What clothes do surgeons recommend after breast augmentation?

With over 300,000 breast augmentations performed in the US, women are curious about how to make their surgery smooth and complication-free. In most instances, breast augmentation involves the placement of a silicone implant beneath the pectoralis muscle, the site is beneath the breast itself.

Why Submuscular is the preferred placement of Implants

There are several reasons why this is the most common approach for this operation.

• First, the implant looks more natural as there is additional tissue than the breast alone to cover the implant. This helps to achieve a more natural look where the edges of the implant are camouflaged.
• Next, the incidence of capsular contracture is reduced significantly when the implant is in the sub-muscular space. This helps to provide a more long-lasting result and reduce the need for revisionary surgery.
• Finally, the ability to image the breast in a mammogram is not compromised with the implant in this location. This helps with the long-term breast health maintenance that is important to all women.

What are the Post-Breast Augmentation Clothes

Since it is most likely that the implant will be in a submuscular position, there is likely to be some discomfort with the movement of the pectoralis muscle. Thus, patients should limit the movement of their arms away from their body, which will stretch the chest. This can create a little discomfort. Thus, we find that most women will initially want easy on and off garments such as a zip-up hoody or button-up blouses. These tend to be the easiest for the first week of surgery.

Women’s Zip Front Sports Bra (Photo Credits: Meliwoo)

During this time, we will provide a bra for the majority of patients to wear. This is a relatively snug, front-zip bra with a wide and soft band preventing too much irritation to the incision. Usually, this is an issue with patients who choose a breast crease incision since this is the spot where the band of the bra is most compressive. That way there is less risk of incisional irritation and possible breakdown.

After the first week

Most patients can wear any item of clothing they choose. However, the bra is restricted to a soft, compressive sports bra for the majority of the time for the first three weeks. Patients will have a greater range of motion and find it easier to get into any outfit they choose. Patients can find different sports bras if needed, but it is best to check with your doctor to ensure the fit is proper and allowing for an uneventful healing process.

At three weeks

Patients can change their bra to a soft, non-underwire and non-push-up style during the day or at work. Once they return home, patients should return to wearing a sports bra again to prevent prolonged compression on the scar. This could lead to scar irritation and unfavorable scarring. Patients are asked to avoid lace bras or more structured lingerie as this again will distort the breast and possibly displace the implant from the pocket created in surgery.

When to wear normal clothes

Once a patient has reached six weeks from their surgical date, they can wear any article of clothing without restriction. We normally recommend that patients avoid any clothing that is causing them pain or discomfort. Again, this may be an indication of an improper fit and can lead to issues with the healing process. Many patients find that a comfortable sports bra is the most effective choice since it takes time to adjust to your new anatomy. Keep in mind that this is a generalized schedule and each patient may need a variation on this timeline. This timeline should be based on the procedure and how it was performed.

If this is a revision procedure, there are indications for patients to wear an underwire bra early in the recovery process as pocket surgery may need reinforcement. Your doctor should guide you with specific limitations and requirements through the entire course of your recovery.

To know more about your options for breast augmentation surgery, contact our San Diego office at 858-638-9800 to find out what options are right for you.

*The content in this blog is developed to spread the awareness towards plastic surgery. Our blog is not intended to serve as a replacement for an actual in-office consultation with Dr. Marin. As such, the information within this blog reflects the unique cases of our individual patients.