Read the practical considerations around 12 things you shouldn’t do after breast augmentation, with individual preparation and recovery decisions confirmed by your treating team.
Key points
- Discuss your individual suitability, alternatives and risks with the treating clinician.
- Ask for written preparation and recovery instructions, including your medicines and follow-up.
- Confirm the healthcare facility, full costs and arrangements before booking travel.
On this page
Are you planning to get a breast augmentation in the near future? If yes, you should know that there are two main factors contributing to effective breast surgery: one is the surgery itself and the other is the recovery. What we are going to talk about in this blog post is the one people are more likely to ignore, i.e. the recovery.
As your body experiences a dramatic change through the surgery, it needs time and, of course, attention to adjust to these alterations and get back on the track. To prepare you for a smooth recovery, here we’ve created a list of don’ts you need to follow.
2) Do not sleep on your stomach
How you sleep and how long you sleep matter a lot after getting breast implants. You need to sleep on your back with your head and shoulders raised with a pillow; otherwise, your implants may slip and shift to an incorrect position, which can cause various complications. To fully understand this, we ask you to read our related article on how to sleep properly after breast augmentation.
8) Don’t lift heavy objects
After any plastic surgery, you need to be careful about heavy lifting. You should refrain from heavy lifting or even hugging and carrying your child for a few weeks to make sure you’re not ruining your surgery’s results.
9) Don’t swim
Swimming in a pool or sea may harm your body and expose your incisions to infection. So, we recommend you to put aside swimming for a while and instead enjoy walking on the beach or having your lemonade by the pool.
Don’t soak your upper body in the water for a few weeks after breast augmentation.
10) Don’t go for sun tanning too early
Sun rays can make your surgical scars bolder. Although you can go to the beach for swimming after the first month, we recommend you to avoid sun tanning for a longer period of time (until your scars start to fade away and become less prominent).
11) Don’t drink alcohol
You need to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages before the surgery. Furthermore, stopping alcohol consumption for a week or two after the surgery can give you a quicker recovery.
12) Don’t turn it on so soon
Although you and your partner may get an intense craving for sex after your surgery, you better wait a little bit or take cautions when having sex. By cautions, we mean “wearing bras and avoiding putting pressures on your breasts”.
A practical point for your care
Before an operation, the pre-assessment team should review your health, previous tests and all medicines and supplements. Ask for written instructions on medicines, eating, drinking and aftercare that apply to your planned procedure.[1]
Plan your next step
Read the patient travel guides · Contact SanaMedTour
Sources
[1] NHS: Preparing for surgery — supports the individual-care planning note above. ↑ Back to text
Editorial adaptation: 25 October 2026. General information for planning and discussion; your clinician’s individual instructions take priority.