What happens if you lift more than 10 lbs after implants?

I've been doing breast augmentation for over 27 years, and mostly have patients that follow directions and exercise restrictions, but a few that do not. (BTW, no one gets fat and out of shape while their body is healing after breast surgery.) And who will pick up your child in desperation when you are being re-operated upon?About 1% of patients bleed inside their recently-operated breasts with elevation of blood pressure and/or pulse, both of which occur with Stairmaster and power walking and lifting weights (even the child variety). When this bleeding occurs, re-operation is required to evacuate the blood and cauterize the source of the bleeding, or else there is a significantly higher risk for capsular contracture (and then another LATER re-operation is needed).Most of these patients who bleed do so between day 10 and day 28 after surgery, when they feel good and think they can safely resume exercise and lifting. Of course they are "fine" right up to the tearing of the small blood vessel in their not-yet-durably-healed breasts, and then they tearfully want to know whether it was the Stairmaster, lifting their child, going to the bar, or perhaps that intimate activity where the breasts were maybe manipulated a bit too forcefully. And their husband wants to know how much the re-operation will cost (several thousand most places) and if she needs to take more time off work and exercise, not to mention child-care! Then they usually sob that they would have NOT done whatever they did to initiate the bleeding and re-operation "if we only had been told how important those restrictions were." Even at 1% occurrence, I hear this in our two-surgeon practice about every 3 months or so, year in and year out. Many patients insist they "did nothing" to cause the bleeding, but when it occurs the second, third and up to four WEEKS after surgery, it certainly isn't surgical, it's activity-related.So do you feel lucky? Are you willing to risk re-operation, the loss of another several weeks of activity, work or vacation, and turn that $6000 augmentation into a $9000 augmentation with a higher risk of capsular contracture? And perhaps another re-operation later to try to "fix" that?Surgeons don't give instructions because we like the sound of our own voices. It's because we actually care about the quality of our outcomes, the costs to our patients, and the disruption of at least 6 people's lives to re-operate on YOUR hematoma! (patient's caregiver/ride home, anesthesia provider, recovery room nurse, scrub nurse, circulating/supply nurse, and surgeon). Of course, these bleeds don't happen conveniently for our schedules either, so usually many other patients need to be rescheduled or delayed while your "emergency" is dealt with. Because you HAD to Stairmaster???And, no, you cannot simply wrap your breasts with an ACE bandage and use ice bags--hematomas require surgery.So, what part of "Follow your surgeon's instructions" do you think you are exempt from? Sorry to be so harsh, but how would you feel if your surgeon arrived for your surgery exhausted, hung over, distracted, or otherwise not fully attentive to your surgical safety and care? Why would you think begging your surgeon to allow exercise changes your rate of healing and the strength of your cut blood vessels' clots?I certainly hope you don't find out the hard way. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Rule of thumb with fit patinets: 4 weeks cardio and legs, 8 weeks for heavy lifting (greater than 10 pounds) for upper body

I typically suggest patients not lift more than 15 pounds for 4 weeks after breast surgery.  We typically limit heavy lifting and strenuous exercise to prevent complications such as bleeding or malposition of the implants. I would suggest you follow the advise of your surgeon.