When can I return to working in the restaurant industry after breast augmentation?

After breast implant surgery, I advise the patients to take one week off from work.  At that point we take out their stitches and teach them the implant massage technique.  We suggest 5 times per day with the massage and no bra for one month.  The patients may return to work, but may not engage in any strenuous activity.  At one month, the patients start to wear a soft cup bra with no underwire and can start low impact cardio.  At two months they can wear an underwire bra and engage in more strenuous physical activity.  Breast massage continues forever, although only once per day.

Resuming managing a fast food restaurant 2 days after surgery may be feasible for a few patients and a few (truly non-lifting) management positions. But not everyone will be able to adhere to this aggressive a goal, no matter how motivated the patient, skilled the surgeon, and how minimal the job.Consider that you shouldn't drive or operate machinery (like slicer or deep fryer) while on narcotic pain meds--you could be an insurance liability, not to mention the personal risks. Consider that not everyone has a "perfect" recovery. Consider that for every patient on the "no sweat" side of the bell-shaped curve there is an identical one on the "OMG, this hurts" other side of the curve! Everyone thinks they will be on the good side, but the "other side" has an identical number of slightly lower fliers! This could be you.I have been doing this surgery for 30 years now, and have taken care of thousands of patients that follow both sides of what I just said in the previous paragraph. I also personally managed a fast food restaurant for 7 years of high school and college before medical school, so I really know the work you do, and to be truthful, you often have to substitute for that missing cook, server, or other essential personnel when someone calls in sick. (How about unloading the truck when supplies come in?) Then (since you are the "working sick") what are you going to do?I only tell you this so you don't set up unreasonable expectations and find yourself in a bind, with those around you asking "WTF were you thinking?" I perform really precise dissection, meticulous hemostasis, use a Keller Funnel, Betadine irrigation, Exparel injections, marcaine with epi in the pockets, and also IV Decadron, oral anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medications pre- and post-op, so my patients usually do quite well. There ARE some that perhaps could go dancing the day after surgery. [BTW, I do NOT call my operation the super-duper overnight flash 24-hour no-recovery-necessary breast augmentation. Gee, maybe I should trademark that name! But no, it's all marketing BS! Everyone has to heal, and it does take time.] Basically, the answer, as you really know, is dependent on your surgeon's attention to detail with the surgery, and your attention to detail after the surgery, plus a host of indeterminate factors and imponderables! Don't mess-up your overall results with a "too-quick" return to work. Take a few more days and be on the safe side. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen