After Surgery - Tender/Sensitive Breasts
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Buying a well fitting bra is time consuming. Buying a well fitting bra after a mastectomy makes the chore more difficult. Suddenly you will need to know terms like drains, post surgical camisoles, breast forms and surgical bras (or mastectomy bras). There are trained fitters that can help. Definitions: Drain: A surgical drain is inserted into your chest cavity to allow fluid to escape from your surgery site. You usually have a drain for a week or so. Camisole: A tee shirt like garment. Breast form: A weighted silicone form that is shaped like a breast to help even your chest. This may not seem important, but it truly is. Breast tissue is heavy and large breasted women can have difficulty with balance after a mastectomy. A mastectomy bra is a bra that has a pocket, which allows you to slide a breast form into a bra thus holding the form in place. |
_The last thing you want after breast surgery, whether for cancer,
breast reduction, or breast enhancement, is to wear an under-wire bra.
Looking good makes you feel better. The proper breast form and bra will make you look good and feel better. Recovery from breast surgery is helped when you are comfortable and have a feeling of normalcy. Directly after surgery comfort and normalcy can be accomplished with special undergarments. There are camisoles that are delightfully soft and stretchy. Some are infused with aloe and vitamin E to help with healing. These camisoles are designed to lie comfortably over your surgery site. Some of these camisoles have drain pockets, so you can begin wearing them immediately after surgery. Some are stretchy enough to allow you to step into them if you can’t raise your arms. Postoperative surgical camisoles come with a puff that will fill out your bosom until you are ready for a heavier, more permanent solution. Also available are front opening, soft bras that are easy to slip on. Camisoles gradually transition you into regular style bras. Many insurance companies will cover the purchase of postoperative camisoles, breast forms, and surgical bras. Many doctors don’t know about camisoles and that insurance companies pay for them. After you are healed you will want to ease back into regular bras. Mastectomy bras are available through a variety of department stores, boutiques, and online. If you have had a mastectomy you will need to consider your options in acquiring a breast form. One option, a self-sticking form, adheres to your chest wall. You can wear your favorite bra with this kind of form. There are boutiques where trained professional can personally fit you. There are department stores that employ trained fitters as well. But a good solution is to buy online and try on your new bras in the comfort of your own home. All online merchants advertised here will take returns if you are not happy with the fit. |
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