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Do I still need to wear a bra after breast surgery?

Breast Reduction / Breast Augmentation / Breast Lift / Surgical Tips

7 Sep 2019

Do I still need to wear a bra after breast surgery?

You have invested your time and money into breast augmentation, reduction or a lift. So now you are wondering “do I still need to wear a bra?”, “do my weight changes matter?” and “what happens if I get pregnant?”

In this article I answer these questions, along with provide other tips to make sure you maintain your new look for the long term.


Follow your post-operative instructions, including easing back into exercise

This is fundamental to ensuring your body recovers well, but also that your results are fantastic. Women compromise their results when they don’t follow their instructions or rush back to their exercise regimes too early before the wounds have healed (or in the case of implants, the capsule around the implant has developed which helps to keep it in place).


Why you still need to wear a bra after breast augmentation, reduction or lift

One of the benefits our patients describe after breast surgery is the feeling they can go braless once your recovery phase is over, which is fine for special events or while sleeping.


But all breasts, regardless of surgery, will be subject to the forces of gravity, and obviously having an augmentation will increase the effects of gravity. So you want to limit that impact on your new breasts!


Once you have been cleared by our nurse to stop wearing your soft post-op bra (for most women this is at the 6 week mark), it is time to get fitted for new lingerie. Many of our patients visit Bras n Things in Charlestown as it is across the road and they are experienced in fitting women post surgery. But any good lingerie store should be able to help.

You should still be wearing a bra everyday (even if it is a pretty one) and a really supportive bra for exercise, especially with implants. Save the braless look for those special nights out!

Regular breast self-examinations and mammograms

All women should be doing monthly self-examinations of their breasts and mammograms/ultrasounds regularly after the age of 40. Information about mammograms with implants is available here and you must make sure the radiographer is aware you have implants before the procedure.


Avoid large weight fluctuations

When your weight shifts significantly, it can cause the breast tissue to sag and the skin to lose elasticity. After breast surgery, try to maintain a steady weight within 5 kgs of your pre-surgery weight if you want to preserve the outcome.


Avoid pregnancy within the first 12 months

We see many women before babies or even between pregnancy. But I strongly discourage breast surgery if pregnancy is possible within 12 months.

Falling pregnant soon after surgery will take a toll on your breasts, as the healing phase won’t be completed. Added to that is that pregnancy can cause significant weight gain, along with increase in breast size, which also changes the appearance of your breasts.

And of course, even if you have babies a few years down the track, expect your breasts will change, just as they do for many women, again regardless of surgery. For some women this will be minimal, but others may want to restore them to their pre-pregnancy shape with a lift or revision of implants.

We hope this helps you understand some of the keys to maintaining your breast surgery results well into the years ahead!


Call us on 4920 7700 to make an appointment or use the contact form below.

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Blog Author:

Dr Nicholas Moncrieff, Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon

About Dr Moncrieff

Dr Moncrieff focuses exclusively on breast reductions, breast lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks and body lifts.

He is one of only a handful of Plastic Surgeons across Australia with this sole breast and body focus.

Dr Moncrieff has performed thousands of surgical procedures over more than two decades in medicine. Over 20,000 of these procedures have been in Newcastle.

More information about Dr Moncrieff is available here.

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