How long should I wear compression garments after breast augmentation?

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Our University Breast Center is one of the very few specialized institutions in the country where all types of breast surgery are performed: oncology , benign tumors and breast plastic surgery All operations (except plastic surgery) are performed under quotas for high-tech operations or under the compulsory medical insurance policy - free of charge for citizens of all regions of the Russian Federation (including breast reconstruction after removal).

Every year we perform more than 1000 different operations. We have extensive experience in combining plastic and oncological surgery, operations for benign diseases and breast plastic surgery.

This made it possible to tell you in detail about the nuances of selecting underwear for various breast surgeries.

Compression top

For those who wore underwear, the scars are thin and less noticeable. In addition, compression garments gently and evenly compress the breasts, preventing excessive mobility, promoting less pain after surgery, and also prevents bleeding and displacement (rotation) of implants.

A postoperative compression bra (postoperative bandage) gently and evenly compresses the breasts after surgery and reduces the risk of bleeding in the postoperative period by gently squeezing small vessels.

In addition to underwear, other factors influence the invisibility of scars after surgery: special creams, plates and medications. See the bottom of the page for more information.

When can you stop wearing compression garments?

Many girls are interested in the question of how long to wear compression garments after mammoplasty. If everything goes according to plan, then in six months you will be able to use a regular bra. However, as practice shows, it is impossible to answer the question unambiguously, and everything depends on the individual characteristics of your body, the characteristics of the operation, the speed of final maturation of the scars and other factors.

You should not switch to fashionable bra models immediately after treatment. Particularly contraindicated are options without straps, which are unable to support the breasts in the proper position, or push-up.

Now you know how to wear compression garments after mammoplasty and when you can stop using such a bra without the risk of spoiling the results of the plastic surgeon. Try to strictly follow the recommendations presented above and the advice of your doctor. This will help you achieve the result you dreamed of when you consulted a plastic surgeon.

Lingerie after breast augmentation

After surgery for breast augmentation with implants, or surgery for removal of the mammary gland and its immediate restoration with an implant, you need a compression bra WITH A TOP ELASTIC that secures the breasts in the upper pole. Sometimes such elastic is built into the bodice from the sides, sometimes it is attached to it separately with Velcro at the back, as in these photos. Please note - this elastic band must be tight - fastened with tension, otherwise it “does not work”.

In this case, the upper edge of the lower elastic (under the breast) should be strictly in the submammary fold and not go over the implant - so as not to “squeeze” it upward. To do this, do not make the top straps of your underwear too short. The upper elastic band should push the chest down towards the navel, preventing the implants from moving upward.

In these photos of the girl after breast augmentation with implants, the straps of her underwear were too short. If you fasten them, the lower elastic band goes over the implant and risks moving it upward.

That's why we don't fasten the straps: the lower elastic with its upper edge is in the fold just under the chest, and the upper one presses on top.

If your breasts become abnormally shaped

Is it dangerous! This shouldn’t happen if the compression garments are selected correctly and accurately match your breast parameters.

The deformation may be due to the strong pressure that the laundry puts on the fabric. Another reason is surgical errors, due to which asymmetry of the mammary glands or other types of deformities develop.

What to do?

Don't take off your compression garments! Contact your surgeon immediately.

After the examination, he will determine the problem and tell you about your next steps. In extreme cases, repeat surgery may be required.

How long to wear underwear after mammoplasty

How long to wear underwear after surgery depends on what type of surgery was performed.

After breast augmentation (installation of implants), it is advisable to strictly wear underwear with an elastic band for at least 6 weeks. During this time, the implants will “grow in” and the risk of their displacement (or rotation) will be minimal.

Further (not strictly), it is advisable to wear it for up to 4-6 months: this is how long the capsule (scar tissue) around the implants matures. During this time, it is advisable to protect the breasts from harsh influences: the capsule of the implants is not yet strong and the “separation” of the implant from it can provoke the formation of a double capsule. At first, it is advisable to sleep on your back and side - without completely leaning on your breast with the implant.

After a breast lift or reduction, it is advisable to wear underwear strictly for 6 weeks, loosely for up to 4-6 months. You can lie on your side and back in it from the first days.

For more information about BREAST ENLARGEMENT WITH IMPLANTS in our Center, see our website.

Proper rehabilitation is the key to success

The successful result of any plastic surgery is the result of the consolidated efforts of the surgeon and his patient.
If the surgeon’s skill is manifested before the operation (planning the intervention strategy, the correct choice of methods, means), as well as during its implementation (implementation of the planned plan), then the patient’s role is much more “extended” in time. Throughout the recovery period, you must follow your doctor's recommendations. After mammoplasty, the rehabilitation period is long. From three to six months there is active tissue restoration, stabilization of the contours and shape of the breast. The final result can be assessed after six months, but according to many experts, the recovery processes do not end there. They continue for up to a year. Only after a full year has passed can you return to old habits, forgetting about the rules.

