How long after breast surgery can you fly?

Thank you for your question. I have patients wait 2-3 days after a breast augmentation. I have them wait 1-2 weeks after a tummy tuck or large body contouring procedure. Each plastic surgeon has their own protocols, so you should discuss with your surgeon.I hope this helps.- Dr. Bryson Richards

Great question since many patients do travel for surgery or for their job.  I encourage patients to stay close to their plastic surgeons office for at least a week.  If you do not have any complications you may travel  being careful with lifting heavy objects and preventing blood clots by walking and using compression hose. Good luck.

Thanks for the question. You should be able to go on vacation by 3-4 weeks after your surgery. But this is valid only with assuming postoperative recovery is uneventful. If any unexpected incident happens in your treatment process, this time can be extended or shortened. I wish you all the best.

Thank you very much for your recent question.
In most cases, I recommend patients wait a two days before flying after their
breast augmentation procedure. This provides time to start healing, and ensures
less chance of bleeding or complications occurring during the flight. If you are
traveling from out-of-town for your breast augmentation, this first post-op
week should be spent close to your surgeon, for the initial follow-up
appointments and to watch for complications. However, every doctor will have
their own set of post-op protocols, so you should speak with your operating
surgeon about his/her recommendations.

Each surgeon has their own advice on post-surgery activities, therefore it’s best to ask your surgeon what they advise. Flying should not be an issue shortly after your surgery, as long as you don’t physically exert yourself by lifting luggage and such. You should probably also get up once in a while during your flight to leisurely walk around to reduce the risk of developing blood clots.

Hello,Thank you for your question. The answer will vary depending on the individual case and may be anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks. If you do not have significant risk factors for blood clots and are healing well your surgeon will likely clear you to fly quickly. I recommend that you check with them.All the  best  

Linsner24.  I recommend that my out of town breast augmentation patients wait at least one week before flying home, especially flights more than 2-3 hours. The issue is not flying, but bleeding mid-flight.  Most times, bleeding after breast augmentation occurs within the first week after surgery.  Hauling luggage and even struggling to get up from a window seat can cause bleeding by engaging the chest muscles. I prefer to have my postop patients close by, so if they need me for any reason, I can see them and care for any issues. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck!

Thank you for your question.Flying after surgery is not the problem as long as you wait 3-4 days. It is the lifting of luggage over head and dragging them through the airport that can cause problems. You use your chest muscles to do these movements and that can tear the pocket or cause a hematoma.

There is no definitive answer to this question but there are guidelines. Most would recommend waiting at least four days following surgery. For a couple of days or so, there can be some air around the implant or in the sinus cavities of those with chronic sinus issues which can expand with the altitude. We also know that the risk of blood clots in the legs increases on flights longer than four hours and some believe this is more so in the days immediately after flying. But there is also good old common sense and Murphy's Law. It is always wise following a surgery to be near your surgeon in the days following surgery. There is always a risk of bleeding and if you are in a jet airline heading off to a remote island to recover this could be a problem. Follow-ups are necessary also. I also advise patients to be careful lifting heavy carry-on luggage in the overhead rack, especially if one has sub muscular implants.

Thank you for your question. You should ask your surgeon his/her protocol. This being said there is really not reason you cannot fly 48 hours after surgery. The problem is not necessarily flying, it is lifting bags and putting things in the overhead compartment. If you are traveling with someone who can assist you, flying will not be a problem. If you are flying soon after surgery, I would suggest getting up and walking down the isle every hour to prevent DVT. You surgeon should follow up with you post-op before flying so you know everything is okay.