Should I Wear Surgical Bra After Breast Augmentation?

Thank you for your question. There is no consensus on the use of surgical bras after a breast augmentation. Some surgeons place every woman in a surgical bra, while others never use them. While every surgeon has reasons to believe that their choice is the right one, there has never been a definitive study that demonstrates if a bra is beneficial.

Personally, I place my patients in a light bra after the surgery to support the breasts. It seems to me that gentle support of the breasts would be more comfortable in the early recovery phase.

If you have concerns, I would ask your surgeon. He/She should be able to discuss their rational.

Best of luck with your breasts.

Jeff Rockmore

I prefer that the patients not wear a bra for one month after breast augmentation.  this allows the implant to settle naturally into position.  A bra will not help position the breast implant.

I typically advise my patients to wear a supportive bra that opens in the front. However, you should discuss this with your surgeon. He or she may have their own reasons for not wanting a post op bra in place that can depend on their techniques and practice. Best of luck with your surgery!

Surgeons have different techniques and each surgeon's technique will tell you about their post-operative regimen. My technique has led me to be successful with advising my patients to wear a surgical bra for 6 weeks then carry on with a bra with a wire after that time. This has been successful for my patients. If your surgeon suggests wearing a loose shirt then it sounds like his technique has led him to advise reducing your support in order to let the implant descend a bit faster. Whichever approach your doctor advises you, I encourage you to ask him/her why!

I recommend a front-close sports bra since you may have some discomfort lifting your arms above your head, but individual surgeons have their own preferences for post-operative clothing. Neither recommendation is good or bad, but if you’re having a breast augmentation without a lift, a supportive bra can help with discomfort more than anything. I typically do not recommend compression bras.

I recommend my patients o use surgical bra after breast augmentation. It helps implants to settle down and helps with swellings. The implants are placed under the muscle , i use a band in addition for the first 4 weeks to keep the implant in position and prevent it from riding high. The surgical bra should be worn all the time for first 6 weeks and lit of my patients sleep in sports bra even after that. Please discuss with your Consultant about any rationale for any different advice on surgical bras.