What to Buy Before a Mastectomy (and What to Skip)

Ask your team first

Before you buy anything, ask your breast care nurse (or nurse navigator, in the US):

• Will I have drains, how many, and roughly how long for?
• What kind of bra should I wear, and when? Will I be fitted or given one?
• Will I be given a temporary soft breast form if I want one? Many hospitals provide one free after a single mastectomy.
• Are there arm exercises I should know about before the operation?
• Is there anything you’d like me to buy?

Some of what is on the lists below may be supplied. MedlinePlus suggests asking your surgeon or nurse about a mastectomy bra or a camisole with drain pockets, which is a good example: worth asking about before buying.

The things worth buying

1. Front-opening tops

This is the one almost everyone needs. Lifting your arms above your head is difficult and uncomfortable for a while, so tops that pull on over the head are out. Button-front shirts, zip-front hoodies and wrap tops, a size looser than usual, let you dress without raising your arms. Front-opening pajamas matter as much as daytime clothes.

2. Something to hold the drains

If you will have drains, you need a way to carry the bulbs so they do not hang from the tubes. Options:

• A lanyard for the shower, so the bulbs hang from your neck while you wash.
• A drain belt or pouch worn around the waist during the day.
• A post-surgery camisole with drain pockets, which holds everything under your clothes.

These are inexpensive and they solve the most awkward part of the first fortnight. Our drain care guide explains the rest.

3. A wedge pillow

Most people sleep on their back, propped up, for the first weeks. A firm wedge holds the angle all night in a way that a pile of pillows does not, and starting from half-sitting makes getting up much easier. See how to sleep after a mastectomy.

4. A small pillow for the arm and the seatbelt

A small, soft pillow tucked under the arm on the operated side takes the pull off the tight skin under the arm, in bed and on the sofa. In the car, the seatbelt crosses right over the chest; a small cushion between belt and chest makes the drive home far more bearable. Purpose-made mastectomy pillows do both jobs, and a small cushion you already own will do too.

5. A soft, front-fastening bra

Once your team says you can wear one, a soft, wire-free, front-fastening bra is easier to put on and kinder to the wound than your usual bras. Check with your team about timing and fit before buying, especially if you are having reconstruction.

Useful, but optional

A handheld shower head. Lets you wash without spraying the wound directly, and makes showering with drains easier.

A long-handled sponge or back scrubber. Reaching your back and feet uses the chest muscles and the arm you are trying to rest.

Slip-on shoes. Bending and tying laces with a sore chest is harder than you would think.

A notebook. For drain readings, medication times and the questions you think of at 2am for your next appointment.

Easy meals in the freezer. The NHS advises avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous activity for two to three weeks, which rules out heavy pans, full shopping bags and a lot of cooking.

What you can skip

A new recliner. Some people love sleeping in one, but most manage well in bed with a wedge. Borrow one or use one you already have if you want to try it.

“Healing” supplements and creams. There is no good evidence that recovery supplements speed healing in someone eating normally, and some supplements affect bleeding, so tell your team about anything you take. Scar products can wait until the wound has fully healed; see our scar care guide.

Expensive prostheses or specialist bras straight away. Your body will change as swelling settles over the first weeks. Most people are advised to wait until healing is well underway before being fitted for a permanent breast form or new bras, and many hospitals offer a fitting service.

Big bundles. Pre-made “mastectomy recovery kits” often include things you already own or will be given. Buying the few items above individually usually costs less.

If you are buying for someone else

Front-opening loungewear, a mastectomy pillow, a soft throw, a good book or audiobook subscription, and practical help (meals, lifts, an afternoon of company) are all welcome. Our recovery care packages have more ideas.

The short version

Buy front-opening clothes, something to hold the drains, a wedge pillow and a small pillow for the arm and the seatbelt. Ask your breast care team about bras, breast forms and anything they supply before you buy those. Skip the supplements, bundles and big furniture. Follow your surgical team’s advice, which comes first.