When Can I Lift My Arms To Wash My Hair After Breast Augmentation?


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When Can I Lift My Arms To Wash My Hair After Breast Augmentation?

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While your body is healing after a breast augmentation, it’s completely normal to find yourself thinking about the smaller, everyday movements – like lifting your arms to wash your hair.

It’s one of those motions that seems simple, but during recovery, it can place more strain on your chest than you’d expect. Since your upper body muscles, tissues, and incisions are all healing at once, the healing process can take some time.

In this blog, we’ll look at what’s actually happening in your body after surgery, how lifting your arms too early can affect healing, and what kind of timeframes most patients can expect before comfortably washing their hair again.

What happens to your body after breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation involves creating a pocket within the chest tissue to position the implant, either under or over the chest muscle. This process temporarily disrupts the surrounding tissues and causes inflammation as part of the body’s natural healing response. You’ll also have incisions that need time to close and strengthen.

For the first couple of weeks after surgery, your chest muscles and surrounding tissues are still adapting to the implant. Any movements that stretch or pull across your chest, such as lifting your arms high or reaching behind your head, can place pressure on these healing areas. Even if the discomfort feels minimal, the movement itself can delay healing or strain the incision sites.

During this early period, it’s common for your surgeon to recommend keeping your arms within a comfortable range of motion – basically, avoiding any movement that feels tight or causes pulling sensations across your chest.

Why does arm movement matter so much after surgery?

Lifting your arms to wash your hair might seem like a simple action, but it engages the pectoral muscles (the same ones that sit beneath the breast implant, if it’s been placed under the muscle). These muscles need time to recover after being lifted or stretched during the procedure. When they’re forced to move too soon, it can cause internal tension where the implant pocket was created.

In the early stages of recovery, the body forms a capsule of scar tissue around the implant. This process helps to secure it in position, but it takes time to mature and strengthen. Any excessive arm movements during this stage could interfere with how evenly that tissue forms. This is one of the main reasons surgeons are often cautious about encouraging too much upper-body movement too early.

When can you lift your arms to wash your hair again?

Most patients are advised to avoid lifting their arms above shoulder height for around two weeks after surgery. This timeframe allows the incisions to close and the initial swelling to ease. After this, gentle arm movement is often reintroduced gradually, depending on how your healing is progressing.

Generally, by around three to four weeks, some patients can begin lifting their arms higher – for example, enough to wash or brush their hair – but only if their surgeon has cleared them to do so. It’s not about a specific day or week; it’s about how your body responds to the recovery process.

Your surgeon will typically assess how the incisions are healing, check for any signs of internal tension, and guide you on whether it’s okay to lift your arms yet. For some, this may be a little sooner, while others might need an extra week or two before feeling comfortable enough to reach overhead without tightness.

It’s important that you ease into it. When you first start washing your hair again, try to keep the movement slow and controlled. If you feel any pulling, pressure, or discomfort, it’s a sign that your body still needs more rest before attempting that range of motion again.

How can you manage washing your hair during recovery?

In the first week or two after surgery, many patients find it easier to have someone help wash their hair for the first few washes after surgery. If that’s not possible, you can try using a handheld shower head and keeping your elbows close to your sides, while tilting your head slightly forward. This way, you can still clean your hair without fully lifting your arms above your shoulders.

By the time you reach the third or fourth week, you may find your range of motion improving and washing your hair gradually becoming easier, but it’s still best to take it gently and avoid stretching your arms to their full reach too soon.

When does normal movement usually return?

By around six weeks, many patients notice that arm movements start to feel more natural again. The incisions are generally well-healed, swelling has reduced, and the tissues around the implants are beginning to stabilise. At this stage, you may be able to lift your arms freely without discomfort or tightness, including for tasks like washing or styling your hair.

That said, even if you feel ready, it’s still best that you check in with your surgeon before resuming full arm movements or exercise that involves upper body strength. They’ll likely assess your healing progress and confirm whether your tissues are strong enough to handle the extra movement.

It can be tempting to get back to your regular routine as soon as possible, especially once you start to feel better. However, recovery after breast augmentation is gradual, and the tissues need time to regain flexibility and strength. Even if discomfort fades, your body may still be healing beneath the surface.

By taking your time and following your surgeon’s instructions, you’ll reduce the risk of complications and give your implants the best chance to settle into position as intended. Being patient now will often mean fewer setbacks later in your recovery.

Plastic Surgeon Dr Norris: Breast Augmentation Mammoplasty at Form & Face

At Sydney’s Form & Face, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr Benjamin Norris has decades of experience in cosmetic procedures. His extensive training has taken him from programs in Australasia to Oxford, United Kingdom.

Recovering from breast augmentation is a careful process that benefits from clear guidance and follow-up assessments. Working with an experienced plastic surgeon who provides detailed post-operative advice and ongoing monitoring can make the entire process feel more manageable.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr Norris, please contact our team in Sydney (Bondi Junction) or Bella Vista!

Further reading about breast implants (augmentation mammoplasty):

Breast augmentation medical references:

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