↳ Recovery timelineDay 14 post-op
Day 14
Walking is fine. Cardio is not.
Two weeks in. Most surgeons clear gentle walking but no lifting, no upper-body work, no elevated heart rate. The temptation to do something is high. Resist it. Patience here is the difference between a clean result and a revision.
You'll start to see the shape underneath. Swelling drops a little each week from here.
Expect to feel
- Vest fatigue (you want it off)
- Increased confidence
- Tightness when you yawn or stretch your arms above your head
What's normal
- Yellow patches where bruises used to be
- Lumpy areas that feel firm — internal scar tissue forming
What's not normal — see your surgeon
- New asymmetry that wasn't there at week 1
- Skin that feels hot to the touch over an area
Emergency — go to ED
- Sudden expanding lump under the skin
↳ What this milestone typically looks like
Day-14 photo: bruising nearly gone, swelling 40% reduced from peak.