Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Lala- sounds as if you either have some swelling on the implant side OR that because the implant is wider than your native breast, the cup is too small. Do you feel the implant is positioned correctly and hasn't migrated laterally? Perhaps you need to step away from underwires for a few weeks and see if that side settles down a bit. The redness is fine - I have that even now sometimes - but the wire poking isn't good. When you ARE ready, you may need to find an underwire bra with higher sides, which should eliminate the poking issue.
As for scars, I personally used nothing - at the recommendation of my PS - and my scars healed nice and flat and have faded beautifully, even the left side that was used three times, since I had a revision. I have heard great things about silicone strips on these boards, though, so certainly worth a try! Watch out for things like Bio-Oil (and maybe even Palmer's Cocoa Butter which isn't 100%cocoa butter) that contain Vitamin E oil. In some people, it can act as a steroid and actually toughen the scars. My PS told me that, and I found an article in a dermatology journal supporting that, though cant find it now.0 -
The nice thing about the C-Section silicone strips is that they are 7" long so no patching necessary for long incisions. They can be cut in half width-wise if you can get away with a 3/4" wide strip. The long strips are a little more unruly to wash, however, as the sticky side likes to stick to itself
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Val61---Interesting you mention finding bras with higher sides. I naturally assumed higher sides would mean MORE poking so I've been hunting the ones with lower sides! Guess I should change my thinking! I'll give that a try but in the meantime I'm going to pull back on the bra hunt as I may just still have some residual swelling which I would think would be gone in the next few weeks. It does seem to be getting a bit better most days.
I also didn't know about the Vitamin E in the Palmers. May have to give that up as well....
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Lala,
I still had swelling at two months post exchange.
It also took some time to find a bra that was good for me. The first one I got was not right, but I wore it thinkingbit must be the best I could do because the fitter thought it was great and it cst a lot. (Roll eyes here. Live and learn.) Now my favorite one I can wear all day and it does not leave marks. The wires in the center are lower and that made a huge difference. The sides may be higher. It just takes some trying. I bet it ups the challenge even more when you have one implant versus a native. (Now there's a catchy movie title....) The wire should gently surround the implant...it should not be pressing on it anywhere. Try a bigger cup and see what you think. You may need to go up in cup, which may require you to go down in band size. But try different styles too. Lots of them. And give yourself some time. I was still having pain at my "anchor points" at two months out and with some bras the wire seemed to press on the sore nerves. That is gettng better.0 -
Lala -- I also will add (and I too am a uni) -- that I wore wire free bras for the first several months post exchange (my PS said she didn't want me wearing underwires but she also said this edict was "not forever" and so after like 8 months of wirefree I decided I had reached the point of "not forever" and I've been fine wearing underwires ever since). As a result of wearing wire free for several months I will say that I never had this issue... it might be worth trying a wire free bra (Wacoal Awareness is one of the most popular) to see if you are more comfy... and save the underwires for special occasions for a little longer.
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I stopped at Nordstroms Rack last week. spur if the moment. found a le mystere bra -dream luxe- which I wore for the 1st time today. love it!!!! but it looks like it may be discontinued. so disappointed. I'm going to try and get back there and see if there are anymore left.
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I have tried on a ton of bras as well. I was lucky-during my TE phase I found a platex bra that is the most comfortable bra ever. It is seamless and woven with support on the sides so that when you move the bra stretches so it only moves in one area doesn't irritate the rest of the skin. I am a unilateral and it had enough support to hold the falsies during TE stage. Here is the info from the platex web site
http://www.playtexfits.com/bras/styles/P844/
SIMPLY SIZED WIRELESS
Style P844
Simplified Sizing System
Seamless Construction
Stretch fabric flexes to fit
Targeted Knit-in Zones provide support just where you need it
Colors available
They are available at Target and Walmart0 -
I bought a Warner Elements of Bliss wirefree yesterday and have to say this might be the one! It's mostly comfortable under the arms which is where my problem was. It's not as stretchy over the breasts so I get some odd sensations but nothing too bad. I'm going to try weaning myself into it as opposed to just putting it on and going a whole day. This might make it more comfortable for me. I also found an underwire at Target that is ok because I went up a cup size as you suggested Dulcigirl. I'm not totally sold on it because the wires may actually come up too high under the arms but I'll try it and see. I think I'm going to stay away from underwires for at least another month though. I keep reading about underwire bras actually shifting implants and I sure don't want that to happen!!
And Lilah, I'll try to find the Wacoal Awareness. For some reason, the Wacoals I've found so far are the one brand of bra that won't fit my foob. When it fits my native boob, the foob doesn't fill their cups to the tip unlike most others, but I'll try this one out.
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Lala - the Elements of Bliss is the other very popular wire free! No worries. Some brands work, some don't. Glad you are finding more comfort!
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so jockey is coming out with 3d bra sizing fitting to address volume vs just math measurements..interesting!!
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Jen, HI!
IF you are getting nipple surgery, you WILL have your scars reopened again...at least I will...which is COOL cuz then the nipple & eventual areola tattoo will take up MUCH of the middle of boob scar area/line, giving you much less of a scar line when finished
! PLUS, my PS can do some revisions IF I need any at that time...flatten edges of scars, ripples--IF they come up... etc...;)I have TONS to share about BRAS...;) Hopefully some time this weekend I'll post on that...:)
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There is a helpful thread on scars here:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/756050?page=12#idx_358
I used the silicone strips and they helped my scars.
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TinaT - Glad you had a good experience at another Nordies!
