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What to Expect After Breast Reconstruction Surgery
It’s important to know what to expect after surgery to rebuild your breast. This includes the possible risks and side effects, how to care for your wounds and drains, and what follow-up care you might need.
Possible risks during and after reconstruction surgery
Any type of surgery has risks, and breast reconstruction may cause unique problems for some people.
Risks soon after surgery
Some possible risks and side effects can happen during breast reconstruction surgery or soon after. Many of these are not common.
- Problems with the anesthesia
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Fluid build-up, with swelling and pain, in the breast or tissue flap donor site
- Infection at the surgery site(s)
- Wound healing problems
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
Problems that can happen later
Problems that can develop later include:
- Poor healing resulting in loss of all or part of a tissue flap, skin, or fat
- Loss of nipple and breast sensation, or changes in sensation
- Problems at the donor site, such as loss of muscle strength, bulging of the abdominal (belly) wall, and dimples in the skin
- The need for more surgery to fix problems that come up
- Changes in the arm on the same side as the reconstructed breast
- Problems with the breast implant such as movement, leakage, or rupture
- Wrinkles in the implant or the skin over the implant (rippling)
- Scar tissue formation around the implant (capsular contracture)
- Development of a rare type of cancer in the scar tissue around a breast implant
- Uneven breasts
Infection can happen with any surgery. This most often occurs in the first couple of weeks after the operation. If you have an implant, it might need to be removed until the infection clears. A new implant can be put in later. If you have a tissue flap, you may need surgery to clean the wound.
Capsular contracture is the most common problem with breast implants. It does not happen with flap reconstruction.
A scar (capsule) can form around the soft implant. As it tightens, it can start to squeeze the implant, making the breast feel hard and look distorted. This can be treated. Sometimes surgery can remove the scar tissue, or the implant can be removed or replaced.
If you have chemotherapy (chemo), radiation, or other treatments before reconstruction, these treatments can affect how well you heal.
Radiation
Radiation to the chest area can reduce blood flow to your skin and tissue. This may increase the risk of wound problems. If you've had radiation, your surgeon may recommend lowering this risk by delaying reconstruction or using a specific type of reconstruction.
Chemo
The effect of chemo on healing is less clear. Some studies have found chemo given before surgery does not raise the risk of complications. Other studies have found a higher risk of wound infection or delayed healing.
Your care team will consider your specific treatment history, timing, and overall health when planning your surgery and recovery.
Using tobacco narrows your blood vessels and reduces the supply of blood, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues in your body. Smoking can delay healing in any surgery, and it is linked to a higher chance of wound complications.
This can cause more noticeable scars, poor healing, and a longer recovery time. Sometimes these problems are bad enough that a second surgery is needed to fix them.
You may be asked to quit smoking a few weeks or months before surgery to lower these risks. This can be hard to do, so ask your healthcare team for help. Sometimes your plastic surgeon might choose to delay your surgery until you stop smoking.
Body weight can also affect your risk of complications.
Studies have found that people with a higher body mass index (BMI) are more likely to have problems after breast reconstruction. This can include infection and wound healing problems. The risk applies to both implant-based and flap-based reconstruction. Risk rises as BMI goes up.
If your BMI is in a higher range, your surgeon may recommend losing weight before surgery to help lower your risk. This is not always required, but it's worth discussing your specific situation and options with your care team.
Recovering after reconstruction surgery
The amount of time it takes you to recover from breast reconstruction surgery will depend on the type of reconstruction you have. How long you stay in the hospital also depends on the type of surgery, but many people go home within a few days.
Most people begin to feel better in a couple of weeks and can return to usual activities in a couple of months.
After breast reconstruction, it’s normal to feel tired and sore. Most people feel this way for about 1 to 2 weeks after implant surgery. This usually lasts longer after a flap procedure, because more than one part of your body is involved.
Talk to your healthcare team about what to expect. They will give you medicine to help control pain and discomfort.
How do I care for my wounds and drains at home?
When you leave the hospital, you may still have one or more drains in place.
- A drain is a small tube placed in the wound to remove extra fluid as you heal.
- The fluid collects in a small bulb outside your body.
- You will be shown how to empty it.
- Your doctor will take the drains out when the fluid decreases to a safe level.
It’s important to follow your healthcare team’s instructions on how to care for your wound and drains. You should also ask what type of support garments you need to wear during recovery. One example is a surgical bra.
Reach out to your healthcare team if you have any questions or concerns. They are there to help you through the healing process.
When can I go back to my usual activities?
Most people can return to normal activities within 6 to 8 weeks after breast reconstruction. Recovery may be quicker if you have implants without flap surgery. Always follow your surgeon’s advice about activity. In general, you should avoid heavy lifting, overhead movements, strenuous exercise, and some sexual activity for about 4 to 6 weeks.
What else do I need to know about recovering?
Keep in mind as you heal:
- Some types of reconstruction do not restore normal feeling, though some sensation may return over time.
- Bruising and swelling can take up to 8 weeks to improve.
- Full healing may take 1 to 2 years.
- Scars will fade but will not go away completely.
Ask your surgeon when you can wear regular bras and what type is best. Underwire or lace bras might feel uncomfortable if they press on your scars.
It can also take time to adjust emotionally, especially if you have reconstruction months or years after your mastectomy. It may help to talk with a mental health professional or with other people who’ve had reconstruction.
Follow-up care
Be sure you understand how to follow up with your breast care. Follow-up care could include regular mammograms and other breast imaging tests. This will depend on the type of surgery you have.
If you have silicone implants, your healthcare team may recommend MRI scans to check for leaks starting 1 to 3 years after surgery and then every few years after that. Insurance may not always cover these scans.
Call your healthcare team right away if you notice:
- New skin changes, swelling, or lumps
- Pain or fluid leaking from the breast, underarm, or donor site
- Any symptoms that concern you
Your care team can help guide you as you safely return to your normal routine.
- Written by
- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Breast Reconstruction. Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/reconstructive-procedures/breast-reconstruction on March 10, 2026.
Jagsi R, King TA, Lehman C, Morrow M, Harris JR, Burstein HJ. Chapter 79: Malignant Tumors of the Breast. In: DeVita VT Jr, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2023
Mehrara BJ, Ho AY. Breast Reconstruction. In: Harris JR, Lippman ME, Morrow M, Osborne CK, eds. Diseases of the Breast. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2022.
National Cancer Institute. Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy. 2025. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/reconstruction-fact-sheet on March 10, 2026.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Breast Cancer. Version 2.2026. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/breast.pdf March 9, 2026.
US Food and Drug Administration. Breast Implant Surgery. Updated March 8, 2023. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/breast-implant-surgery on March 20, 2026.
US Food and Drug Administration. Risks and Complications of Breast Implants. Updated December 15, 2023. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/risks-and-complications-breast-implants on March 20, 2026.
Last Revised: July 1, 2026
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
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