Plastic surgery involves the body’s largest organ; our Skin.
When the skin is separated from the under-lying tissue it fills with fluid and creates swelling. The body can struggle to rid itself of this excess waste, which can slow down the healing process and increase discomfort.
That’s where compression garments/ bras come in. Some surgeons like to put them on you during the surgery, others prefer to use bandages for the first few days, so that they have easy access to the incision site.
The gentle, but firm pressure helps the skin ‘adhere’ to the new under-lying tissue, to prevent excessive bruising or swelling.
They also provide support for the skin and scar. Scars need support in the early days, so that there is not too much pressure on the delicate skin, the last thing you want is a stretched, wide scar.
Supporting the skin also helps to prevent stretch marks from forming.
These specially designed clothes, help improve and increase blood circulation,
rid your body of potentially harmful fluids, decrease your post surgery recovery time and reduce swelling. In short, they help you to recover faster.
Because plastic surgery covers so many different areas of the body there’s a wide range of compression or post- surgical clothing. I will cover several of the most common types and what you should look for when buying them;
Breast Implants, Breast Lifts and Reductions:
Design Veronique Surgical Compression Bra
For those who are having a breast augmentation (implants, lifts or reduction), it is vital that the bra does not have an under-wire that might irritate the new scar . An under-wire can also change the shape of the newly forming breasts by molding the shape of the new scar tissue, which is not a desirable outcome!
An under-wire can also reduce the blood flow to the newly forming breast tissue, which can lead to complications such as necrosis (death to the skin and surrounding tissues).
Another feature to look for is a front opening design.
Design Veronique Surgical Compression Bra
When your muscles are sore and you have limited arm movement, the last thing you need is to be wrestling with a bra that closes at the back!
A zippered front design makes it easy to get on and off by yourself, and undo while lying in bed to massage, check your wounds and other such things that you will be doing during the recovery.
They usually come up quite high at the front and extra long down the front (around your ribs). This is not so that you look as ‘grandma-ish’ as possible- but so the swelling and fluid is compressed in areas where it tends to build up. Your new breasts might seem like they are up in your collar bones initially, so the compression needs to start up there and go right down to your lower ribs.
Compression Girdles or Binders (for a Tummy Tuck or abdominoplasty or liposuction of the mid-section)
Tummy Tuck / Abdominoplasty Binder by Design Veronique
These sexy numbers are reminiscent of the good old days when women wore girdles to maintain the perfect waistline. Your great -grandma would be proud- your mother who burnt her bra in the 70′s, might not be.
The main function of these are to support the weakened muscles and ensure the skin re-adheres to the new underlying tissues as quickly as possible.
They vary from a simple, big “velcro” band, to the more high-tech sort that starts under your breasts and and extends down to your crotch. Some have an ‘open’ crotch design, others have a special snap/ hook and eye opening for trips to the bathroom. One of the bonuses of these ‘body suit’ style garments are that they also provide compression over the pubic mound. Many a post surgery woman has wondered why she has the side profile of a Ken Doll. The swelling travels south from the stomach area- and this means that the pubic bone can cop a lot of excess fluid. Some of the best abdominoplasty garments have a special reinforced section to combat this problem. The other benefit to a body suit design is that they won’t roll up at the bottom when you move.
Some have a ‘hook and eye’ opening or zips either up the centre or on the sides for easier removal.
Some of the best compression girdles come with openings designed for accommodating drains (those tubes that help to drain fluid out of your body into a small external bag that you may have to carry around for the first few days or week).
These full piece items are ideal if you can afford them, some costing as high as $200.
Post Surgical Compression Garment Clothing by Design Veronique
The simple ‘velcro’ binder is what many hospitals will issue as the standard. They are simple and easy to take on and off but their biggest down side is the tendency to ride up too high as you wear it. They often find themselves bunched up around your bra line and leave the swelling to build up down low where you need the coverage the most.
They also tend to be itchy and irritating when the itchy velcro rubs on your hips and sides. This can be combated with a long singlet top worn under the velcro binder.
They do the job of supporting the repaired abdominal muscles but they are certainly not the ideal option.
There are also ‘stage 1 and stage 2′ binders or compression clothes available in some brands.
Stage 1 refers to the initial period of recovery- the first fortnight after surgery. The support is moderate and they usually have zippers for easy “on and off”.
Stage 2 compression garments usually have no zippers (you are probably able to dress yourself easily at this point) and come in a smaller cut/size as the initial swelling will probably have subsided by this point.
Liposuction
Obviously there are numerous places on the body that lipo can be performed so the different styles of post surgical wear vary, from full body suits to legs stockings, arm sleeves and suits that cover like a full piece swimsuit.
With liposuction the blood flow is compromised and it is essential to keep the area compressed so that the skin re-adheres well and the swelling is reduced. Your body has to rid itself of the toxins and a good quality compression clothing is vital.
Facial Surgery (Face and Neck Lifts)
Face Lift Compression Bandage by Design Veronique
There are facial bands for neck lifts that help to support the face. They wrap all the way around the face, and over the top of the head. They help to shape the new neck skin and around the jaw.
What other options should you like for?
There are also ‘stage 1 and stage 2′ binders or compression clothes available in some brands.
Stage 1 refers to the initial period of recovery- the first fortnight after surgery. The support is moderate and they usually have zippers for easy, minimal stress “on and off” of the clothing.
Stage 2 compression garments usually have no zippers (you are probably able to dress yourself easily at this point) and come in a smaller cut as the initial swelling will probably have subsided by now.
So what colour should I get? This is not as silly a question as you might think.
Black and skin colour are probably recommended for the initial week after surgery. There can be blood, betadine (the antiseptic used in surgery) and other things that can stain the fabric immediately after surgery.
For this reason you should have a spare item to change into. The exception being the velcro binder for Tummy Tucks as this is generally worn over a singlet or piece of clothing (due to it’s stiff, itchy fabric).
The fabrics of these surgical clothes are specially designed to maintain their shape, even with constant wear and are usually made from a special lycra/nylon blend. This gives softness and support.
Some of the leading brands are; Design Veronique, Marena, Rainey,Vedette and Taylor and Taylor.
Make sure you get the right size, too tight and they can become very uncomfortable, but too loose and they are useless. Companies that operate in Australia such, as Marena have representatives who can help you with sizing and they should also be able to return and exchange a wrong size before your surgery.
These surgical clothes can seem pricey but when you consider the cost of the surgery, the post-surgical clothing is a relatively small investment in your potential outcome and comfort.
*Special thanks to Design Veronique for permission to use images