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Can I wear a push-up bra on occasion with implants? Not daily or anything, but just on occasion when I want some cleavage? Don't want to do damage, but after the hell...it would be nice to show them off once in a while.
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Christid- no reason no to......in fact, some PS's recommend them to help position the implants early on. Enjoy those new girls!
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Haven't bought any new bras so far this year, so it was time.
Figleaves consistently has bras with cheaper prices. You're ordering from the UK so it takes a bit longer to get here but they are cheaper. I've wanted "Morning Meadow" for a while and finally jumped because they were running low on my sizes. Check them out if you haven't:
Hit the 'outlet' tab on the far right to find the best prices:
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Oh that Morning Meadow is so pretty, Dawn!
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From what I've been reading on here it seems that most people prefer the bras that you find online like at Herroom.com and such. Anyone find any pretty bras to wear after a mx that you can buy in a regular store? And not necessarily Nordstroms cause there aren't many around but somewhere like Dillards, Belks or even Target? Is there a reason that the Freyas and such are so strongly recommended?
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Lala - for whatever reason I've had great luck finding my size in lots of styles at Bloomingdale's... now I wear a 36DD which is a pretty average size. I think the gals who order on line are either very tiny or very large and have trouble finding a good selection IN STOCK in their size. It really depends on your size. Kinda like shoes
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Lala, I found a bunch of cute ones at JC Penney. Sizes varied depending on style, mostly 38DD (a lot on sale and clearance. For me, I don't care if they're last season's styles, but got a lot of pretty colors). Need to figure out how to upload....
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Lala,
I would love to keep getting bras at Target/Kohls like I've done for years. My new size is not available anywhere but places like Nordstrom's, Carsons, online,...I have had a couple of miraculous ebay finds too. (Not used.). The bras are lovely and very well made, but it's one of the post-BMX things that bums me out if I let it.
The main thing is that it IS a very good idea to have someone who knows how to fit post-mastectomy girls measure and fit you. It's a different fit than before...a few challenges. It helps to have some expert advice.0 -
lala - Lilah and Dulcigirl are absolutely correct.
Like most women, I was wearing the wrong size of bra before BC. I have a 28 1/2 inch rib cage and I was wearing a 32 band. Way big. I also had pain issues after my surgeries and the only way I found relief was wearing a 30 band. After being fitted by a couple of certified MX fitters ... both of them fit me in a 30D bra. I've seen that size a few times at my local Dillards but never at Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart, etc,. Nordstrom doesn't carry Freya bras in my size. After experimenting (A LOT) Freya was the brand that alleviated my pain the most, and fit me the best. We're all different and you have to find what style/fit/brand works best for you.
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Lilah - thank you. Have you tried Lyla yet?
She's on sale now too:http://www.herroom.com/freya-aa4301-lyla-underwire-plunge-balcony-bra.shtml
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Also, one more thought:
One of the joys of this thread is finding out and discovering what works for other people. I had no idea before BC what was out there in terms of lingerie. I had two bras and that was it. When I came here for the first time I was blown away at what was out there in terms of supportive bras. And I was desperate to find something that would help the pain. The ladies here offered advice and help. And that's what we're here for ... to share what we've learned, what works for us ... and as you share too we all learn together.
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One other thing that I read (somewhere...can't remember where!) that helps explain the whole European bra addiction, lol, is that European bras tend to be wider, yet shallower in the cup area. That works out pretty great for an implant reconstructed breast with no nipple/areola.
Dawne-Hope...I envy that Lyla!! So far I haven't tried a Freya that fit me. Bummer!!! They are so beautiful. So far my trial and error has landed on the Wacoal La Femme...helps with the pain as you said, and the fit for me is perfection. I'm hoping they will add more colors.0 -
lala I work at Soma intimates and they have a lot of bras that fit me really well. I especially like the vanishing back bra cause the sides are really wide and dont pinch. I also like the ravishing plunge push up to give me extra upper pole.
dulcigirl another good thing for implants sometimes is a minimizer. They usually have wider wires.
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Dawnehope LOL you are so bad, so bad -- no haven't tried Lyla yet! I have a bunch of bras right now that are keeping me happy... so have been saving my pennies
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Carrol2--I actually went to Soma not long after my exchange surgery and bought a couple of bras that fit really nicely only to find out that I couldn't stand to wear them for more than an hour or so due to pain under my arm where the underwire sits. That's how it's been with the 50 or so underwire bras that I've bought and returned! I'm having my first go at myofascial release therapy next week and I'm hoping she can help with the lingering iron bra feeling and I will be in cute bras in no time! I do have a question....why is the minimizer a good option? I don't understand what you mean by wider wires and how that helps. I'm wondering if this is something I should try. I'm headed north for the summer and have a Soma store close by so I'm hoping they can work magic and find me a bra that looks nicer than the mastectomy bras I currently wear as well as one I can actually wear for a whole day!! Fingers crossed!
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lala physical therapy by someoen who understands dealing with breast reconstrucion can really help with that it's pretty amazing. I got great relief from it when I had my TEs and got capsular contraction. The minimizer wires are wider so the breast is distributed more horizontally and less projection thus the minimizing affect but, implants after reconstrucion are usually wider than natural or augmented breasts so sometimes this is a really good option and can be very comfortable.
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Dawne - I am wearing my Morning Meadow right now. I really like it. I also have the Untamed and Just Flew In - all Freya's. I really like them. Found another Untamed at Nordstrom Rack for $25.00 and the only one they had was my size so of course I had to have it to have 2. I love purple.
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