UPDATE: 1 year post op. Breast lift, no implants, Galaflex mesh

Hello Ladies,
I am now 6 days post op. I am bruised and swollen but so far recovery has been a breeze. I have been off prescription pain meds since the morning after surgery. I do take Motrin 800 to help with inflammation and swelling. I had a small reduction on my left breast as it was larger than the right. I also opted for the Galaflex internal bra based on the advice and experience of my surgeon. The quality of my skin and supporting ligaments stink...that's why I needed a lift in the first place. I didn't want to invest in this surgery only to find my results short lived. It adds $1500 to the cost of surgery. I guess time will tell if it was worth it. It's suppose to minimize the amount of future ptosis. Surgery went well. It lasted much longer than expected (4.5 hours). Coming out of anesthesia was awful!

To my surprise, I wasn't given a lot of post op restrictions. Everything is based on my comfort. I can choose NOT to wear a bra. If I do, no underwire for 6 weeks. I wear a soft non supporting sleep bra (super comfy). I do have to wear a band across my breasts for a couple of weeks to push them down into the scaffold so it adheres. I can raise my arms over my head and am actually instructed to do so. I have no restrictions on what I can lift. I just can't actively work out my chest or back muscles. I can sleep anyway I want as long as it is comfortable.

I'll update again when the tape and glue are off and the bruising is gone. So far I can definitely say the surgery was worth it. There is a recovery process but it was really only two days before I was resuming regular daily activities. I'm sure the recovery varies between people. It probably has a lot to do with pain threshold and your own personal health.

Hello Everyone,
I thought I'd update and provide a little more detail. I feel great!!! The first two days I was exhausted and slept a lot. I think that was mostly due to the anesthesia, Days 3-5 I had much more energy but usually needed a nap in the afternoon. By day 6 I pretty much felt like my normal self. I had resumed all my normal daily activities except my usual workouts. At one week post op I was cleared for walking, biking, elliptical, and any weights that don't work my back and chest muscles. Hopefully I can resume my normal fitness routine in a few more weeks.
At 6 days my surgeon told me that my swelling was very minimal. My volume won't change but the shape will over the coming months. They are definitely wonky at the top and need to settle. Right now I am the same size as pre surgery but my breasts fit in the bra cups much better. Before surgery I measured a full 36C (I don't know about that cause I just measured my band and it was 34???) Anyway, that bra size might change some in the months ahead. I'm actually hoping to get down to a small C. My breasts have softened on top but are still firm with minor swelling along the bottom. My stretch marks look worse right now because of the tension, I haven't experienced any itching yet.
My surgeon used deep dissolvable sutures. He said the sutures were a newer kind that typically don't spit and come to the surface (hope so!). He covered the incisions with steri strips which are now starting to feel off. At the T incision he used some sort of glue tape. The glue is still on pretty good and I plan on leaving it there as long as possible. I am using 3M micropore tape on the incisions were the steri strips have come off. I want to keep them covered with tape for a long time and at some point will also include silicone scar therapy. Maybe use tape during the day and silicone at night???
A few more things about the mesh...I can't feel it. I don't even know it's there. It will dissolve in the next 12-18 months and be replaced by my own collagen. The primary goal in using it is to help maintain the results of the lift. Right now I have upper pole fullness but was told by my surgeon that I may easily lose that if I don't have small implants. I didn't want implants. The mesh may have a positive impact in maintaining the upper pole fullness. If not, we discussed the possibility of fat grafting to the upper pole in the future. The scaffold is also suppose to help the appearance of scars because it takes the tension off the incisions. A lot of surgeons use a mesh/scaffold in certain cases and a lot don't. It was recommended for my particular case and I trusted in his experience.
Happy healing everyone. To those who are pre-surgery and still in their research phase...it's worth it:) Do your homework though, go to some consultations, and choose a good surgeon. A lot of things can affect the quality of the results, but seriously, the most important factor lies in the skill of the hands that operate on you. Take your time and choose the right surgeon.

I took the steri strips off a few days ago. They were basically falling off on their own and I was ready to use micropore tape instead. The incisions looked great. Nice and thin so far. I really wanted to keep the incisions taped but I'm afraid I need to give up the micropore tape. I think my breast skin is just too sensitive. There is red on one nipple and a few spots on an incision. My skin came off while I was changing the tape. Pretty sure it will heal fine but no more of that. Thinking about getting silicone paper tape that is suppose to be more gentle or giving the 3M sensitive skin paper tape a try.

The breast lift recovery has been really easy. I've been going to the gym every day either doing the elliptical, bike, or treadmill. It's getting boring. I miss my classes. I've been sleeping on my side since a week post op. I get restless at night though and find I am wide awake for a good 4 hours if I don't take a sleeping pill. I have full energy during the day and don't feel the need to nap. My breasts feel fine. I have full sensation. They are still tight with minimal swelling. The tight skin makes my stretch marks way more noticeable. My breasts still have a lot of settling to do over the coming months. Still have that odd shape on top. The under arm lipo is still swollen. The swelling has actually gotten worse since I started massaging the scar tissue. The area is still painful if I press on it. I dare say the lipo hurts more than the lift.

I've been wearing a bra 24/7. I can go braless if I want but that just seems weird to me. I've just been wearing the Hanes soft comfort bras. They don't provide any support but feel good. I think I also have a Warner's one that I got from Macys. Tip- if the stitching bothers your incisions, wear it inside out. I've been told my breasts look smaller. I don't know...they seem bigger to me??? I've also been told I look thinner. I feel like I have more torso now that everything is lifted. I've told a lot of people about my surgery. Those that I didn't want to know (family members and co workers) have no idea. I just stayed out of sight for a couple days.

I don't see my surgeon again until the end of the month. I'll update as things change.