In the Dressing Room

There’s no denying that mastectomy tattoos can be both beautiful, inspired and badass. For many women affected by breast cancer, it’s the last step in their mastectomy and breast reconstruction journey, and a symbolic ritual that empowers them to move into the next chapter of their lives. By adorning their bodies in a personal design after their breast cancer diagnosis and surgeries, they are taking back their power and starting over. These post-mastectomy tattoos serve as a form of self-expression that helps restore confidence that may have been lost throughout their mastectomy and/or reconstructive process. What’s most important, is that you do what makes you feel most confident and comfortable in your skin, and that builds your confidence and love for your body after breast surgery and mastectomy.

The road to self-love and compassion for both your physical body and inner self after a breast cancer diagnosis or dealing with chronic pain can feel impossible to reach. We know, because we’ve been there. So have so many other countless women, breast cancer patients, survivors, thrivers and previvors in the AnaOno community. We talked to a few women who are not only on the road to self-acceptance after breast cancer, but setting their sights on the ultimate: self-celebration and true self-love after mastectomy surgery. 

When it comes to finding a comfortable bra, especially post-surgery or after a mastectomy, we know it’s all about finding a super soft bra. What makes one post-mastectomy bra style soft, versus other wirefree bra styles ridiculously, outrageously, and HEAVENLY soft? While that may seem like an obvious answer, it can be difficult to know what specific materials we want or need when shopping for a bra, because often times, we don’t know what materials to look for. We all know cotton is soft, but most bras made of cotton are only moderately soft, and don’t give our bodies that skin-on-skin or barely-there feeling we all crave, and when healing from a breast surgery or recovering after radiation therapy, moderate levels of softness just isn't good enough.

You need the dreamiest, most supple, and sensual of fabrics that will make you feel like you are floating in a creamy, fluffy cloud. You need modal.

Post-mastectomy style can be tricky. If you’ve had reconstructive surgery, your new F(OO)Bs don’t act the way your old boobs used to. If you had a unilateral mastectomy and are now rocking one breast, you’re probably wondering what tops will flatter both sides of your chest. And if you’re flat after double mastectomy, you probably want to find something that will fit great, and feel even better. No matter what kind of surgery you’ve had, what your reconstructive choice is, or where you find yourself in your post-mastectomy adventure, we have fit and fashion tips that are sure to inspire once you have healed from your breast surgery.

We can probably all agree that the average post-mastectomy bra at a mastectomy shop is kind of, well, THE WORST. Finding the right bra for your body is already tough enough when you have “regular” boobs, but now that yours have been removed because of a mastectomy, or if you are in the process of reconstructing, things are even trickier, more complicated, and seemingly impossible.

See yourself as YOU again by following these steps if you hate your current post-mastectomy bra: