A breast lift may not be the most invasive type of plastic surgery, but it is still a serious medical procedure. The recovery process can take a lot of time and energy, and the right activities during recovery can greatly affect the final results of your surgery. In the days after your surgery, it is essential to follow all of your medical instructions. This includes wearing a surgical bra for several days. Most patients are not a fan of this sturdy and plain looking undergarment, but it has some very important functions.
What It’s Like to Wear a Surgical Bra
Before going further into the key functions of a surgical bra, it is necessary to define what we mean when talking about a surgical bra. There are all sorts of bras people bring up when talking about surgical bras. Typically, a surgical bra does more than just your basic sports bra. It will have adjustable straps, breathable fabric, and possibly cutouts to manage any surgical drains. The bra will provide some compression and lift, and it will typically be larger than a normal bra. Many patients prefer to select a surgical bra with a front closure because it lets them put on the bra without tugging or raising their arms.
Because it provides extra support, many patients report that the bra will feel a little more binding and constricting then a normal bra. This is actually a good thing because it makes your daily motions more comfortable. The chest tissue will be very sensitive following surgery, and any sort of movement can cause twinges of discomfort. Even the weight of the breasts themselves can pull on your stitches and feel unpleasant. The surgical bra takes the weight off your chest and keeps you from feeling and uncomfortable shifting, bouncing, or jostling when you are cooking, walking, going down stairs, or rolling over in your sleep.
Keep in mind that it is important to wear the bra at all times. Even if you typically take off your bra when sleeping or lounging around the house, you need to keep it on 24/7. This is a key step because it helps to insure that your chest does not get misshapen from the tossing and turning that you do while you sleep.
The Importance of Wearing a Surgical Bra
You may be tempted to jump straight into wearing delicate lingerie and bold push up bras right after surgery. However, it is important to avoid these sorts of bras for a while. Though it is natural to want to show off your new and improved appearance as soon as possible, you need to follow your doctor’s instructions and stick with the surgical bra for a little while. In addition to making you comfortable during recovery, a surgical bra affects the outcome of your surgery in several ways.
Its ability to provide support and shaping ensures that everything heals in the ideal position. Having breasts that are properly uplifted will keep the weight of your chest from stretching stitches and drooping downwards again following a lift. The reduced stress on the skin also helps to provide a better outcome for any incision sites. A good surgical bra will not irritate or place pressure on the incisions, so there is less risk of them getting inflamed and resulting in larger scars.
A surgical bra also provides compression. This helps to reduce lymphedema and swelling. These sorts of complications happen when soft tissue and water weight buildup in the tissue as a response to damage. Having gentle yet constant compression encourages the body to properly circulate blood and remove byproducts instead of letting them buildup in the site of the surgery. The bra will help your breasts to heal in an even and uplifted shape instead of sagging or developing an unbalanced appearance.
Transition From a Surgical Bra to a Normal Bra
Each person is different, so you will need to talk to your doctor about what type of surgical bra is best and how long you need to wear it. In general, you will need to select a surgical bra that does not place pressure on your incisions and does support your new chest properly. Once you have a bra that meets the criteria for your specific surgery, you can talk to your doctor about how long to wear the bra.
In general, many women start out wearing the bra 24 hours of the day. After a few days of healing, they may move to just wearing the surgical bra for 23 hours of the day, with one hour to take a break from it. Depending on your case, you may be wearing the surgical bra anywhere from a few weeks to over a month.
After this phase, you can transition to traditional sports bras or other types of supportive bras without an underwire. Most patients can start wearing a traditional bra again roughly six weeks to eight weeks after their surgery. Keep in mind that your chest shape will continue to change over the course of several months as swelling goes down. Until then, you may want to hold off on buying any bras in your new size.
Choose Aesthetic Surgery Center
Safety and patient’s satisfaction is of the upmost importance at the Aesthetic Surgery Center. The facility has a team of skilled and highly-qualified surgeons covering face, breasts, and body. Dr. Richard W. Maloney, Dr. Anurag Agarwal and Dr. William A. Ross are all board-certified plastic surgeons who can guide you on your path to rejuvenation with natural, lasting results. If you have questions or looking to undergo breast lift in Naples, FL, contact Aesthetic Surgery Center at 239-594-9100 or visit website at: www.aestheticsurgerycenter.com.
