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Binders, compression garments & fajas
FIRST BINDER:
(couldnt find a link)
Description:
The very first compression garment they sent me home in was a double binder. It had a section that velcroed around my torso and another around my breasts. It had little velcro loops on it that I could attach my drains to. I cant actually find it online, but they did take that one back at my first post op appointment.
My experience:
This binder was super helpful as far as my drains went. It did a really great job of compression as well. My only gripe was that by the 3rd day it was actually chafing my skin under my armpit and rubbed my skin raw. I put some tissue paper in those areas and it was fine after that.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SECOND BINDER:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DLKEDE/refcm_sw_r_tw_dp_7D970D7JK8HX7F1VRN6V
Description:
The second binder they put me in was actually two of the same binder. My surgeon put one around my lower stomach and hips and marked a line for how tight he made it and wrote "low" then he put another right under my breasts that overlapped with the first one he put on. He marked this one the same way and wrote "high".
My experience:
In the beginning, I hated these binders. I felt like they were always bunching somewhere and they were uncomfortable. But over time I felt like they were helping my back so much and I found the best ways to tighten them so that they wouldn't bunch. I ended up wearing one of these over my first compression garment because I liked the extra support.
_____________________________________________________________________________
FIRST GARMENT:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YXNX9T4?psc1&refppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
Description:
This one feels like spanx. I ordered a size small and it fit me width size but it was too tall. It has a huge opening for you to use the bathroom without taking it off.
Experience:
Because of how short I am I ended up having to wear this one pulled up over my breasts. It was probably the tightest thing I could squeeze myself into without worrying that my incisions would be pulled open, but once it was on it didn't give me as much support as I was used to with the binders so I ended up wearing one of the binders in addition to this garment. On days where my swelling was at its worst the open crotch area was terrible. My mons pubis would get so swollen and the seams of the garment would be digging into my inner thighs. The only relief I was able to get from this was by using a sheet of lipo foam and wearing it as low as I could in the garment.
_____________________________________________________________________________
STAGE 2 FAJA:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QAV6UVG?psc1&refppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
Desciption:
The faja is way thicker material and doesn't stretch any where near as much as the compression garments. It feels like its made out of really thick jeggings. It has clasps, a zipper and some silicone lining around the bottom of the thighs so they dont roll up.
My experience:
I ordered a size medium based on the size chart and I was barely able to get into it. As I was closing it I could see that the skin on my stomach was wrinkling which made me a little nervous. Once it was on It felt very supportive but too much so. Im pretty sure if I tried to bend over my head would have popped. The part that made me decide to not use it was the dip on either side that was formed where I am the thinnest. It pinched in and I couldn't find a way to adjust it so that didn't happen. I was also afraid that the clasp area would rub on my belly button too much.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SECOND GARMENT:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SYVCCW?psc1&refppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
Description:
This one feels like its made out of the same material as compression socks. It was a brand that I saw recommended on a lot of tummy tuck recovery vlogs.
My experience:
I ordered an x-small but even so its too long, it bunches up where I am thinnest whenever I sit and I have to pull it up and then fold the fabric right under my breasts. Short people problems I guess. The material feels slightly more supportive than the first garment but not as much as the faja was. Ive only been wearing this one for a couple days now. I feel like the material might be itchy, but its hard to tell which itches are from the garment and which onces are from the nerves reattching. The crotch hole on this one is smaller than the first but still big enough where you dont have to worry about using the bathroom.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Thats it so far. I think maybe in a few weeks I will give the stage 2 faja another try. I would just rather wait until my incisions are healed a bit more before I put them to the test in something that tight. Hope this helps someone!
(couldnt find a link)
Description:
The very first compression garment they sent me home in was a double binder. It had a section that velcroed around my torso and another around my breasts. It had little velcro loops on it that I could attach my drains to. I cant actually find it online, but they did take that one back at my first post op appointment.
My experience:
This binder was super helpful as far as my drains went. It did a really great job of compression as well. My only gripe was that by the 3rd day it was actually chafing my skin under my armpit and rubbed my skin raw. I put some tissue paper in those areas and it was fine after that.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SECOND BINDER:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DLKEDE/refcm_sw_r_tw_dp_7D970D7JK8HX7F1VRN6V
Description:
The second binder they put me in was actually two of the same binder. My surgeon put one around my lower stomach and hips and marked a line for how tight he made it and wrote "low" then he put another right under my breasts that overlapped with the first one he put on. He marked this one the same way and wrote "high".
My experience:
In the beginning, I hated these binders. I felt like they were always bunching somewhere and they were uncomfortable. But over time I felt like they were helping my back so much and I found the best ways to tighten them so that they wouldn't bunch. I ended up wearing one of these over my first compression garment because I liked the extra support.
