Is it okay to shower in cold water during the days after a Breast Reduction?

As you can see from the varying
answers that have already been posted in response to your question, many surgeons
have differing opinions on the topic of patients showering after surgery. It is best to choose a Board Certified
plastic surgeon, with extensive experience, to perform your breast
reduction. Then carefully follow their specific
directions.

Thank you for your question.  The first two days after surgery it is important to keep the incision area dry.  Many patients sponge bath during this time, avoiding the areas of incision.  By day 2 post op, you can take brief, quick showers remembering to not allow the water to spray directly on the incisions.Best regards,Dr. Lane F. Smith, MDPlastic SurgeonLas Vegas, NV

When to shower after surgery is a great debate. The only time I really only ever consider having someone cover their incisions while showering after surgery for the first couple of days is if they have well water and they have an implant in place (eg breast reconstruction or augmentation). In general, I allow my patients to shower at 24 hours, but avoid actual soaking in a tub or pool for 2-3 weeks after surgery. In theory your incisions should be "water tight" from early healing about 48 hours out, so your risk of infection from the actual water you are bathing in is minimal. I have not in my recollection had or ever seen a patient who has developed an infection attributed to bathing. Most infections are due to other factors such as the bacteria that live all over your skin. 

Actually there are no harmful bacteria in your water, and cold water showering after breast reduction is not necessary. In our practice we tend to feel soap and water never hurt anything and allow our patients to shower immediately after. You shuld be safe to do so as well.

Typically, in a well approximated surgical wound the epithelium, or top-most layer of skin, will grow over the wound and create a seal with new cells within 24 hours, so it is not unusual for some surgeons to allow their patients to shower the next day after surgery, especially if they have had a procedure like a breast reduction without implants being put in.  However, some surgeons also take a more conservative approach and recommend that their patients wait a few days longer than that to be on the safe side.  I think a week is way too conservative in my opinion.  In any regard, within the range of temperatures of human tolerance, both hot and cold, the bacterial count in clean, municipally supplied water will vary little, and I think you would be exposed to the same counts with either cold or hot showers.  I also think that one of the drawbacks of hot showers is that the heat liquifies and washes off the oils on our skin which are essential to both moisturizing the skin and maintaining the protective barrier as well as fighting bacteria directly.  Thus, if you really want to be safe, even in everyday situations, a tepid or slightly warm shower is always best.  I don't think you need to torture yourself with a cold shower.  As for timing, you'll have to ask your surgeon about his or her recommendations on that.  I personally allow my patients with whom I have no worries about their wounds after their first postop day visit to shower beginning that evening, that is, the evening after their surgery.  I have had no problems with wound infections over many years of doing this.  That's running water only though.  I don't want them actually soaking or immersing their wounds in standing water, like bathtubs, swimming pools, jacuzzi's, or lakes/ponds/ocean, at least until all wounds are totally healed and all crusts and scabs are gone.  This is typically 10 days to 2 weeks.  Again, check with your own surgeon on his or her recommendations before you do any of this.  Good luck.