• When can I sleep without a bra after a breast lift?

I am a 24-year-old female. I want to know when can I sleep without a bra after a breast lift?

7 Answers

  • Plastic Surgeon
  • Bloomfield, CT

3 weeks

  • Plastic Surgeon
  • ROCKVILLE, MD

A week

  • Plastic Surgeon
  • Poughkeepsie, NY

Anywhere between 3 weeks and 4 weeks

  • Plastic Surgeon
  • New York, NY

Hi, this is a question for your surgeon, whom would provide you with post operative instructions, SPECIFIC to the type of surgery performed. Best wishes!

  • Plastic Surgeon
  • Sarasota, FL

Typically 2 weeks is sufficient, depending on your comfort.

  • Plastic Surgeon
  • Woodbury, NY

Generally I advise my patients to use support bras day and night for three months postoperative period.

  • Plastic Surgeon | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Marietta, GA

Great question. The answer depends on the extent of the lift you’re getting as well as plastic surgeon preference. For a mild to moderate lift involving more skin tightening than removal of breast tissue (which is more accurately a breast reduction), I would say 4 weeks at a bare minimum but it may be as far out as 8-12 weeks. In my own practice, I have patients use silicone scar gel at approximately 3 weeks. I counsel my patients that if their incisions are ready for scar therapy, then they’re usually ready to transition away from a surgical bra to a regular underwire bra. If at 4 weeks one’s scars are completely sealed and there are no significant open areas, I allow patients to be out of a bra at night for comfort, but this is more exception than the rule. Scars reach 50% integrity by 6 weeks post-op and plateau at 80% over time, and will never be the strength the uninjured skin was preoperatively. Also, a support bra is meant to help preserve the uplifted bra shape as the tissues heal and scar into a stable position. The longer you can keep up with continuous bra wear, the better your result will hold up over the long term. Seek out a Board Certified plastic surgeon who handles a lot of patients with cosmetic breast needs to work with you in determining a safe point at which you can be a “free spirit,” bra free. Be prepared to remain in a bra (except when showering) for several weeks, possibly even a few months, before your surgeon allows you to ditch a bra or sleep on your belly.

Nirav B. Patel, MD, JD, FCLM

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