Background: No data are currently available to assess the relative merits of breast binder or bra following breast surgery.
Methods: A randomized controlled study was undertaken to compare a breast binder with a bra postoperatively for patients undergoing lumpectomies, partial mastectomies and total mastectomies.
Results: Fifty-eight patients were included in the study. Six different parameters were compared and the bra was found better on all criteria; a small group of patients who initially used a binder and then, for a second procedure, used a bra, found the bra more comfortable.
Conclusion: Postoperative discomfort can be decreased by using a well-fitting bra rather than a breast binder.