Compression garments are a central element of the rehabilitation program after bust size/shape modeling. It must be worn after augmentation mammoplasty (increasing the size due to the installation of implants), after reduction of the glands or after their tightening (mastopexy). The only breast plastic surgery operation that does not involve wearing elastic underwear is lipofilling, that is, breast augmentation by transplanting the patient’s own fat cells.

Lingerie after lift

After breast lift (mastopexy) or oncoplastic surgery (a combination of breast cancer surgery with lifting or reduction) without installing implants or expanders, compression garments WITHOUT UPPER ELASTIC , as shown in the photo, are required.

Lingerie after removal of fibroadenoma

If you have had fibroadenoma removed with a breast lift or reduction, then after the operation it is recommended to wear special underwear without an elastic band for 6 weeks. If the removal of fibroadenoma was combined with the installation of implants, then compression underwear is needed with an upper elastic band (as after breast augmentation with implants). If you simply had fibroadenoma removed - without plastic surgery, then special underwear that stabilizes and tightens the breasts (as with a lift or reduction) is only needed for the first few days. A regular tight sports top can replace it.

About experiences and complications

The most important thing is behind us - the operation is done. Life saved.

But the feeling of anxiety continues to live. Now for other reasons.

How now, after the operation, will people around you perceive your body? After all, you want to be beautiful and be liked - in the mirror, by the man you love, to be on an equal footing with your friends. I want to live my life as before, and not have anything overshadow the joy of simple things. Just relax and feel as attractive as before. Realize that everything is okay.

And as soon as all these normal desires are formed, embarrassment and confusion immediately appear. Self-confidence as a woman quickly declines. Sadness takes its place.

Yes, there are tasks that can become reality and for which you need to remain fully prepared:

• physical features: lymphedema, uneven suture, partial resection, stiffness, sweating, weight change, spinal problems;
• psychological state: sadness and confusion about what and how to do next.

And here we want to draw attention to the recommendations and products we offer. Because they are designed specifically to restore a woman’s previous comfort and maintain her health.

Lingerie after mastectomy

Compression garments after breast removal have a cutout for the “healthy” breast, while the operation area is closed and pressed against the body.

A number of underwear models have a special pocket for wearing an external breast prosthesis (after its removal).

More than 70% of cancer surgeries in our Center involve breast conservation. We supplement more than 80% of breast removal operations with one-stage breast reconstruction.

All operations - including breast reconstruction after mastectomy - are subject to quotas for residents of all regions of the Russian Federation.

Lingerie after breast reconstruction

Often the first stage of breast reconstruction is liposuction and lipofilling (transferring fat taken from “problem areas” to the breast, where it was excessively cut off during a mastectomy). After such an operation, the stomach is covered with underwear after liposuction (see below), and no underwear is put on the chest: so as not to compress the vessels and not worsen the engraftment of the transplanted fat.

After breast reconstruction with an implant or expander, it is advisable to wear the same compression garments as after augmentation - for at least 6 weeks (strictly), and up to 4 - 6 months (not strictly).

NB! After such operations, the upper elastic band is not always used - so as not to compress the tissues in the operation area and not to disrupt their blood supply. Discuss this point with your doctor.

After surgery to restore the mammary gland using your own tissues (lipofilling, TRAM, DIEP flaps), compression garments on the chest are not required. After such operations, it is important to maintain a good blood supply, and compression can interfere with this.

Consequences of mammoplasty

In order to improve the aesthetic appearance of the breast, the following operations are performed:

• installation of implants and fillers;
• reducing bust size;
• mastopexy (breast lift);
• elimination of asymmetry (one breast is larger than the other or has a different shape).

After plastic surgery the following are possible:

• swelling that can stretch the skin and deform soft tissues;
• displacement of implants from the required position;
• fresh scars that can stretch significantly in the absence of bust support.

These problems can be solved by wearing compression garments after mammoplasty. It was developed based on medical recommendations and has long proven its effectiveness.

Lingerie after liposuction

We perform liposuction and lipofilling on some of our patients (we take fat from the abdomen or other problem areas through punctures and transplant it through punctures to a new place). As a rule, this is done to prepare tissue for installation of an expander or implant - under the skin of the breast (when restoring the breast after its removal) or to enlarge the breast, correct its shape, or to correct the shape of the buttocks.

To reduce the risk of bruising and hematomas in the fat harvesting areas, after surgery, patients are recommended to wear compression garments that fit and press against these areas. At the same time, in the area where the transplanted fat is located (on the chest), wearing compression garments is not required: so as not to squeeze the vessels and not disrupt its nutrition.

Which bra do you prefer?

After a period of rehabilitation, girls and women whose breasts have undergone radical changes are faced with the need to buy new underwear. You should be careful when choosing a bra: in addition to its aesthetic appeal, it should suit you in all functional respects.

It is especially important to choose the right cup size: too shallow a depth will cause the breasts to “jump” out of it, and if the cup is larger than the mammary gland, there will not be the necessary support for the mammary glands. Large underwear often rubs the skin, which leads to itching and irritation.

Please note that in the first months after removing compression garments, plastic surgeons recommend wearing underwire-free underwear for up to six months.

