What is the purpose, specifically, of wearing a surgical bra?

I personally recommend that patients wear a surgical bra, or a sports bra, or a softbra without an underwire 18-23 hours a day for the first six weeks. I don't think that it makes that much difference. If a patient is having difficulty with the bra, I instruct them to take it off, or possibly substitute into a more comfortable bra However, the theoretical reasons for wearing a bra include the splinting of the breast to decrease pain, and I would report that most patients feel more secure and have less movement of the breast while it is tender. Additionally there is concern that if the breast  moves around too much in the early postoperative period that this could cause disruption of the breast pocket or any breast suturing that had occurred or that it may cause friction to increase the chance of hematoma. Common sense will keep most patients out of trouble. 

I
would recommend that you follow the advice of the doctor who will be performing
your surgery and who is going to be taking care of you in the postoperative
period.  There is no one that is in a
better position to guide you in your recovery other than the Plastic Surgeon
who will be performing your operation. 

 

Now
as far as my own practice is concerned, yes, I do advise my patients who have
breast augmentation surgery to wear a surgical bra.  This is simply for the reason that there is a
benefit in having some support at least in the early period during the recovery
from breast augmentation surgery.  There
is very little hard data in the literature supporting the use of a sports bra
versus no sports bra at all.  There is
actually only one study that I can recall that is about 15 years old that
reported that there was no improvement in the incidence of deep bruising or
bleeding following breast augmentation with a sports bra compared to no sports
bra at all. 

 

Therefore,
you will get different opinions on this subject.  You will have surgeons that categorically
advise their patients to wear a sports bra and others who recommend that no bra
be worn.  I think a lot of it also has to
do with exactly what operation is being done and what kind of implant device is
being used for the augmentation. 
Certainly, there is a difference in the behavior of saline versus
silicone implants in the way that they move in the body.  There is also a significant difference
between the recovery and the movement of textured implants versus smooth
implants.  Of course, we are not even
talking about more complicated operations such as breast augmentation in
combination with a breast lift.  So,
there are many different possibilities depending on the exact operation that is
done and the exact device that is being used. 


 

Essentially,
it boils down to the experience of your surgeon and what he/she believes will
be the best way for you to recover following your operation.  So, I would take the advice of your Plastic
Surgeon and I am sure your results will be very, very good.  Best of luck to you!

provide many functions and are used at different points in your recovery.  Every surgeon has their own protocols but in my practice, leisure bras (soft, stretch cup, not really functional) are used for light support and to help with swelling following reductions and mastopexies and with augmentation when upper poles are looking 'good enough'.  Whenever a perfect look is achieved, underwire (if tolerated and everyone has tolerated it in my practice) bras are recommended in a functional way (straps cinched up) to help stabilize the implant position or healing tissues.  My patients have been very happy with their results and being creatures of habit, surgeons pretty much stick with what has worked for them.