Post Surgical Front Closure Bras

A great post surgical bra can make all the difference with your recovery.
Finding your best post surgery front closure bra needs to result in a right balance of comfort, support and enabling the perfect conditions for the recovery process.

Tips to choosing a front closure post surgical bra...

Avoid Underwire.

Underwire will create a localised pressure around the exact zones that require healing. This will slow down the repair work or incision wounds. Plus it will lead to general discomfort in an already uncomfortable period.

Choose a style with minimal internal seams.

Just like with underwire, seams can cause a localised pressure which in turn will reduce the healing rate. Additionally seams can cause general irritation against sensitive post surgical sites.

Find a style that offers some breast separation.

This will help to create a secure pocket for each breast, creating a more comfortable condition for each breast.

Ensure adjustability.

Due to fluctuations in swelling and the general difficulty of predicting an exact size post surgery it’s best to have a bra with multiple adjustment points. This will lead to the most comfortable outcome, but also the best support conditions too as you can easily adjust the size as you need to.

Comfort is key.

Don’t try to sacrifice comfort for support because any discomfort caused by a bra will most certainly become exaggerated when dealing with the rest of the discomfort you may otherwise be experiencing.

Soft elastic materials are best.

Having too much rigidity in the fabrics may cause areas of localised pressure during the healing process. Rather choose a high quality garment that will offer some give but not stretch too quickly resulting in a loss of support. When we review bras this is one of the most important features we look for, as it can take a trained professional to point out the “best” material options.

Front closure post Mastectomy surgery bras

What’s critically important to consider for a post mastectomy bra is the firmness around the underarm area. The bra cannot be fitted to firmly here as the swelling will almost certainly build up in this area after surgery. This is a key reason to also ensure there is great adjustability in your bra as the straps will need to be loosened during periods of extreme swelling.

If you’ve undergone radiotherapy the skin across your chest area may feel extra sensitive so the most imperative thing to focus on during this time is comfort. Avoid anything that is overly restrictive and that is hard to put on by yourself.

Depending on your surgery type you may receive a short term prothesis to wear just after surgery and before a permanent prosthesis is prescribed. These will fit in to a lot of post surgical front closure bras, or can be sewed or fixed in with tape.

Front Closure bras for after Breast Reduction surgery

Wearing a post surgical bra after breast reduction surgery will not only help with comfort, but also work to aid in recovery. Bras that offer gentle diffuse compression with no irritating internal seams will provide the ideal conditions for wound healing and swelling management.

A front closure bra after surgery also makes it easy to get in and out of the garment during a time of great tenderness.

👉🏽 Read our ‘5 best bras for after breast reduction surgery’ blog

Front Closure bras for after Breast Augmentation

For post Augmentation surgery it’s best to find high coverage bras that will help to stabilise the position of the implant as it “drops” and helps it to bind to breast tissue during the recovery period.

Getting specific advice from your surgeon is a must as I definitely find surgeons opinions vary greatly on what the best protocol is post surgery. But generally speaking I find surgeons most commonly recommend high coverage bras with a diffuse compression that works to hold the implant in place securely.

Front Closure bras for after Shoulder Surgery

When it comes to choosing a bra for after shoulder surgery you need to consider where your wound sites will be and whether these need to be offloaded. I have come across some surgeries that require patients have a one shoulder bra so that the wound sites do not have any pressure during the healing phase.

Most commonly the biggest issue for women post shoulder surgery is that their range of motion is reduced and they are unable to put on a traditional bra. For this we generally then recommend front opening or front closure bras. A favourite for this is the Enell Lite bra.

For most shoulder surgeries wide soft straps without clasps (like the Enell Lite bra) are enough to ensure the pressure is distributed broadly over the shoulder, to reduce any excessive pressure on wound sites. I encourage you to check with your surgeon whether your surgery falls in to this category. Or whether you’ll need to wear a one shoulder bra.