What should I wear after lumpectomy surgery with drainage tubes?

They will put a bra on you after the surgery is finished and you go home with it. They also gave me a spare. You can look for one similar if u need more. I did not have a drain but i think a button front shirt might be best for that.

Thank you!

Welcome!

Yes they will give a pink compression bra to wear home for two weeks, you can wash it out after a week and wear for next week it was very comfortable to me and helped with the little pain i had.It has Velcro straps to fasten in front which is a big help.

Many community members find that front-closure sports bras or post-surgical bras work well after lumpectomy, as they're easier to put on without raising your arms and can accommodate drainage tubes comfortably. Button-up shirts, zip-up hoodies, and loose-fitting tops are often recommended since they don't require pulling clothing over your head, and many people find it helpful to have pockets or a small bag to discretely hold drainage bulbs.

Ask for extra surgical bras. They gave me several. Button down shirts work great.

Will do! Thank you!

Masthead is the brand they sent me home in and I ordered another one. So comfy.

Thank you!

I had lumpectomy and 6 lymph nodes removed in mid-Sept 2025. Lots of swelling, no drains. That post-op compression bra , which I hated at first, became my best friend. I am in my late 60s , large breasted and gravity has not been friend. I also purchased a couple of zip front supportive sports bras from Amazon that I used when I washed and air-dried the post-op bra. Button front shirts, 1/2 zip shirts and soft front zip hoodies have become my favorite tops.

Velcro shirts on shoulders and sides, during drains at least. loose gowns, ( Amazon, and there are many post mastectomy items to purchase there!) compression bras are best after surgery for several weeks.

Honey love and Evelyn and Bobbie make a supportive Bra tank top that is one piece and won’t ride up under your incision. I started wearing these 2 weeks post surgery (lumpectomy and bilateral reduction). I’ll prob never to back to a regular bra. That said the Masthead bra they sent me home with was a good one and comfortable too with Velcro front closure.

I found some inexpensive ones on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0FKTNJPB5?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image They worked well for me. Very inexpensive.

I recommend getting front opening compression bras from Amazon. The bra they gave me during surgery was way too small. I'm a D-cup. I bought several bras from Amazon. Some are zip close, others use hooks and eyes. I still wear them, though I've gone back to my regular underwires as well (2 months post surgery). I bought XL to give you an idea as to size. Amazon also has a lot of products to help with those who have the drainage lines. I also have a pregnancy pillow that I love for help with sleeping (I'm 64, got it strictly for the sleep benefits).

They should provide you with surgical bras with pockets for drains. Definitely plan on front button/zip shirts and pajama tops. I had a double mastectomy and they recommended elastic waist pants or leggings that are easy to put on and take off.