Your surgical bra should be snug but not too tight. You should be able to insert two fingers underneath.
In general, to benefit from a compression garment, it should fit snugly. It should never cause discomfort. Compression garments should reduce the throbbing pain associated with healing post-surgery and not cause any pain. If there is pain, you should stop wearing the garment immediately.
Typically, most patients will be required to wear a compression bra during their initial part of recovery (two weeks after surgery). At that point, you can switch to a compression sports bra but make sure to avoid anything with an underwire. This can be worn for another two weeks, day and night.
Your band size should be similar to your previous bra size since your underbust measurement isn't changed by breast augmentation surgery. So if you were a 36 before surgery, you're likely to still be a 36.
The support of a bra is essential in this battle. Generally speaking, you shouldn't consider going braless for at least six weeks after breast augmentation. Your breasts need to be thoroughly supported during this time to ensure optimal healing.
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.
Compression Bra
This bra provides the necessary support to aid in the healing process. You will be instructed to wear this bra day and night for two weeks (at least). Benefits of your compression bra include: Helps keep incision dressings in place.
Can I wear a tight sports bra after breast augmentation? Yes, you can wear a sports bra after breast augmentation. However, make sure it is not too tight. Otherwise, a tight bra increases the risk of implant rupture and damage to your breast tissues.
Surgical Bra (first 2 weeks)
This bra also has a strap that presses down from above in order to help your implants reach their final position more quickly. This bra should be worn at all times, night and day, for two weeks. You may remove it to shower or to launder the garment.
Avoid bras that apply pressure to these incision areas for at least three months. At first, we recommend sleeping without a bra, unless that bra was provided by your surgeon. After a six week period, patients may sleep with a bra if they find it more comfortable.
Light touches are acceptable, but your breasts will be sensitive as long as three weeks after your surgery. It's also recommended to wear a compression bra while you and your partner are intimate.
For the most part, patients will need to wait at least four to six weeks before they can switch to side sleeping. For some patients, it may be more like eight weeks.
Proffer states that the straps of your bra shouldn't dig into your shoulders too tightly, but they should also not fall loosely. Instead, your bra straps should sit comfortably and securely on your shoulder. Dr. Proffer also states that the band of your bra should feel snug but not ride up on your skin.
If you have undergone a reduction or implant removal and don't wear your compression bra you may end up with more excess, sagging skin around your breasts.
Chest wall tightness is a common side effect of breast augmentation that typically manifests as a feeling of tightness or discomfort in the chest area. This can occur when the muscles in the chest wall are tenser than normal following the addition of implants.
The bra should fit snug like a sports bra. The bra should fit high under your arms to provide full coverage of the axilla area. If the bra fits too tight under the arms you can lengthen the bra straps by adjusting the hook and eye row on the shoulder straps.
During the first several weeks (typically between 4-6 weeks) after your breast augmentation, it's important to wear a compression or sports bra. Compression provided by these bras during your recovery help ensure that the incisions heal correctly and the implants are positioned appropriately.
Many women find a recliner to be more comfortable for sleeping than a bed. After the initial healing stage, most women are able to sleep flat on their back rather than elevated for a few weeks before shifting to sleeping on your side.
Women who plan to have any type of breast or chest surgery or procedure will benefit from wearing a post-surgical bra. Post-surgery bras are an important step in the healing process. The chest area is stabilized and kept free from infection.
You can remove your bra when you shower. Don't wear a bra that has an underwire while your incisions are healing. You'll get a prescription for pain medication to help manage your pain after surgery. Constipation (www.mskcc.org/pe/constipation).
Surgeons vary in their advice on this, and it will depend on whether additional procedures such as a breast lift were done. For most routine breast augmentations we suggest no sooner than 3 weeks.
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.
Essentially, you'll need to sleep in an elevated position after breast augmentation surgery for at least one to two months (around six weeks for the majority of patients). The reason is that this position helps to reduce swelling, largely by taking the pressure off the incision areas and the implants themselves.