↳ Recovery timelineDay 7 post-op
Day 7
Bruising starts to fade. You return to work.
Most desk workers go back this week. You're still in the vest under your shirt — it's noticeable to you, invisible to colleagues. No lifting, no carrying anything heavier than a laptop bag.
The chest still feels foreign. Swelling masks the result. You'll be tempted to compare your week-1 self to before-and-after photos online of guys at month six. Don't.
Expect to feel
- Less acute pain, more general tightness
- Energy returning
- Vest discomfort starting to feel routine
What's normal
- Yellow-green bruise fade
- Tiny tape strips beginning to lift at edges
- Sharp itching during the day
What's not normal — see your surgeon
- New, sudden swelling on one side
- Wound edges that have separated
- Persistent fever
Emergency — go to ED
- Sudden chest pain or breathing change
↳ What this milestone typically looks like
Day-7 photo: bruising 60% faded, chest still swollen.