As a matter of fact, mastectomy bras comprise the largest part of a patient’s wardrobe after surgery. A mastectomy bra helps control the drainage of the mastectomy scar after surgery, considering that a mastectomy involves the partial removal of breast tissue as a curative measure for cancer and lymph nodes.
As such, mastectomy bras help accommodate breast forms and other types of breast prosthetics that a patient wears after surgery or recovery.
A mastectomy bra requires significant care to ensure that it serves you for a longer period, and in the manner it is designed to.
Nevertheless, there are several mistakes you need to avoid, as we will discuss in this article, which may compromise the structural integrity of your mastectomy bras.
Ignoring the Cup Size
You need to consider your breast size before settling for a mastectomy bra. The common mistake most mastectomy patients make (especially when buying strapless mastectomy bras) is ignoring their breast size. Wearing a small bra may cause deformation or complete rapturing of the breast cups.
Intrinsically, select the cup size that accommodates your breast forms comfortably without exerting immense pressure on your chest wall. Also, ensure the mastectomy bra cups can accommodate any swelling that may occur on your scar.
Buying a Few Bras
Wear and tear is prone to occur on any clothes you put on regularly. As such, most bra fitters recommend buying several mastectomy bras after getting your perfect fit.
Buying many mastectomy bras ensures that you wear them interchangeably, eventually reducing the amount of wear and tear in an individual bra.
Having a few bras translates to constant washing and drying, which leads to the erosion of the bra’s fabric within a shorty period. You will therefore require constant replacements which is quite expensive in the long-run.
Using Strong Cleaning Detergents
Strong cleaning detergents contain harsh enzymes and cleaning agents that can significantly reduce the quality of the bra’s fabric.
Primarily, the enzymes help dissolve the dirt and sweat particles stuck in the fabric. However, the enzymes erode the bra’s fabric when in excess. Therefore, your mastectomy bras will start tearing after a few washes.
Machine Drying
Machine dryers are very fast and convenient especially in cold weather. However, machine-drying your mastectomy bras may cause stretching and destruction of the underwire as a result of the high heat.
As such, it would be best to dry your bras by removing excess water and hanging them outside in the sun. Air drying also helps in getting rid of bacteria.
Wearing an Undersized Bra
A significant number of women wear a bra that is a few sizes smaller for a better fit and lift. Inherently, a smaller mastectomy bra subjects you to a lot of pressure that may eventually cause significant swelling on the scar. Additionally, the heat generated from wearing a small bra may cause infections.
Wearing a small bra exerts unnecessary tension on the shoulder straps and the back band. Eventually, the straps become loose, and the bra can no longer offer you support or the cover as it did initially.
To get the correct bra size, ensure that you get your mastectomy bras fitted by an experienced bra fitter.
Wrong Washing Methods
The method with which you wash your mastectomy bras will determine its overall lifespan and exposure to wear and tear.
Mastectomy bra fitters recommend hand washing your bras and drying them in the sun. Primarily, hand washing your mastectomy bras allows you to regulate the amount of friction on the bra’s fabric.
Additionally, hand washing your mastectomy bras helps preserve the shape of the breast cups, the bra’s longevity, and the strap elasticity.
Although a machine wash can damage and stretch your mastectomy bra, you can still use it to clean the front closure of your bra.
In such cases, you should fasten the bands and place the bra inside a laundry bag (do not throw the bras directly inside the washing machine). Afterwards, set both the lowest temperature and spinning cycle for a steady and controlled wash.
Conclusion
It is essential to avoid the mistakes discussed above in this article to ensure that your mastectomy bras stay in good functional condition for a long period. It is also recommended to replace a mastectomy bra once its functionalities start dwindling.
