“When can I sleep without a bra after a breast lift?”

3 weeks

A week

Anywhere between 3 weeks and 4 weeks

Hi, this is a question for your surgeon, whom would provide you with post operative instructions, SPECIFIC to the type of surgery performed. Best wishes!

Typically 2 weeks is sufficient, depending on your comfort.

Generally I advise my patients to use support bras day and night for three months postoperative period.

Great question. The answer depends on the extent of the lift you’re getting as well as plastic surgeon preference. For a mild to moderate lift involving more skin tightening than removal of breast tissue (which is more accurately a breast reduction), I would say 4 weeks at a bare minimum but it may be as far out as 8-12 weeks. In my own practice, I have patients use silicone scar gel at approximately 3 weeks. I counsel my patients that if their incisions are ready for scar therapy, then they’re usually ready to transition away from a surgical bra to a regular underwire bra. If at 4 weeks one’s scars are completely sealed and there are no significant open areas, I allow patients to be out of a bra at night for comfort, but this is more exception than the rule. Scars reach 50% integrity by 6 weeks post-op and plateau at 80% over time, and will never be the strength the uninjured skin was preoperatively. Also, a support bra is meant to help preserve the uplifted bra shape as the tissues heal and scar into a stable position. The longer you can keep up with continuous bra wear, the better your result will hold up over the long term. Seek out a Board Certified plastic surgeon who handles a lot of patients with cosmetic breast needs to work with you in determining a safe point at which you can be a “free spirit,” bra free. Be prepared to remain in a bra (except when showering) for several weeks, possibly even a few months, before your surgeon allows you to ditch a bra or sleep on your belly.

Nirav B. Patel, MD, JD, FCLM