_____________________________________________________________________________
FIRST GARMENT:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YXNX9T4?psc1&refppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
Description:
This one feels like spanx. I ordered a size small and it fit me width size but it was too tall. It has a huge opening for you to use the bathroom without taking it off.
Experience:
Because of how short I am I ended up having to wear this one pulled up over my breasts. It was probably the tightest thing I could squeeze myself into without worrying that my incisions would be pulled open, but once it was on it didn't give me as much support as I was used to with the binders so I ended up wearing one of the binders in addition to this garment. On days where my swelling was at its worst the open crotch area was terrible. My mons pubis would get so swollen and the seams of the garment would be digging into my inner thighs. The only relief I was able to get from this was by using a sheet of lipo foam and wearing it as low as I could in the garment.
_____________________________________________________________________________
STAGE 2 FAJA:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QAV6UVG?psc1&refppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
Desciption:
The faja is way thicker material and doesn't stretch any where near as much as the compression garments. It feels like its made out of really thick jeggings. It has clasps, a zipper and some silicone lining around the bottom of the thighs so they dont roll up.
My experience:
I ordered a size medium based on the size chart and I was barely able to get into it. As I was closing it I could see that the skin on my stomach was wrinkling which made me a little nervous. Once it was on It felt very supportive but too much so. Im pretty sure if I tried to bend over my head would have popped. The part that made me decide to not use it was the dip on either side that was formed where I am the thinnest. It pinched in and I couldn't find a way to adjust it so that didn't happen. I was also afraid that the clasp area would rub on my belly button too much.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SECOND GARMENT:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SYVCCW?psc1&refppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
Description:
This one feels like its made out of the same material as compression socks. It was a brand that I saw recommended on a lot of tummy tuck recovery vlogs.
My experience:
I ordered an x-small but even so its too long, it bunches up where I am thinnest whenever I sit and I have to pull it up and then fold the fabric right under my breasts. Short people problems I guess. The material feels slightly more supportive than the first garment but not as much as the faja was. Ive only been wearing this one for a couple days now. I feel like the material might be itchy, but its hard to tell which itches are from the garment and which onces are from the nerves reattching. The crotch hole on this one is smaller than the first but still big enough where you dont have to worry about using the bathroom.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Thats it so far. I think maybe in a few weeks I will give the stage 2 faja another try. I would just rather wait until my incisions are healed a bit more before I put them to the test in something that tight. Hope this helps someone!
1 month!
Day 25:
"1 month" post op visit (a few days early). I saw Dr Greenwald again this time since he was back from vacation. It was my first time driving since surgery and it was easy peasy. He took off my papertape which I had been leaving on and only changed a few times when it was starting to peel off on its own. He said I would no longer need to use the tape and that starting on exactly 1 month post op I could start using silicone strips on my scars. He said everything was healing great, but he did use some tweezers to remove a piece of scab and then put a marble in my belly button to help reduce the swelling. I was informed that I could do some cardio but still no workouts for at least another 6 weeks. After he was done a nurse came in and showed me the products I should be using on my scars. 1 roll of silicone sheet for my tummy tuck, 2 anchor shaped pieces for my breasts, gel to put on my belly button and some cleaning solution for the strips. They ended up costing $250 all together which is about what I was expecting.
Day 26:
Fuck that marble. I wore it the whole day after my appointment in the morning and kept it in through the whole night. Then half way through the next day I bent over slightly to get something off of a chair and felt a sharp throbbing pain my side. I thought I pulled something for sure. Turns out the marble was just pushing too hard against the nerve endings in my belly button and sending zaps through my side. It was a painful few hours before I figured out what was causing it. I took the marble out and after an hour or so the zaps stopped but it took a full day for the throbbing to completely resolve.
Day 27 & 28:
Ive start to notice that healing hasn't been a linear path of feeling much better than I did the day before. Instead I have up and downs. The downs just get a little less bad each time they happen. But some days my back really hurts or I swell up and then other days I feel almost completely back to normal for a few hours. I started using the silicone products on my scar. I had to trim them down a LOT. They were huge. I saved the rest in case I need to replace some of the ones Im currently using.
Days 29 & 30:
I was initially wearing a size small compression garment but I am in an extra small now. The torso is way too long on both of them (I'm 5'0") so they either go halfway up my breasts or I have to scrunch them somewhere. I purchased a stage 2 faja as well just to try it out but it bunches a lot on the sides. I will make another post about just these garments and share the links to the ones I bought. Aside from that I tried putting the silicone gel strip on my belly button but it starts to smell funky if I leave it on too long so I've decided to just stick with the gel. I think water and sweat gets trapped under the strip which is probably a sure way to get an infection eventually. Lets see the only other thing worth noting is that my left nipple isn't a perfect circle like my right. From what Ive seen in other peoples recovery pictures it seems pretty normal and is likey to correct itself with time so Im not worried about it. The hard lumps on my sides are tiny now and I didn't really do anything to them, so I credit time for that as well.
