Bras For Post Surgery Post Mastectomy & Lymphedema

For many women who have had breast cancer or a breast reduction, a mastectomy/ Lumpectomy or mastectomy with reconstruction they are advised to get a post surgery bra and quite a lot of women don’t know where to start looking or what type of post surgery or post mastectomy bra is suitable to their post surgery, this is where I and the team at Nicolajane.com come in.

trying to filter through the vast amount of styles available is difficult as there are a number of factors to take in, for example how will you know if you need light support, medium support or firm support? all of these will depend on which surgery you had done, were there many lymph-nodes removed, will there be lymphedema present, your frame size and other remaining breast size will also play a part in deciding the correct post surgery bra, if having reconstruction will also play a part in choosing the right style and size.

As a Fashion Designer & Stylist for over 32 years and now a specialist post surgery bra and prostheses fitter I am aware of the types of bras most patients need based on the type of surgery they are having or have had.

I Understand it can be confusing and ordering online without being assessed and measured can lead to you ordering the wrong type of post surgery bra which you end up having to send back. but talking with the right people who can advise you on how to measure is very beneficial especially if you are house bound.

Getting fitted prior to surgery is advisable as I can then assess and measure and advise on what type of bra will suit you for the surgery you will be having, you could be having a lumpectomy or full mastectomy or reconstruction immediately after your mastectomy along with having lymph-nodes removed, all of these procedures will play a part in deciding what post surgery bra will suit you.

There are many post surgery bras on the market and thankfully Nicolajane.com have quite a few brand choices from many companies along with the Nicola Jane brand on their website so this means I can give you quite a few choices at a fitting clinic. Here is a link to Post surgery bras for straight after surgery

on the subject of lymphedema you have to go for a bra that will help ease off the fluid build up, this will mean you need a good firm and well structured bra that is designed to support the breast at all times, including the remaining tissue left under the arm.

what is lymphedema, well how I explain it to clients is, picture a train and a track, the nodes being the track and the lymph being the train, the lymph (train) needs to have all Nodes (tracks) in place if the train is to run correctly carrying the lymph out of the body through the filter system your lymph nodes are a filter system, if you remove a piece of track (a lymph node) then the train can not continue its journey so you start to get fluid retention under the arm and down the arm, this is when you train tack needs assistance with exercise, massage and a lymphedema bra which will put pressure on the fluid to disperse, it is always advisable to take all the assistance you can get from a professional lymphedema nurse in learning all you can about helping the fluid to drain, on the Bra support side this is where I can help you.

while working with Nicolajane.comhttp://www.nicolajane.com i have found an amazing support bra by Anita. it is called Safina this comes in Safina Wide Strap Uplift bra and Thin Strap uplift bra, this bra has many levels of support which I have numbered from 1-7. which make it the perfect lymphedema bra but its also excellent for larger cup ladies who have to wear a large prosthesis, the safina can carry the extra weight keeping the pressure off you, for post surgery (roughly around 4-6 weeks post surgery) and day to day wear i always recommend wearing the wide strap as it is extremely comfortable however if you are going somewhere and a thin strap bra is required for the design of the top you are wearing then there is the thin strap, i have included a link to the safina bra above and below and this bra comes in many different colours so you will not be stuck for choice.

for all your post mastectomy, post surgery, breast reconstruction lingerie please do get in touch with www.nicolajane.com and search for a fitting clinic near you. Myself personally I run the London and greater London clinics. email me at maureen@nicolajane.com