Underwire bra after BL

I'm curious about when most BL/BA patients started to wear their underwire bras after their procedure?  I thought that I read on here that it was suggested that a patient wait at least 6 to 12 months.  I'm asking because I am 5 weeks post-op today for a BL, and was told that it was ok to start wearing my underwires now if I wanted to.  I've been wearing the "sport" type bras since my surgery.  I have a ton of beautiful underwires and can't wait to start wearing them again, however I definitely don't want to jump the gun if it will cause me problems in the long term.  :)

I'd like to hear from others in regards to this topic, including any plastic surgeons that post to keep us informed.

Many thanks to all for your input!

God bless,
Rose

I had a ba/bl on 6/25 and I'm wearing underwires for work.  I had this discussion with my PS and his only requirement that it not be too tight.  I went out and bought cheaper, larger underwires for the interim before I can start wearing regular bras.  

Wearing anything too tight, will prolong the dropping process which can take up to 3 months.  I try and limit my regular bra wear to when I absolutely have to wear a bra.  There are some outfits for work where I can actually go braless (LOVE that and I'm roughly a D cup now - love the perk!)  At the hotel or around the house I'm wearking a camisol with a shelf bra, nothing or a work out tank that holds the breasts steady while I walk on the treadmill.

Wow Lisa - that's great!  I don't go bra-less for now because I seem to have a lot of 'sensitivity' without support - and especially when I go for my cardio walk.  Whoa!!!  I even wear a bra (sport-type) to bed.  I've noticed that I'm starting to drop but I'm still pretty high right now.  My right breast started to settle quicker than the left one.  Of course, on the left side is where my pacemaker device is also, so that may make a difference. 

I went from a 40/42 DDD (prior to wls) to a saggy 38/36 DD (rolling the tube breast up), to a now wonderful 34/36 C/D cup.  I think that I will know better what my size is when I get to that 3 month mark - which is about 5 weeks from now.

I am very, very happy with my looks and size - and yes - absoutely the perkiness!  BTW, how long did it take for your scars to smooth and flatten out?  What did you use as far as scar preparations?

Thanks for answering and the great advice!  :o)

The only thing I wear at night is an ace wrap that I wrap above the breasts in the front and down lower in the back.  My PS wants me to do this as it will help them drop.  There's another breast aug site that I've visited and from what I understand, this is a common protocol.

I love my breast size now.  Overall, it's just really interesting to see the looks I get from men now versus when I weighed 349 lbs.  Last week, I left my hotel room to work out in the fitness center and didn't think about what I had on until I walked past the mirror on the closet door - I had on form fitting bike shorts and a form fitting tank top... totally showed my curves and I felt extremely confident.

The scars around my nipples have always been smooth.  The ones under the breasts have been just little ridges and are almost completely gone now. 

I either use a silicon based scar cream, bio oil or cocoa butter - whichever I have with me at the time.  I forget sometimes to put anything on them.  It was easier to remember to put the cream on the scars when I was not working.  

Feeling confident these days is truly a real 'high'! :)  I do use the scar seriums and also the strips.  I also use the cocoa butter as well.  My right side has always been smoother than the left, but again I think that more work had to go into the left side due to the pacemaker.  Around the nipple area was a little more ridged - although it is smoothing out nicely now.  The right one is perfect and hardly looks like I had anything done to it.  BTW, I didn't have any implants inserted.  I had a lot of my own breast tissue, and with the pacemaker, my cardiologist wasn't feeling real good about that.  Since my breast size is perfect for my body structure and size, it worked out that I didn't need to have anything added. 

Well girl, you take care and enjoy it all!!!  :)

Blessings!

Ladies i'm really getting inspired by reading yal's post! My BR/BL is Sept. 15th. When he took pics of my breasts he said my right is larger than my left but after surgery they'll be equal...hmmm THAT i want to see. I'm a 36DD now, after he takes ALL THAT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD requires him to take i MIGHT be a B cup...i've NEVER HAD SMALL BREASTS IN MY LIFE!! I'm super excited. I pray the healing process is quick. I hope i'm not out of work no more than 4 weeks. I'm having my left ovary removed also....so we'll see. Like i said before i'm just exited bout him using the side fat around my breast...that means no more meat hangin out my bras!!

That awesome!  I can feel your excitement because when I got the news that I was approved, I was shouting and giggling and almost in tears about it.  And yes, they will both be the same size when he's done.  I went from a size 36 DD to a perfect 34/36 D.  When I look in the mirror, I'm lined up so nicely now.  My clothes feel and look wonderful on me.  Your surgeon is probably dropping your breast size to be perfectly porportionate with your body size.  That would be my guess. 

I do have a question for you.  Where is your surgeon going to use the removed side fat?  Through my surgeon's technique, he just removed most of mine.  I still have quite  a bit of swelling still, so it still looks "puffy" in that area right now.  He said that it will settle down and shrink in.  He will tweek whatever is left over in his office procedure room.

Stay excited girl.  Also, I wouldn't think you would need more than 4 weeks off, and that would be due more to the partial hysterectomy procedure being done at the same time.  I was off only 2 weeks for my BL and brachio revision.  When I had my total hysterectomy 16 years ago, I was off work for 6 weeks.  Of course today, recovery time is much faster.  :)

i'm sorry i was typing so fast with excitement..he's not USING the side fat he's removing it!! LOL Sure wish i could have gottten approved for the tt so i wouldnt have that apron hanging down..but oh well. He said he coudlnt do a mini on me, so thats out the question, and he said with a tt i wouldnt have a belly button, mainly because i have a mesh and it would cause problems with circulation. So, I'll just take what i can get....

Ok - got 'cha! :)  Sometimes the surgeon's actually DO use the removed fat tissue, so it wasn't a comment that didn't make sense.

Don't worry about the tt.  When the timing is right, it will happen.  I think I mentioned that I was only approved for a panniculectomy - no tightening of the muscles.  I had a lot of lower sking removed.  The surgeon (ps certified cosmetic) did a great job.  If my abdominal muscles were tighter, it would look like a had a surgical tt.  My incision line across my lower abdomin is beautiful and since it's been about 3 years ago, it's virtually invisible.  When I put on my spanx, which tightens my thighs and little muffin top, my clothes look so good - if I may say so myself.  LOL.

Ok...another question for nosey here.  Now why couldn't they have gotten a panniculectomy approved with the breast reduction?  Have you not had any problems with irritations or rashes under the skin?  I had problems which is why I was approved.  And since you're having the partial hys done, seems like it would have been a wrap to catch it all at the same time.  Just wondering out loud, and please forgive me if I'm being too nosey and don't feel bad about telling me to mind my own business.  Lol...

He didnt even mention a panni. He did say i wouldnt get approved for a tt cause i hadn't complained in the past about rashes, or irritations. Had to be at least a year of complaints and i should have tried at lease a few things before tt to rectify the problem. So once i said i had no complaints he didnt even bother with anything else. I guess i should have told a fib... LOL