How long does recovery from breast reconstruction surgery take?
Your recovery time depends on the method used for your breast reconstruction. Patients who undergo reconstruction using an implant alone take less time to recover than those who undergo flap reconstruction. If you received implant surgery, you should be able to return to work within one week. If you underwent flap reconstruction using your back muscle tissue, you may lose some strength and function when moving your arm on that side. Because of this, it may take three weeks for you to return to your normal activities. Similarly, if you underwent flap breast reconstruction using your stomach muscle tissue, you may experience weakness of the abdominal muscles. However, you should be able to return to your normal activities in approximately four weeks.
