After a mastectomy, you may have one or more drains near the area where breast tissue was removed, often close to your mastectomy scar. The number and type will depend on how much breast tissue is affected, the type of mastectomy you had, and whether or not you’ve chosen to have breast reconstruction.

These drains are designed to catch fluid from your breast tissue so it doesn’t build up in your body after surgery. This fluid will change colors and consistency as you heal, and some of these characteristics may mean that you need to reach out to your doctor because of a complication. This article will cover what the different colors of fluid might mean, as well as when to call on your healthcare team.

Monitoring the Color of Drain Fluids

Your surgical team or your oncologist will likely want you to jot down details about your drains and the fluid inside them as part of your tube care. They may want to know how often you’ve been emptying your drains, how much fluid was in them when you did, and what it looked and smelled like when you emptied them.

These details should include anything you notice about the fluid, most likely focusing on what color it is and how thick it is. Overall, the amount of fluid in your surgical drains should decrease as time goes by. Your doctor will tell you if this should happen daily or if the process might be slower for you.

Your doctor will also explain what to do if you need medical care after surgery. They may ask you to call their office first or tell you to go to the emergency room for certain symptoms. Make sure you know and follow their directions to get any follow-up medical care you need.

Note that many of the colors and their meanings mentioned here are true for any surgery involving a drain. If your doctor tells you something different than what we say here, make sure you follow those instructions.

	Red Right after your surgery, your fluid may look red with blood and be fairly thick. This is normal early in your healing process as blood vessels and tissue in the area have been disrupted by surgery.
	Light Red As you heal, the fluid you see should become both lighter and thinner. Some people say that it looks clear red like cranberry juice. In most types of surgery, this only lasts for up to a couple of days. This fluid is called serosanguinous and usually comes from capillaries or very small blood vessels near the surgical site.
	Pink When your healing process continues, the fluid you see should become lighter until it looks like it’s pink. In some people, it may actually look like water with bloody streaks running through it.
	Light Tan or Yellow Eventually, you should see fluid that’s light yellow or maybe light tan, like the color of straw. This is normal and usually begins between day 2 and day 5 after surgery. The only time you should be concerned about this fluid is if the amount that’s draining increases quickly.
	Clear Finally, you should end up with clear fluid in your mastectomy drains. This is also a serous fluid.
	Green, Cloudy, or Unusual Color If the fluid in your drain becomes white, gray, brown, green, or cloudy, an infection might be developing. You’ll need to contact your medical team to let them know about these fluids to get treatment, like antibiotics, if necessary, so the infection doesn’t get worse.

Red

Right after your surgery, your fluid may look red with blood and be fairly thick. This is normal early in your healing process as blood vessels and tissue in the area have been disrupted by surgery.

If the fluid in your mastectomy drains has gotten lighter, suddenly becomes bright red, and increases the amount of drainage, or if your fluid doesn’t start to become runny within the timeframe your breast surgeon gives you, reach out to get medical care as soon as possible. This can mean a blood vessel is actively bleeding, and you may need urgent medical help.

Light Red

As you heal, the fluid you see should become both lighter and thinner. Some people say that it looks clear red like cranberry juice. In most types of surgery, this only lasts for up to a couple of days.

This fluid is called serosanguinous and usually comes from capillaries or very small blood vessels near the surgical site. It is a blend of blood and plasma, and it should stop as those clot and heal.

You may need medical help if you’re draining about a cup or more of bright red fluid, or if the bleeding continues for several days. You should also contact your healthcare team if the bleeding does not slow down or if the fluid stays bright red longer than your surgeon said it would. Your care team can tell you whether this is part of normal healing or a sign that you need medical care.

Pink

When your healing process continues, the fluid you see should become lighter until it looks like it’s pink. In some people, it may look like water with bloody streaks running through it.

This may look concerning since it involves blood, but it’s usually not. The amount of blood in the fluid is normally very small, and it means your body is healing normally. Most people see this kind of fluid on days 3 through 5 after their surgery.

Light Tan or Yellow

Eventually, you should see fluid that’s light yellow or maybe light tan, like the color of straw. This is normal and usually begins between day 2 and day 5 after surgery. The only time you should be concerned about this fluid is if the amount that’s draining increases quickly.

This kind of fluid is called serous fluid. It develops when the fluid that’s usually in between your cells, called plasma, drains out of tissue that was damaged during the surgery. As your body heals, you should see less of it, not more.

Clear

Finally, you should end up with clear fluid in your mastectomy drains. This is also a serous fluid. You only need to reach out to a healthcare provider if the amount of fluid suddenly increases or if the drainage persists even after your doctor says it should have stopped.

White, Brown, Green, Gray, or Cloudy

If the fluid in your drain becomes white, grayish, brown, green, or cloudy, an infection might be developing. White or grayish fluid usually means that a local infection might be setting in. You’ll need to contact your medical team to let them know about this fluid to get treatment, like antibiotics, if necessary, so the infection doesn’t get worse.

If your fluid looks brown, green, or cloudy (like pus) and has an unusual or strong odor, it may mean you have a local infection, likely from bacteria. You’ll need medical help quickly to treat the infection.

Infections usually show up roughly a week after surgery, although they can appear at any time. Very serious infections may show up within 24 hours, but this isn’t common. Ask your doctor if you’re not sure whether the color of your fluid is normal.

Remember that an infection will come along with other signs besides the fluid color. Signs of infection may include:

• Thicker fluid, which can be the consistency of pus or look like it has pus mixed with other colors of fluid
• Skin discoloration around the drain tube, possibly spreading out from there, or with red streaks that start in that area
• A fever, usually 100.4 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Heat, swelling, and/or increasing pain at the drain insertion and at the surgical wound site
• Fluid from the site that has a strong odor, or an unusually strong odor in the area

• Skin or tissue that feels hard around the drain site, especially if this is new

Call your doctor if you notice any of these changes instead of waiting to see if they go away. This includes changes in the thickness, amount, or color of the fluid in your mastectomy drains. Your doctor may want to see you and decide whether you need treatment for an infection.

Join the Conversation

On MyBCTeam, people share their experiences with breast cancer, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What color or colors of fluid did you see after a mastectomy, and what did they mean? Let others know in the comments below.