Mastectomy Recovery: What to Expect and How Long It Takes

Mastectomy surgery is the removal of one or both breasts to combat the spread of cancer. After mastectomy surgery, just like any surgery, you will have a recovery period before you are feeling up to par. So how long is the recovery time after a mastectomy? The answer to that question varies.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access
• Computer

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Instructions

• 1

  Know how long the hospital stay will be. Normally you will be required to stay in the hospital for one to three days for observation, but if there are any complications, such as infection or bleeding, your hospital stay could be longer.

• 2

  Learn how long stitches will remain after a mastectomy. If dissolving stitches are used, this is not a big concern. If non-dissolving stitches are used, they will usually be removed in seven to ten days. Your doctor will be able to give you a better timeline after your mastectomy.

• 3

  Plan for a full recovery. The normal recovery time for a mastectomy is three to six weeks. The recovery time all depends on your body's reaction to the surgery and your post-operational self-care.

• 4

  Understand emotional recovery time. The loss of a breast from a mastectomy can leave a huge emotional scar on the cancer survivor. The amount of time for emotional recover will vary for each individual case.

• 5

  Do things to help speed up recovery. Follow the doctor's suggestions for post-mastectomy care to help speed up recovery. For emotional recovery you may want to join a support group to help with your feelings of loss.