Underwire Bra Required After Getting Breast Implants?

It commonly depends on the surgery performed. In the instance of performing a corrective breast augmentation for constricted or asymmetic or secondary breast augmentation procedures, it is not uncommon to have to adjust the height of the breast crease. In these specific cases and especially capsulorrhaphy, I may request that the patient wear an underwire bra 24/7 for 6 weeks and avoid strenous excercises or activity that may disrupt the repair. In conditions of primary breast augmentation... more

To Sara, Hi.  The key is to place the implants in just the right pocket.  After surgery, we either use a sports bra or no bra.  You certainly don't need an underwire bra.  Some women like to wear an underwire bra, and then we tell them to start one month after surgery.

Sara, In fact, most plastic surgeons forbid underwire bras for the first few weeks after a breast augmentation.  Thereafter, most plastic surgeons, myself included, allow you to wear whatever is comfortable for you.  Good luck!

All breasts, whether augmented, reduced or natural, need to be well supported. This prevents tissue stretching and helps to control the natural aging process of the breasts. I recommend to all of my patients to buy well made bras from boutiques that specialize in sizing. Bras don't have to be underwire but they do need to be made well to provide good continuous support. You spent good money to get great lookin breasts, spend a little more to keep them looking great.

I'm not quite sure where you are in your recovery. Immediately post-operatively, my breast augmentation patients wear either the surgical bra that was placed on in the operating room, or a soft sports-type bra. I ask them to buy one that clasps in the front, so that the act of putting it on is not too difficult. I tell my patients to avoid underwire bras completely for six weeks after the operation. If the implants were placed through an inframammary incision (immediately below... more

I'm told by some of the revision breast patients that I treat that their original plastic surgeon told them to "never" wear an underwire bra. I agree that they are not necessary in the early recovery period in the primary breast augmentation patient until they are at least 4 weeks into their recovery. In breast revision patients, especially where I have had to repair a dropped fold I get my patients into underwire sooner for external support as long as it is not uncomfortable for... more

I do not recommend underwire bras during the early post-operative period.  If the implants are placed through an inframammary fold, the wire can push on the incision and create problems.

In general, implant sizes have gone up over the past 5-8 years based on popular demand for fuller looking breasts. This means heavier implants with a higher tendancy to descend and possibly bottom out. Consequently, I do recommend an underwire bra for those patients with larger implants. Also, some patients have vague or asymmetric inframammary creases and I use an underwire in them when I am trying to create a more defined fold or one that is more symmetric. It is a form of external... more

Most of our patients do not require an underwire bra after they have recovered from surgery. In fact, we do not let our patients wear an underwire bra for at least 4-6 weeks post operatively. Most patients prefer a sports bra, an exercise top with a shelf, or just a comfortable, but supportive tank top. The biggest issue for our patients, is finding an attractive bra that doesn't have an underwire. If this is a problem, the underwire can be removed from most bras. The underwire is... more

Until you are fully healed, soft bras are the way to go as Dr. Chang mentioned. However, adding the weight of an implant to your normal breast weight puts additional force on the skin of your chest wall and your back muscles. Good support is very important to avoid undue descent of your implants and to avoid undue stress on your back. Also, when you are out exercising, in my practice, I have patients wear two bras (one underwire and one sports) to keep the implants well supported. If... more