Underwire Bras after Breast Surgery

 Breast surgery in my practice varies greatly from augmentations, to reductions, to lifts and reconstructions, as well as a combination of all of these.  All of my surgery patients are seen at least twice in consultation before surgery, to insure that they fully understand everything that will be taking place preoperatively, operatively and postoperatively, and to insure compliance with instructions.    My philosophy  is that a patient who has a global understanding of what is taking place, is one who will be more compliant and is more apt to heal without complications.   

I recommend not wearing an  underwire bra after surgery.  I am not a big fan of underwire bras following breast surgery for the first 6 months.  Whatever the breast surgery, the inframammary fold is affected, and  there are incisions that may be  at the bottom of the breast, which can be irritated by the wire and delay healing. 

Even though  I have instructed patients not to wear an underwire bra immediately after surgery, some patients have ignored this and then complain of the wire hurting their breasts, unlike before the surgery.   I suspect that this is because there is inflammation in this area which then  causes discomfort due to the wire.

Thus,  I advise all of my breast  patients to wear either jogging/athletic bras or support bras which  do not have wires.  Stay comfortable, follow instructions and     do no harm  to your recovering breasts.