Your post surgery bra questions answered
Why do I need to wear a post surgical bra? After breast surgery, I will ask you to wear a supportive bra. This needs to be a comfortable, well fitted sports bra or so called ‘post surgical bra’. Avoid a bra with underwires as this will be uncomfortable next to your skin while it is healing. This bra is important because it provides added support and comfort during your recovery and helps ensure you achieve the best results following breast surgery. Following breast augmentation surgery, the surrounding tissue becomes integrated into the surface of the implant and so it is important to minimise excessive movement of the implants during this healing phase. I do not use compressive dressings as they are not necessary, and often cause significant irritation and discomfort. Where can I get a post-op bra? There are a range of sports bras and post surgical bras available for patients recovering from breast surgery. Sports bras work just as well as specialist post surgery bras. The most important thing is to pick a bra that you are comfortable in and offers good support. Post surgery bras are sometimes front fastening and in your immediate recovery this may be more comfortable to put on and take off. Individuals vary and often a regular sports bra with fastening at the back works very well and this is not an issue. Post surgical garments are available from lots of high street shops and online. Many patients recommend Marks and Spencer’s line of post surgery bras, but Debenhams, John Lewis and even Asda also have their own range of post op underwear. Online retailer Macom is also popular and has a wide selection of post surgery bras. When should I bring it with me and how long should I wear it for? I will ask you to bring your post op bra with you on the day of surgery so that it is available for me and the team to put on immediately after the operation. You should wear this day and night for the first three weeks and then at night for the following three weeks. How tight should my post surgery bra be? The bra should fit well enough to support your breasts as much as possible. It does however need to be comfortable at the same time to ensure you are able to wear it for those six weeks. What size should I get? I will advise you on the size of bra you will need to wear after surgery as part of your detailed pre-operative assessment and planning consultation. During breast lift surgery, no actual volume is removed from the breast but the shape and position of the breasts will change. I will give you guidance on which size bra will be the best fit for you after surgery. Any other tips for post op bras? Sometimes a longline bra, with the waistband a bit lower than a normal bra, can be more comfortable for patients as it is less likely to rub on any dressings underneath the breast.
If you have any questions about breast augmentation, breast lift or breast reduction surgery and whether it is right for you, please don't hesitate to contact us.
To book an appointment with Mr Adamthwaite, email or call Sorrell on 0800 002 9554.
