What is the Recommended Recovery Time for Flight Attendants after Breast Augmentation?

Question

On average, how many weeks do you typically tell clients that are Flight Attendants to wait before returning to work? Job duties include closing overhead bins, pushing and pulling large carts, having to lift 50-70lbs of personal luggage into overhead bins on some aircraft, setting down and picking up trays from service (extending body to reach over some seats). Additionally, what limitations on flight time or duration do you typically impose on patients post-op? Procedure is primary breast augmentation, dual plane and simultaneous nipple/areola correction. Using Motiva Ergonomix 2 implants, size undecided but likely 400-450cc And of course, “always discuss with your surgeon”, which I will do of course, but I’m trying to gauge a realistic baseline of expectations for returning to work. Thanks for your insights and responses!

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

Recovering from a breast augmentation is in two phases. First is the period of time where you have discomfort from the surgery. This is usually in the first 2 to 4 days and fades daily afterward until at 1 week, most patients are comfortable. The second phase is when you can start to resume full normal activities. Returning too early to full activity may risk displacing implants placed in a dual plane fashion due to the pectoral muscle contracting on the implants before the scar capsule, which forms around your implants and helps hold them in place, is formed. The capsule is formed at 1 month and full matures at six months. Enlisting your fellow flight attendant to help with the heavy lifting for 1 to 2 weeks should allow you to return to work at 2 to 3 weeks and then resume full activity at 4-5 weeks. There would be no limitation on flight time or duration as long as you are up and moving around the cabin. Best wishes.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

You may be able to return to work after about a week.
You’ll still be sore and certain arm motions may be uncomfortable.
Taking ibuprofenwill help significantly.
The amount of time needed for recovery really depends a lot on each individual person.
I have had patients who say they needed three days of recovery and other patients who had the same procedure said they needed three weeks.
Two weeks is probably reasonable. I don’t think you’ll need more time than that.
A lot depends on how much of the pectoralis muscle is transected.
I personally try to leave as much of the pectoralis muscle intact as possiblewhile still getting the implants positioned correctly.
You didn’t include pictures but recognized that time excessively large implants are used recovery becomes more challenging, and the chance of having outcomes and needing revision surgery will go up.
 Patient seemed to really like their breast implants.
Implant envy is a real thing.
 Patients are doing themselves a favor when they stay with modest size implants.
All of that said, provider selection is probably the most important variable.
Finding the right plastic surgeon is also more difficult than most people realize.
Good luck,
Mats Hagstrom MD
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What is the Recommended Recovery Time for Flight Attendants after Breast Augmentation?

Answers (2)

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