everything you need to know about Breast Augmentation

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.