You’ve got breast surgery coming up, and you’re told to get a compression bra. You’re shopping the marketplace, and sure, there are a million choices of sports bras that seem to do the trick. They may offer a racerback style so you don’t have to mess with falling straps. You’ll want that. Or a front closure so it’s easy to get off and on. Absolutely. And many will feature soft fabric for comfort. Fantastic. You’re on the right track.
But what you may not realize is that you—or your caretaker—will initially be managing drains. If you haven’t thought about that, it’s a pretty gross aspect of surgery. Fluids draining from your body that are not pleasant. Without some sort of drain management, you’re going to make recovery a little harder than it needs to be. And while medical professionals are used to seeing and handling these fluids, you probably are not. So, while a sports bra without drain management may not faze them, you will want a bra that offers more than compression. Read on for important recommendations when it comes to compression bras after surgery.
Get a Post-Surgical Bra That Manages Drains Effectively
We’ll put it simply, drains are a pain. And there are many “options” for managing them, but if you want simple but effective, you’re going to want to review this list for what not to use:
- Pins? No! These can easily prick your skin, making them a safety hazard and hard to manage.
- Lanyards? No. These dangle, disconnected from your bra, making them hard to manage.
- Loops? No. They swing and easily tangle on clothes and you will not want to mess with untangling the bulbs.
- Pockets? No. You can’t see how full the bulbs are, which is a big part of the management.
What do you want in drain management? Tabs that allow bulbs to hang close to the body so that you can see so that you know when they need to be changed. You want them to be secure yet easy to change.
Get a Post-Surgery Bra with Fabric That’s Comfortable and Cooling
Sure, cotton is soft, but you and your skin might run warm in recovery. You want breathable, sweat-wicking fabric, so you’ll want to know that the blend is soft, strong and supportive, while easy-to-dry.
Post-surgical compression needs to be just right, not quite the stiffness of some sports bras but enough to hold you in place for comfort and support.
Get a Surgical Bra with Pockets and Puffs
Did you know that your bra for surgery may be covered by insurance? That’s right. If approved, breast surgery patients should be eligible for two to three post-surgical bras covered in their lifetime. One to wash, one to wear, as they recover. These pockets can be used for ice packs, inserts or puffs. While many times you have to buy puffs separately, our Larissa and Serena bras are pocketed and come with a set of puffs, a microfiber-stuffed “pillow” with an opening so, after a mastectomy or any type of breast surgery, the wearer can take out some filling or add it, to create the shape you want. The puffs themselves are created by size to fit each mastectomy bra.
Get a Post-Op Bra with a Wide, Flat Band
While sports bras are designed for support and style, they are likely to focus on the look for fashion rather than function. A wide, flat band may not be what you want to go running in, but you’re certainly going to want it after surgery when you do not want the band rolling up or twisting. While post-surgical bras can seem to be “a lot of bra,” this is intentional. They serve a very specific purpose: providing comfort and support in that window after breast surgery when you need your bra to work for you in just the right ways.
Get a Surgery Bra with Adjustability
You’re an individual and one who is about to experience surgery. You want to be able to customize the fit of your bra—straps and closure—to your body. This is a major part of comfort after surgery. You’re going to deal with a changing body, from swelling to sensitivity, with days where you’re going to want to be change up the fit of the bra. Adjustability in the straps allows you to bring your compression bra to the right level of lift and a closure that allows you to tighten or loosen as necessary is essential.
Get a Post-Surgical Bra with FSA or HSA Money
The best bra for after surgery is one that can be covered by insurance. It’s also a great opportunity to use your FSA or HSA accounts. You won’t want to skimp on the features, but you do want to find and buy one that’s approved for use of these funds.
Get Your Larissa or Serena Post-Surgical Bras Before Surgery
Our surgical bras have been carefully designed to the last detail for a woman’s needs for comfort, support and convenience. Everything we recommended above has been considered and perfected with the feedback from patients, nurses and surgeons. The Larissa Bra is ideal for surgeries with drains and the Serena Bra is the perfect bra after drains are removed or for surgeries not requiring drains. Make sure to use our sizing chart to find the right size. Looking to buy for someone else? Give an eGift card to easily let them choose and order the surgery bra style that works best for their needs.
Get a Post-Surgical Bra with Customer Support
Do you have questions? We’ll answer them and help you in any way possible to find the right bra at heartandcore.com. Email us at info@heartandcore.com today. We're here to support you!