Very often we are asked how long should you wear the tape after breast augmentation. In this post, in addition to our standard (and short) answer, we will try to give a more detailed answer.
Why wear a tape after mammoplasty?
If the answer to this question is clear, then it is clear how many weeks the top band of the compression garment will be with you inseparably.
Plastic surgeons call the tape after breast augmentation a stabilizing tape . It fixes (stabilizes) the implants in the desired position, preventing them from swinging when walking or shifting to the side.
A popular answer to the question “How long should I wear the tape after mammoplasty?” is “As long as your plastic surgeon tells me to.” We have heard advice from our plastic surgeon clients to wear the tape after mammoplasty for 2 to 8 weeks. Important! This only applies to the tape; we continue to wear the compression bra. Here is an article on this topic.
Until the breast implants become encapsulated, it is essential to wear a stabilizing tape.
Tape after mammoplasty will help to avoid breast asymmetry – when one of the breast implants shifts and becomes asymmetrical to the second implant.
If you fix the implants in the desired position with a stabilizing tape, it is much easier to get beautiful breasts after plastic surgery.
Some plastic surgeons often fasten the tape under the breast at the end of the rehabilitation period. This is done so that the implants do not fall below the intended pole under the force of gravity at the end of the rehabilitation. In this case, the tape is worn as follows: immediately after the operation, we fasten the tape on top of the breast, and after two weeks we fasten the tape under the breast, as if supporting it. But if the tape is shaped, then it will not be possible to fasten the tape from below. With this method of rehabilitation after breast augmentation, a straight tape is needed, not a shaped one.
Types of tapes after breast augmentation
Stabilizing tapes after mammoplasty are:
- removable and sewn-in
- straight and curly
- on hooks and velcro
Let’s take a closer look at each pair.
Removable and sewn-in tapes
The removable tape is shown in the picture below, the sewn-in tape is in the picture immediately after it. More photos of the removable tape can be found here and here ; more photos of the sewn-in tape can be found here .
Plastic surgeons are not unanimous about which tape is better. Like any subjective opinion, they are subject to stereotypes in this matter. For example, we have heard that “the sewn-in tape is better so that patients do not have to remove the removable tape at their own discretion during the rehabilitation period,” or “the removable tape is better because after the first weeks it is no longer needed and can be removed, but the compression bra still needs to be worn and worn.”
We don’t have a preference between removable or built-in bands, but we do say that a compression bra with a built-in band is cheaper than a compression bra with a removable band.
One plastic surgeon told us that a stabilizing tape should be worn after breast augmentation to prevent the implants from shifting upwards. We don’t understand how this is possible in principle if the implants are placed under the muscle.
Straight and shaped tapes
Straight stabilizing tapes look like a straight line when unpacked, while shaped tapes follow the contour of the body in the armpit area. More photos of straight tape can be seen here , more photos of shaped tape can be seen here .
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Shaped tapes are very effective when drains are removed after surgery – there is no squeezing of drains and inconvenience in their placement. In addition, due to the body type of some patients, a straight tape can rub strongly under the arm.
The figured bands follow the anatomy of the female body and are much more comfortable to wear compared to straight bands, and do not cause discomfort in the armpit area. In this pair, we give absolute preference to the figured bands.
Hook and Loop Fastener Tapes and Velcro Tapes
These bands differ from each other in the way they are fastened, and not in the way they are attached to the compression bra, as you might think.
Our clear preference is on the side of tapes with Velcro. Nothing explains the conviction of some plastic surgeons that tapes with hook-and-loop fasteners fix the breasts better. Tape with hooks contains only three rows of fasteners for choosing the most comfortable fastening option. In total, this gives a play of 2.5-3 cm. Tape with Velcro can be attached with its Velcro side (the “father” side) to a ten-centimeter strip (the “mother” side), which allows you to choose the best fastening option for both a size 5 chest and a size 2 chest, with the same underbust measurements.
Some plastic surgeons do not consider it necessary to wear compression underwear with a stabilizing tape after mammoplasty. They do not explain their decision. We are conservative in the issue of recovery after mammoplasty and insist on wearing a tape after breast augmentation following many years of experience in this area.
For the convenience of visitors to our site, all compression underwear after mammoplasty complete with tapes and tapes separately are collected in a single section. Go and choose the stabilizing tape you need.
