Many women who have breast cancer will need to undergo a type of breast surgery, whether a full or partial mastectomy, lumpectomy, or reconstruction. These surgeries require significant recovery time, and it is essential that mastectomy patients care for their skin and remaining breast tissue in the weeks and months following surgery.
Post-surgery bras, in particular, seamless bras are an essential wardrobe item for women recovering form breast surgery. Seamless bras have been specifically designed to be gentle to the skin and comfortable to wear day or night. Here are some of the reasons you need to add a seamless bra to your mastectomy wardrobe.
Benefits of Seamless Bras
- Comfortable
Above all, a seamless bra is comfortable. The lack of seams prevents irritation to surgical sites and provides you with a snug fit that feels as though you are wearing a second skin. Many styles of seamless bra are even comfortable enough to wear almost immediately after surgery.
- Versatile
Due to the seam-free construction, seamless bras sit discretely under close fitting and sheer clothing, so they are perfect for everyday wear. And because of the comfortable features and design, they also make ideal sleep and leisure bras.
Features of Seamless Bras
- Seam-free Stitching
Seamless bras are constructed in a way that hides seams inside the bra or within the lining or uses large flexible panels of material rather than traditional stitching. This creates the illusion of seam-free stitching, which allows you to wear your seamless bra under any garment.
- Soft Materials
Seamless bras are typically made from a flexible blend of soft, breathable cotton or microfiber and a kind of stretch material such as spandex or LYCRA®. This offers the most comfortable wearing experience and prevents irritation to surgical scars and sensitive skin while providing a snug fit with plenty of support.
- Variety of Closures
Many styles of seamless bra feature standard hook-and-eye closures in the back, however, there are also many other styles that have no closures and are put on and off over the head. While this may provide a highly comfortable wearing experience, these styles can be challenging for women whose surgical sites are still tender or have limited range of motion in their arms and shoulders.
Fortunately, in this case, some brands such as American Breast Care have developed seamless bras with front closures that allow for easy dressing.
- Wide Bands
Wide bands under the bust and across the back offer additional support for holding breast prosthesis and allow the bra to form to the contours of the body to prevent the bands from digging in and irritating the skin.
Wide bands at the back also offer some light posture support and help to smooth the skin of the back for a slenderer silhouette.
- Padded Straps
Many seamless bras feature wide padded straps to evenly distribute the weight of remaining breast tissue or breast forms across the shoulders and neck to prevent pain. These straps can be adjustable for a more comfortable fit, or ergonomically designed in the case of over-the-head leisure bras for the perfect fit.
- Pocketed Cups
One of the great design features of all mastectomy bras are bilateral pocketed cups that hold breast forms securely to prevent shifting and unevenness. Pockets are typically constructed from breathable cotton microfiber or mesh to allow for proper air circulation around the chest wall and can hold a variety of types of breast forms from full cup forms to partials and shapers.
Final Thoughts
A seamless bra is an essential item for your post-mastectomy wardrobe, and the best way to find the perfect seamless bra for your body type is to go to a professional certified fitter.
A seamless bra offers all the features you need from a post-mastectomy bra with the added comfort of a seam-free design, making it the perfect post-surgical bra to have in your closet.
