What You Will Need To Recover From Breast Surgery
When patients are first sent home after breast surgery, it can be overwhelming to begin recovery. Even when you have trusted friends and family members dedicated to helping you, minor tasks can still be uncomfortable and exhausting.
To help relieve some of your post-surgical stress, we’ve compiled a checklist of what you will need to recover from breast surgery to feel more prepared and at ease as your body heals.
Post-Surgical Pillow
One of the most important things you can do to help your body heal after breast surgery is to rest. Rest is essential for fueling your body’s healing process and keeping your recovery on track.
Unfortunately, sleeping can be uncomfortable and complicated after breast surgery. With your chest still sensitive to pressure, finding a comfortable position may seem impossible. That’s why a post-surgical pillow is at the top of our checklist.
Post-mastectomy pillows are specifically designed to fit under your arms and over your chest to protect your surgical site. These pillows will hug and support your chest and provide a layer of protection between your surgical site and any external stress. Sleep is vital to your recovery, so consider adding a post-surgical pillow to your essential post-mastectomy supplies.
Shower Seat
After surgery, The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center recommends not showering for 24 hours while incisions close and heal. Although it may be tempting to shower right after surgery, it’s crucial to bathe only from the waist down to prevent possible infections.
We recommend investing in a shower seat to make these post-surgical bathing routines more comfortable and convenient. Shower seats are helpful for a variety of safety reasons. With a detachable showerhead, these seats will offer better precision to shower from the waist down compared to showering while standing.
They also prevent any risks of falling and pulling on surgical drains. Surgical drains can also lay more comfortably on shower seats while you bathe, so the tubes will be secure.
Compression Garments
After a mastectomy, conditions such as lymphedema may develop. Lymphedema is a condition where swelling is caused by lymphatic fluid collecting in tissues under the arms and legs. According to the Cleveland Clinic, compression garments can help manage this condition while you’re recovering from breast surgery.
The Cleveland Clinic sites that these garments help push back excess lymphedema fluids and increase circulation. These garments also help to relieve swelling. There is a wide variety of compression garments for breast lymphedema available to make your recovery more comfortable.
Before undergoing breast surgery, review our checklist of what you will need to recover from breast surgery. Having these supplies prepared can help make your recovery more comfortable and safer.