The basic rule of choice is 100% comfort!

• The cup should fit the breast, but not cut into it.
• The straps should be wide and elastic enough to support the breasts, but not squeeze the skin or leave marks on it.
• Linen should be washed in a timely manner so that accumulated fatty deposits on the tissue do not become a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause the appearance of foci of inflammation in the area of ​​surgical sutures during the regeneration stage.
• The waistband of the bodice should fit snugly to the body, but not create excess pressure and not rise too high on the back.
• If mammoplasty was performed inframammary (a suture under the gland), you should avoid wearing bras with an underwire, as this may slow down the regeneration of the suture.

Stockings for surgery

Compression of the legs during surgery reduces the likelihood of blood clots and is a standard procedure for elective operations under general anesthesia lasting more than 15 minutes in developed countries. The resulting thrombosis can lead to thromboembolism and death of the patient (one operation in 10,000). If you want to reduce your risks, use this method of prevention - antithromboembolic stockings for surgery .

Antithromboembolic surgical stockings are put on the legs before surgery and removed when the patient is able to actively stand up and walk independently after the operation. A sign of correctly worn stockings is that the vertical rectangle on the elastic should become a square. If it becomes a horizontal rectangle, it means the stockings were pulled up. The department staff helps our patients put on compression stockings. There is a special device for this.

Instead of compression stockings, you can use cheaper elastic bandages (5 meters per leg) - sold in pharmacies. Anti-thromboembolic compression stockings can be purchased from compression garment suppliers (see bottom of page).

Beneficial physical activity

Rules for caring for your health:

1. Swimming. Water soothes, has a gentle massaging effect, and the hand recovers faster. Lymph outflow is normalized. The swelling subsides.

2. Exercise. Simple to do but very effective. They will easily become a daily habit.

• “Combing your hair” Place your elbow on the edge of your bedside table. Keep your head straight. Start by combing one half of your head, then gradually move to the other. Don't get overwhelmed, but be persistent;
• “Ball” Clenching and unclenching the hand. Use a rubber ball or other object, squeezing it in your palm;
• “Drying your back” Using a towel or similar object, make gentle movements that simulate drying your back. Repeat on both sides.

3. Wearing a compression sleeve. It is necessary to prevent the occurrence of edema and the threat of lymphedema. Therefore, it needs to be worn under load: work in the country, household chores, flights or a long road. If you couldn’t put on a sleeve during physical activity, be sure to put it on afterwards. Agree that it is better to wear a prophylactic sleeve during exercise than to constantly wear a therapeutic compression sleeve if lymphedema begins to develop.

Scar Remedy

The invisibility of scars after surgery depends on:

• the skill and skill of the surgeon in choosing the “right” location of the incisions and applying a cosmetic suture
• suture materials that the doctor uses during surgery (see HERE for more information). Many of them are not used for treatment under the compulsory medical insurance policy.
• patient's skin characteristics
• products that are used after surgery (their use is not covered during treatment under the insurance policy)

Immediately at the end of the operation, the doctor may use Dermabond skin adhesive. Traditionally, this is not done due to the increased cost of treatment. Discuss with your doctor before surgery whether he can use it if you buy it yourself.

If Dermabond was not used immediately after surgery, hydrocolloid dressings (convatec granuflex hydrocolloid dressing) can be used in the early postoperative period (the day after surgery). Traditionally, this is not done due to the increased cost of treatment.

If you buy them yourself, you can stick them on the wounds the next day after surgery.

While postoperative wounds are covered with crusts, Bepanten cream can speed up healing.

After the crusts have fallen off, you can use the following remedies:

• Silicone gel Kelo-Cote or Dermatix.
• Clovermed Xeragel Silicone Gel and Pro-Sil Silicone Stick
• Silicone plates Epi-Derm Areopexy, Mastopexy form Areola circles from Clovermed
• Epifoam sheets after liposuction to reduce swelling
• Silicone plates Elastoderm from Native
• Bio-Oil
• Much more - see more HERE

Wearing and care

The patient will have to wear a compression bra for at least 2 months. During the consultation, the doctor will give recommendations on how to care for the medical device. It is recommended to purchase several of these products per shift to ensure proper hygiene and reduce the risk of infection.

It is recommended to wash compression garments at least 2 times a week. Such products are washed at a temperature of about 30 degrees with the addition of a special hypoallergenic powder or detergent. You can dry this bra in a horizontal position.

Immediately after the operation, a special bandage is applied to the chest, which the doctor will then replace with a compression bra. You will need to purchase the product before performing the operation. Before putting it on, you need to straighten the corset and straps so that there are no wrinkles on them.

During her hospital stay, the patient will receive assistance and learn how to use the medical device. Before the skin heals, the doctor will put on and take off compression garments during dressings, while simultaneously assessing the condition of the sutures. Upon discharge from the hospital, the doctor will give recommendations on wearing and caring for your bra and breasts.

By contacting the Medical Examination Clinic for plastic surgery, you are entrusting your appearance to the hands of professionals with many years of experience and experience in treating thousands of patients.