For the first 4 – 6 weeks following a breast augmentation, patients should be wearing a supportive medical bra around the clock, including while sleeping, to promote proper healing and provide added support. After this time, it may be safe and appropriate to begin wearing a soft, supportive bra of your own.
Transition Bra (2 weeks to 3 months)
After two weeks, you may stop wearing the surgical bra and wear a non-underwire, supportive one. This should still be worn both night and day for an additional two weeks. After four weeks from your surgery date, you may stop wearing a bra at night.
Plan on wearing a compression bra for several weeks after your breast surgery. Get the green light from Dr. Harrington before switching from a surgical bra to a sports bra, and then from a sports bra to a regular bra. This usually takes around 6 weeks.
Patients are commonly given a surgical bra to wear for two weeks after surgery, 24 hours a day. At your follow-up visit, your care team will let you know if you should continue to wear the surgical bra or if you can wear a similar support garment of your choice.
If you stop wearing the surgical bra before the recommended time provided in your surgeon's aftercare plan, you may notice that it takes longer for your incision to heal. Compression bras increase blood flow to the surgical site, flooding the area with nutrients and proteins to boost cell renewal and speed up healing.
It is recommended that you wait at least 4-6 weeks before going braless after augmentation surgery. Even after this time period, you should still be wearing a supportive bra if you plan on engaging in any physical activity, as this can help protect newly augmented breasts from trauma or damage.
While it's best to provide your new breasts with as much support as possible post-surgery, it's usually safe to go braless on occasion (but not daily) from around six weeks. Most patients should wait at least 3 months before going braless on a regular basis.
A sports bra will keep the breasts in place while exercising, but it can be too restrictive when dealing with post-surgery recovery. The breasts can swell a little and a sports bra won't leave any room for this.
Surgical bras should have no seam and fasten in the front with a zipper or clasps. Your surgical bra should be snug but not too tight.
Simply put, sleeping on your back keeps your breasts in an optimal position for healing. We therefore recommend you keep this position for eight to 12 weeks post-surgery. Some online sources suggest four to six weeks are enough, but you will continue healing beyond this short window of time.
As far as wearing the bra to bed at night, that is optional. If the patient has undergone a reshaping of an existing scar tissue pocket at the time of the breast surgery, however, we advise that the bra be worn for six weeks at night while sleeping.
This type of sleeping position puts pressure on your breasts and can hinder the healing process. The good news is that your surgeon will have educated you on this. There's not a chance you'll be at home after breast augmentation surgery without having received detailed instructions on how to sleep.
How long should I wear a supportive bra? Everyone recovers at different rates, and your unique procedure will determine your length of recovery. However, you should plan to wear your bra for around 6 weeks after surgery. You should wear it as much as possible (even while sleeping), but can remove it to shower.
Clothing. Wear a soft supportive bra for 6 weeks after your surgery, even while sleeping. You may remove your bra when you bathe or shower. Don't wear a bra that has underwire.
If you do not wear a compression bra following breast implant placement or stop wearing it before your implant settles in a new shape and size, there is a high risk of your implants dislocating from their position.
Your prosthesis rides up
If the prosthesis rides up during the day or when you move in certain ways, then your bra does not fit as well as it should. This may be a sign that the band is too tight as this puts upward pressure on the prosthesis.
A surgical bra is one that is typically made out of high quality fabrics with no dye, wires, or excessive trim. The typical surgical bra will provide 24×7 support to the breasts as the tissues recover, and in some instances, light compression.
Following reconstructive surgery, wider straps and under bands can offer additional support during healing and beyond. Post-surgery bras also typically have a higher centre fronts and underarms, this can help to cover any scarring or unevenness following a reconstruction.
Once the skin in the chest area has healed and settled down, which may take up to a year, you can wear any bra. However, if you're planning to wear a prosthesis (an artificial breast form that replaces the shape or all or part of the breast), your bra will need to fit well and have enough support for your prosthesis.
Keep the following nutrition tips in mind during your recovery after breast augmentation: Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein will provide your body with the nutrients you need to heal. Choose low-fat dairy products to minimize weight gain.
Women should wear a well-fitted and supportive bra, even during the night, for 1 week.
For the first 4 – 6 weeks following a breast augmentation, patients should be wearing a supportive medical bra around the clock, including while sleeping, to promote proper healing and provide added support. After this time, it may be safe and appropriate to begin wearing a soft, supportive bra of your own.
You could receive the all-clear to sleep on your sides as early as two weeks after breast augmentation. However, you may be advised to wear a special bra to support your chest. After roughly four to six weeks, you should be able to resume sleeping on your stomach.
Depending on your healing status, you can sleep without a bra after six or eight weeks.
SLEEPING ON YOUR BACK – ELEVATED!
In the first six weeks after breast augmentation, it is vital that you sleep on your back for a safe and speedy recovery.