FOOB PROBLEMS.
The Background
Now that I am over a year out from my mastectomy, 11 months post reconstruction surgery, and 2 months post having a second baby... it’s long overdue to find some bras that are comfortable, flattering, and fit my new body. AKA, anything but a sports bra please! Can’t be that hard right? UMMM wrong!
Through this “action research”, lots of googling, and talking to other women in the BRCA community ... alas I found some bras that don’t feel like bricks forcing pressure against my foobs (fake books). Hopefully it can save you an hour...or 10 of doing your own research! With that being said, this is just my personal preference and all of our bodies will react to reconstruction differently. Not to mention, my incisions are across my breast and under my nipple while other women have incisions under their breasts. Because my incision is through the middle, my surgeon has cleared me to wear underwire bras now. Other women have saline implants (I have silicone), other women have the implant over the muscle (mine are under), and others did DIEP flap surgery (taking skin and fat from your stomach to reconstruct the breasts). And of course others opt out of reconstruction altogether. If you have prosthetics, check with your insurance to see if bras are covered! Regardless of your type of surgery, be sure to talk to your surgeon and find out what type of bra is safe for you to wear.
My Problem
I am struggling to even figure out what size I am and recently realized, even knowing “my size” hasn’t been helpful considering I have no breast tissue and implants under my muscle. Essentially, I have implants right under my skin, In theory the perfect “size” bra for my new body is often uncomfortable or creates rippling in my chest. Breast rippling is when you can see an indent on my chest where the implant lies. This does NOT happen for women who get cosmetic boob jobs (completely different from reconstruction surgery) as they have breast tissue working together with the implant to create voluptuous sexy breasts. I certainly wouldn’t describe my foobs as the ladder. Finding a bra that works with my skin, muscle, and silicone implants has been quite the frustrating process. In addition, my foobs fall far apart so while I want a bra with support and a little push up, one that forces the implants together feels so unnatural against my muscle.
I spent hours this week in PINK/Victoria’s Secret buying and driving back to return...buying and driving back (thanks covid) just to learn that all 15+ bras I bought would in the end be returned. One lady sized me and told me I was a 32D and the next day someone else sized me and said I was an A cup...uhh what? I don’t think that had anything to do with my foobs, but just another layer of frustration to add to the mix. Anyways, I landed somewhere in between at a 34 C. I have looked into Third Love and AnaOno (a company that specifically makes bras for women with reconstruction) but the thought of ordering really expensive bras online and then returning over and over just felt like such a waste of time! I didn't have the patience.
My Findings
AVOID!
I have learned (the hard way, no pun intended) to avoid bras that have hard shaped cups. I did not think any of these bras felt like the cups were "hard" until I compared them to soft cup bras. It is crucial not to wear bras that try to force your foobs into a shape or position.
For example, all of the bras at PINK (Victoria’s Secret more affordable line) just don’t fit right. I tried wireless, push up, t-shirt...you name it. I think I tried every bra in the store ha. A couple, I thought fit great until I wore them for a few hours. Hint, don’t take off the tags and keep the receipt when you try bras to make sure they feel comfortable over the course of the day. I decided, it is worth the money to spend more and buy bras that actually feel right.
AVOID shaped cups
I was hoping these could be every day bras. The cups are shaped for natural breasts and the push up bra felt SO unnatural against my implants and muscle. Even the ones without the push up felt uncomfortable. Considering I don’t have feelings in my breasts...this type of bra sure felt terrible!
AVOID bulkiness
Whether push up or not, for wireless bras avoid ones that have shaped cups and feel hard. This type felt so bulky and annoying to wear all day...although at first glance I thought they fit great!
AVOID this shape!
I am yet to find a strapless bra with shape (not a bandeau bra) that fits. This bra was all together the absolute worst and created rippling in my chest that I had never seen before. It not only looked terrible, but felt just as bad. The cups and wires sat awkwardly and the overall shape of the bra did not work without breast tissue.
My Favorites!
My favorite bralettes
I absolutely love this bralette from Nordstrom. While of course my foobs don’t look as supported as the model in this photo, it still provides support and is flattering and comfortable. I have a 34.
I don’t love this bralette for everyday use, but I really like it to sleep. It’s cheap and fits comfortably. Provides enough support with lining but not too much. My surgeon has advised me to always wear a bra to sleep so the implants don’t become further apart over time.
My favorite push up/sexy bra- SOFT CUPS!
I had much better luck at Victoria’s Secret than PINK. I spent more and it was worth it.
I finally found this lightly push up lace bra. The cups are soft and the light padding on the bottom up is made of memory foam. It provides support but doesn’t force my foobs together.
Every day bra with wires- SOFT CUPS
The only other bra with wires that worked for me at Victoria’s Secret was this Lightly Lined Demi T-Shirt Bra. The one that had a little push up on the side felt a little bulky and for some reason, supported my foobs less than this one. This is my new every day bra. The cups are soft and shape to my foobs opposed as the other way around.
My Research Continued...
This True Body Boost Bra from True and Co. was recommended from another woman in the BRCA community. I ordered it and will report back! I am still in need of a wireless every day bra as I don’t think I will be comfortable wearing wires every day. It has been described as lightweight with the perfect amount of compression!
This Warner’s Easy Does It No Bulge bra has also come highly recommended from women in the BRCA community. I hope to be able to wear this during the day and to sleep. Waiting for my amazon package to arrive!
Let me know if you have other recommendations that I can add and share with our BRCA community!
Good luck on this not so simple endeavor, I hope you have better luck than I did.
Comments