"1 month" post op visit (a few days early). I saw Dr Greenwald again this time since he was back from vacation. It was my first time driving since surgery and it was easy peasy. He took off my papertape which I had been leaving on and only changed a few times when it was starting to peel off on its own. He said I would no longer need to use the tape and that starting on exactly 1 month post op I could start using silicone strips on my scars. He said everything was healing great, but he did use some tweezers to remove a piece of scab and then put a marble in my belly button to help reduce the swelling. I was informed that I could do some cardio but still no workouts for at least another 6 weeks. After he was done a nurse came in and showed me the products I should be using on my scars. 1 roll of silicone sheet for my tummy tuck, 2 anchor shaped pieces for my breasts, gel to put on my belly button and some cleaning solution for the strips. They ended up costing $250 all together which is about what I was expecting.
Day 26:
Fuck that marble. I wore it the whole day after my appointment in the morning and kept it in through the whole night. Then half way through the next day I bent over slightly to get something off of a chair and felt a sharp throbbing pain my side. I thought I pulled something for sure. Turns out the marble was just pushing too hard against the nerve endings in my belly button and sending zaps through my side. It was a painful few hours before I figured out what was causing it. I took the marble out and after an hour or so the zaps stopped but it took a full day for the throbbing to completely resolve.
Day 27 & 28:
Ive start to notice that healing hasn't been a linear path of feeling much better than I did the day before. Instead I have up and downs. The downs just get a little less bad each time they happen. But some days my back really hurts or I swell up and then other days I feel almost completely back to normal for a few hours. I started using the silicone products on my scar. I had to trim them down a LOT. They were huge. I saved the rest in case I need to replace some of the ones Im currently using.
Days 29 & 30:
I was initially wearing a size small compression garment but I am in an extra small now. The torso is way too long on both of them (I'm 5'0") so they either go halfway up my breasts or I have to scrunch them somewhere. I purchased a stage 2 faja as well just to try it out but it bunches a lot on the sides. I will make another post about just these garments and share the links to the ones I bought. Aside from that I tried putting the silicone gel strip on my belly button but it starts to smell funky if I leave it on too long so I've decided to just stick with the gel. I think water and sweat gets trapped under the strip which is probably a sure way to get an infection eventually. Lets see the only other thing worth noting is that my left nipple isn't a perfect circle like my right. From what Ive seen in other peoples recovery pictures it seems pretty normal and is likey to correct itself with time so Im not worried about it. The hard lumps on my sides are tiny now and I didn't really do anything to them, so I credit time for that as well.
Weeks 2 & 3
Days 14 - 20:
These days were a LOT of swelling. I noticed a huge difference on days where I ate foods high in sodium. Most of my swelling was from my belly button down. It would actually make my garment uncomfortable to wear in the crotch because my pubic area and thighs would be so swollen and puffing out of the holes in the garment. I would sometimes put some lipofoam in my garment to help stop the creasing on the sides. I noticed that on the areas that it tends to bunch my skin was getting very dry and flakey. Probably from all the adjusting. I ended up wearing my binder ontop of the garment to help with the swelling and to alleviate some of the back pain. I could force myself to stand up straight but my body still naturally wanted to be hunched over.
Days 20-24:
omg. the itching. I was itchy before but it definitely got worse as the days went on. It was predominantly in the areas that I had lipo (flanks) but also where my pubic hair meets my incision. Its maddening, Ive started to take claratin on days where its bad and I have taken benedryl a few times to help me fall asleep without itching my skin off.
These days were a LOT of swelling. I noticed a huge difference on days where I ate foods high in sodium. Most of my swelling was from my belly button down. It would actually make my garment uncomfortable to wear in the crotch because my pubic area and thighs would be so swollen and puffing out of the holes in the garment. I would sometimes put some lipofoam in my garment to help stop the creasing on the sides. I noticed that on the areas that it tends to bunch my skin was getting very dry and flakey. Probably from all the adjusting. I ended up wearing my binder ontop of the garment to help with the swelling and to alleviate some of the back pain. I could force myself to stand up straight but my body still naturally wanted to be hunched over.
Days 20-24:
omg. the itching. I was itchy before but it definitely got worse as the days went on. It was predominantly in the areas that I had lipo (flanks) but also where my pubic hair meets my incision. Its maddening, Ive started to take claratin on days where its bad and I have taken benedryl a few times to help me fall asleep without itching my skin off.
Provider Review
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
440 Mamaroneck Ave., Harrison, New York
https://www.realself.com/dr/joshua-a-greenwald-harrison-ny