After breast augmentation, your breasts are more emphasized so you need to choose the right bra to support them. According to a recent study, nearly 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. An improper bra affects your comfort, appearance and could also lead to other health issues such as stretch marks and chronic back pain. Here is a detailed guide to help you find the right bra after breast augmentation.
How to Find your Bra Measurement
- The band size of a bra is the number part of the size which could be in inches and centimeters. Determine your band size by measuring your ribcage with a tailor’s measuring tape. Wrap the measuring tape snugly around the rib cage; it should be horizontal and not too high or too low around your back
- Once you have had the number in inches, add four if your measurement was an even number and 5 if your measurement was an odd number to get your band size. For example, if your ribcage measured 29 inches, you would add 5 for a total measure of 34 inches
- Bear in mind that your band size is determined by your rib cage measurement and it does not increase after breast augmentation. For example, if you were 32B before the surgery and you got a D cup after surgery, you will get to 32D
How to Know if a Bra Fits Properly
- The support band at the bottom should wrap around the body without riding up the back and the straps should not pull on the front of the breasts.
- The bra straps should fit but should not be carrying the weight of the breasts, the bra band should provide support to the breasts. One way to confirm this is by sliding the straps off the shoulders and checking if the bra still supports the breasts
- The bra cup should fit firmly without leaving gaps. If you find gaps around the cups, it’s an indication that the cup size is too large for your breast
- The breasts should fit into the bra but not protrude over the top or sides of the bra. If this does happen, it’s an indication that the cup size is too small. The bra should also touch the sternum and leave no gaps
- If the bra has an underwire, it should not poke the wearer or protrude
Visible signs of an Ill-fitting Bra
- Marks on the shoulders caused by the bra straps
- The breasts have a saggy appearance
- The bra does not touch the sternum
- Protruding breast tissue over the top of the bra
- Breasts move around with minimal swaying of hands
After all the hard work that goes in to finding the right bra size, take good care of your bras. Hand wash your bras and dry them on a line, if you have to machine wash your bras, do it inside a lingerie bag.