Is It Important to Use Sport Bra After Breast Augmentation?

Some surgeons use compression to reduce swelling, bruising, and/or bleeding after breast augmentation surgery. I believe careful surgery and control of all bleeding at the time of surgery is preferable to a tight wrap or surgical bra after surgery, as I feel even a small amount of bleeding can increase the risk of capsular contracture. Other surgeons may use a bra to maintain position, hoping to minimize the potential for implants "dropping" too low or "bottoming out" over time. I prefer to try to position the implants slightly higher than the desired final position, knowing that gravity affects 100% of patients, and that most if not all patients will experience some implant "dropping" as they heal and their tissues stretch and soften. I use an elastic band at night to help keep the implants in a good position and to help reduce the risk of implant displacement into the armpit or other unwanted position as you unavoidably move and roll in your sleep. I have my patients go braless during the day to prevent medial cleavage stretch (symmastia), their pocket closing down on the sides, and to allow implants to drop into their final desired aesthetic position. Once we are at the desired (or almost so, depending on how fast we get here) position, I discontinue the elastic band and have patients wear a supportive rather than compressive bra to help "keep them there." In general I am not a fan of stretch bras as they simply tend to squish the breasts centrally, potentially increasing the risk of symmastia ("uniboob"). Implant movement exercises are prescribed immediately after surgery to maintain the surgical implant pocket larger than the implant, which keeps the "feel" soft, and normal breast (and implant) movement when the patient reclines.

For now, ask your doctor what he/she prefers (and perhaps why?), and follow that advice. Good luck and best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Thank you for your question. I often recommend that patients find a sports bra that opens in the front and that is comfortable to wear. They can take breaks during the day and I also encourage breast massage after a week. It is important for your implants to move around and develop a comfortable space (or capsule) within the breast.

In the vast majority of patients, we don’t use a bra strap
or surgical bra in the post-operative period.
There are exceptions but these are rare.
In most cases, we place our patients in a compressive ace wrap dressing
which applies mild pressure to the area.
This helps minimize swelling and makes patients more comfortable. It also decreases the potential for displacement
of the new breast implants within the newly formed breast pocket.

When
we perform submuscular augmentation, we feel that the ace wrap dressing helps
to prevent superior displacement of the breast implants. This can occur with spasm of the pectoralis
muscles and result in loss of the inferior breast pocket expansion. When superior displacement of implants
occurs, a bra strap may be indicated.

The
vast majority of patients are switched to a sports bra one week after
surgery. They wear this bra for about 6
weeks and in most cases are able to switch to an underwire bra at that time.

It’s
important to realize that every patient’s situation is unique. For this reason, the management of
compression garments needs to be individualized.

Always best to follow your Plastic Surgeons protocol.  Each of us may have a different technique.  Further, your individual tissues may have necessitated a different dissection or protocol.  In our office, we like the patients to wear the sports bra for some time, even at night.  Call your Plastic Surgeon and ask.  They want you to have a good result, so they want you to wear the right thing for your recovery.

Follow your surgeon's instructions regarding post-augmentation bras.

Your surgeon is familiar with your specific issues and should give you the advice which should lead to the optimum outcome.  He/She has a vested interest in helping you achieve the best possible outcome.

Each surgeon may have different post-augmentation preferences that work for their patients.

As others have stated, you should follow your plastic surgeon's postoperative protocol closely.  Ask him or her any questions you may have in that protocol.  For my patients, I will usually recommend a bra without an underwire for the first 6 weeks after surgery.  Many patients will use sports bras because they are comfortable and supportive.

After breast augmentation surgery, no matter what type of breast implant or size, you should be comfortable. Sports bras are nice because they provide some support and are soft without an underwire, but really for the first 3 weeks I leave it up to what ever the patient feels comfortable. Most like the support of a bra and until the implants settle and the incisions are healed a regular bra may be difficult. Bands make no difference, and are usually not effective. Implant position is dictated on the operative pocket dissection and the implant size.

I hope this helps.

To be honest, there are many different post-operative protocols that we all follow.  But the most important thing is that they work for us.  As such, I would agree completely with the other comments in that you really need to follow the advice of your treating Plastic Surgeon. 

I too have a pretty standard protocol following surgery but will often vary it depending upon the patient and how they are healing.  

I hope that helps!

After breast augmentation, the chest wall needs to rest for a few weeks until healing is sufficiently in progress.  Sports bras probably will not effect any final outcome but the support they give usually gives the patient some comfort.  Therefore, most women choose to use a bra for a few weeks.

There are a variety of reasons for why some surgeons use a compression bra after surgery that may have an effect on the final result while other surgeons do not feel they are necessary. From your description it is difficult to know which is the case. In most instances, they are not necessary but provide great relief while exercising or during activity. Consult with your surgeon regarding the need for the bra in your unique instance.