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↳ Recovery timelineDay 3 post-op

Day 3

Bruising peaks. So does the bewilderment.

Bruising is at its ugliest today and tomorrow. Yellow, purple, sometimes green at the edges. Swelling is high. You will look in the mirror and think you've made a mistake. You haven't.

Drains, if you had them, often come out around now. Vest stays on except for showers. Walking around the house is good; stairs are fine; everything else can wait.

Expect to feel

  • Peak bruising and discolouration
  • Itching as nerves wake up
  • Sleep that's getting easier

What's normal

  • Numbness around the nipple
  • Mild electric-shock sensations as small nerves reconnect
  • Asymmetric swelling (one side always swells more)

What's not normal — see your surgeon

  • A hard, hot, expanding pocket (could be a haematoma)
  • Increasing redness spreading outward from an incision
  • Foul-smelling drainage

Emergency — go to ED

  • Calf pain or swelling on one side (DVT signs)
  • Sudden severe shortness of breath

↳ What this milestone typically looks like

Day-3 photo: bruising at peak intensity, vest momentarily off.

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← Previous

Day 1

The fog day. Sleep is the job.

Next →

Day 7

Bruising starts to fade. You return to work.