Clothes etc.. advice!

Hiya ladies. Thoroughly enjoying the forum, just thought I'd ask a few qu's and get some tips from u wise women who have been there!

I understand that for a while after my op I wont be able to pull clothes over my head, (for longer than I'll be in bed anyway!) so was wondering if anyone has tips for where to get stylish button down/zip up stuff that wont make me look like a tramp! I've never really worn a shirt in my life, so cant even begin to think of where to go or what to buy!

Also, does anyone know the rules on when u can be completely underwater after an op like this? (BR) Swimming/ completely submerged in bath etc.

How strict is the 'dont lift your arms above your head' thing? For example, I cover my hair with a scarf for religious reasons, will I literally not be able to reach up to tie it on/put a hat on? Or is it more like, dont stretch to high cupboards type of rule?

Thanks guys!

Liz xx

ElizabethSok wrote:I understand that for a while after my op I wont be able to pull clothes over my head, (for longer than I'll be in bed anyway!) so was wondering if anyone has tips for where to get stylish button down/zip up stuff that wont make me look like a tramp! I've never really worn a shirt in my life, so cant even begin to think of where to go or what to buy!

I stepped into vest tops (a couple of sizes larger than my normal size) and wore long button cardigans a lot of the time with leggings, so that I was comfortable but still looked stylish too.

Also, does anyone know the rules on when u can be completely underwater after an op like this? (BR) Swimming/ completely submerged in bath etc.

It's going to be 6 weeks lovely.

How strict is the 'dont lift your arms above your head' thing? For example, I cover my hair with a scarf for religious reasons, will I literally not be able to reach up to tie it on/put a hat on? Or is it more like, dont stretch to high cupboards type of rule?

Chances are you're going to find it difficult Elizabeth, you'll be able to get a hat on, but leaving your hands raised to tie a scarf 'may' prove a little difficult.

You might be fine though (depending on your healing) but I'd personally prepare for the worst. xx

thanks so much. in terms of the arm raising thing.. is it a case of my body will hurt, telling me to lower my arms? or will I not realise i'm doing damage?

You'll feel it for sure Elizabeth at first after a couple of weeks it gets easier but you're still to be careful. Tying your scarves is perfectly fine though, the problem is more to do with over stretching putting stress on your upper body rather than lifting over your head after the 1sy couple of weeks. xx

Hi elizabeth. I never wore button up any-things.

From leaving the hospital I had a vest top and baggy top that I'd pulled over my head.

You don't necessarily need to lift your arms right up to get them on. I found that if i stooped my head and didn't raise my elbows high getting dressed was fine x

I have a few stretchy tops that I have worn so I get them over my head and then stretch them down to get my arms in and this hasnt been too much of a problem but to be honest while I have been recovering at home I'm just stayed in my pj's!

thanks a mil everyone! most of my clothes are stretchy so should be fine. Wish I knew what size I'll be afterwards-would make it a lot easier to plan clothing!

If your clothes are stretchy they should still fit Elizabeth. The only clothes that I couldn't wear post-op were my cotton shirts, dresses with no give in them and coats. Those things I had to replace but everything else was fine and fitted better than they did before. xx

Can I ask you all ladies, what does it LOOK like with clothes on when the bandages are still on? Do you look a proper shape/just smaller than you will eventually be? or do you just look like one big lump from the waist upwards!? And how long before you could wear clothes and feel like your new shape was obvious?

it depends on how your surgeon tapes u up. my surgeon only put micropore tape on the sutures and then some thin gauze over the top to protect them and then a sports bra (macom bra) over the top and I look quite normal in clothes! shape would be better in a normal bra as sports bras are horrible but its not bad!

i think a reduction is quite similar to an uplift, so maybe my surgeon will do something similar. that would be great. How long will u be in a sports bra for? what size are u now?

