Puffy Nipples - Did I Take Off The Compresion Vest Too Early?

[bw3]

Hi all, recent surgery (9 days post op).  Gland excision and minor lipo.   The primary problem coming in was puffy nipples, and at first glance (4 days), I was completely happy with the results, no matter how it healed up.

I was ordered to wear a somewhat bulky compression garment day and night for 3 weeks.  After the first 4 days, I took off the compression garment in order to shower and clean up the area and remove dressings (with permission).  The garment had been on 24 hours a day before this time.  However, this compression garment is tricky, with pins holding it shut etc.  I couldn't put it back on, so I didn't.   It's not as simple as it should be, especially with a very sore chest.

Now, 9 days later, I wonder if I've made a grave mistake in taking the post-surgery compression protocol too lightly.  After the nurse removed the steri strip tape from the incisions in my 1 week post op appointment, I noticed slight swelling in the nipples.  Now, 9 days later, and having not worn the  compression vest for 5 days, I notice significant swelling of the nipple - on par if not worse than the original puffiness before surgery.  Only now, because of the lipo, it's attached to a completely flat chest which is even more noticeable.

I'm ok with this being "normal" in the short term.  I'm not ok with it in the long term.  If I have lasting impact from this, and it somehow made the surgery a waste of time, I believe that I wasn't properly informed of the importance of the recovery process.

Of course I can ask my doc as well, who mostly pawned me off to the nurses (no problem with that, btw). But I also don't care to get an earful from the nursing staff who asked me to wear the compression vest for an extended time without explaining why (potentially) that was so important.  My only understanding of the reasons for the compression vest is to prevent fluid buildup and decrease general swelling.  I had (and have) no idea whether or not this is important to the final result of my surgery and the general problem of puffy nipples. 

At this point what's done is done.  And there's no way I'm getting that compression vest back on properly without help.
Any thoughts appreciated, and especially ASAP, because it's somewhat of a time sensitive question.

Thanks,
Ben

[Dr. Schuster]

Not really sure what you are asking. You shold follow your own surgeon's instructions. I instruct my patients to wear the vest for three weeks. I think it helps control the swelling and help guide the skin to shrink in the right direction.