I am gonna be in a sports bra day and night for 3 months!!! After 6 weeks I can wear a normal bra for the odd occasion but otherwise its back to the sports bra!! I have no idea what size I am at the moment as I'm only 6 days post op and I have a macom bra which is only sized by its back measurement (mine is 32)

You'll have a boobie shape, even in the dressings I'm unsure of the look of just having stitches with you having a reduction as opposed to having a breast pocket created as well and an implant inserted which sits your boobs quite high on the chest, I should imagine this won't be the case for you and you 'may' see your resulting shape quite early on. This might be something you may want to discuss with your surgeon?

You may be required to wear a compression bandage or band around your boobs depending on what the surgeon thinks is best for your healing. This can be a little uncomfortable and restricting but is necessary for some for their healing. Or you could just have pads taped over the stitches. Stitches are checked at around 1 week post-op and for many the dressings can then be removed and you're able to shower... the scars may at first be a little scary, but it's nothing to worry about, you'll be amazed at how well they heal.

I think the difference between having an augmentation and a reduction is that with having an augmentation a capsule is forming inside the breast around the implant and it needs to drop and settle in the breast pocket, so boobs will be high and have a 'fake look' to them until the skin has time to relax over the muscle.

For yourself having a reduction, I should imagine you'll be able to see and enjoy your new shape quite soon with the breasts only having the stitches to deal with... Lucky you!! xx

Thanks so much for all that, so helpful! I am TERRIFIED about what the scars will look like right away, and worried the surgeon wont have any pics to show me of those initial stages. I know it should heal quickly but I just dont want it to make me miserable while I'm dealing with the first week or two. The idea of having a good shape right away definitely helps.

It's easier when you're warned what to expect I feel... When I had my dressings removed after a mastopexy (scars around the areola, vertical scar from areola to breast base and horizontal scar in breast crease) it did shock me to see what looked like Frankeinboobs looking back at me and right in that moment I just couldn't think beyond what I was seeing.

But the body is an amazing thing and the scars heal so quickly! It's not unusual for the scars to appear red at first, the can look worse before getting better, but by the time a year has passed by you'll be amazed especially by the vertical incision just how well they heal. My vertical is almost invisible!

I'm about to undergo scar revision around my areolas, unfortunately due to infection I don't have pretty scars, but I have seen scars after healing well and they're incredible! Honestly Elizabeth, I'm not one to hold back if I feel there's something you should know, but I really wouldn't worry about the scars, the aesthetic looks you're going to achieve will be far outweigh any scaring you might have. xx

Thanks so much. If you dont mind sharing, do they look just red and angry at first, or actually horrible to look at? (open flesh or jagged etc?)

You can ask anything Elizabeth

There's no open flesh, this is what the scars will look like after having dressings removed about a week post-op, this is a small section from my scaring:



As you can see, there's nothing bad there aside from dried blood in parts, but when you see the full effect of scars all around the areola, down the breast and under, it can look quite scary at first. xx

That is so helpful! Yes it is a little frightening, are the greenish 'blobby' bits dried blood? and that's basically what all three scars looked like?

I think things must be less scary on yourself also if that makes sense!

Does the doc do all the dressing changes etc, or did u have to look after it at home yourself at all?

Yes, there's bruising there (I bruised like a peach!) and yes, dried blood too. All three scar lines will look the same. Some luckier ladies will have little blood around the scars, but I thought it's best to see worse rather than better.

If forewarned I think they're less scary, but if you hadn't known what to expect, then no lovely, it can be just as scary looking in the mirror at yourself.

The surgeon or clinic nurse will assess your wounds at around 1 week post-op. If they feel it's necessary the dressing will be re-applied possibly for a further week but most get removed at 1 week post-op. You have steri-strips on parts of the scars which still need a little time to knit together and you may be asked to replace those every couple of days yourself. Someone else could do it for you though (hubby,mum,friend) if you don't feel able to do it yourself. You'll be assessed again at around 6 weeks post-op by your surgeon and if the wounds are healing nicely and you're happy you won't have to see the surgeon again until around 6 months post-op, some clinics may discharge you then, other like you to come back for a year post-op check. xx