The Shirl Bra’s patent-pending double zipper with a snap at top allows the patient or caregiver to secure the bra easily, even with limited mobility. Based on swelling or comfort, the patient can use one of the two front closure zipper options for the right amount of support. Further considering the comfort of a woman after an intensive surgery, there is also a wide band of fabric under the zipper prevents it from rubbing the skin.
February is a fitting time for the promotion of this bra, as we recognize Heart Health Month. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Over 410,000 cardiac surgeries are performed in American women each year.” Many patients are sent home without a product that works for them or with the knowledge that they’ll need a different bra during recovery. Beyond heart surgery, those with certain types of breast surgeries, as well shoulder surgeries, now have a solution for comfortable recovery.
“As a company, heart&core was launched to support patients looking for comfort and ease during post-surgical recovery,” said Jen Swendseid, CEO of heart&core. “We’ve listened over the years to patients and care providers to understand different needs in different types of surgery. This one-of-a-kind bra enables us to add another innovative option to our product line so that each patient can search by the features they need.”
With breast surgery, it’s a given that a recovery bra is essential. However, with education and awareness, more care providers and surgery patients are recognizing the need for a specialized bra after heart surgery. And while many bras are labeled “post-surgical bras” as a catch-all for all surgeries, the Shirl Bra was designed with feedback from a major medical institution after wear tests on heart surgery patients. With these specific features, the bra is now actively being used or recommended by surgeons who recognize the importance of a post-heart surgery bra.
“Our staff and patients love the bras from heart&core,” said Dr. Kelli Pettit of ProHealth Medical Group in Waukesha, Wisc. “Not only are the bras stylish for our patients, they also provide amazing comfort, coverage, and care. The fabric on the bras is very soft, but also gives our patients great support in the areas where they need it most. The bras provide enough coverage without leaving a place for tissue or tubes to get caught or bulge out of place for a discrete fit. This has been great because it makes the bras feel less like a hospital issued garment. The wide range of adjustability of the bra strap width is also a great aspect of the product so that our patients recovering from procedures can be comfortable and secure.”
It cannot be understated the importance to wear a bra with just the right amount of support, a front closure to pull the sides together for support, adjustable straps to lift and keep breast tissue in place and not pull on incisions as they heal—the weight of the breast tissue can have a negative effect if not supported.
Echoed by the British Heart Foundation’s Heart Matters, “Women should wear a soft, non-underwired bra day and night for the month following cardiac surgery. Weight from the breasts can pull on the new wound, which may slow or compromise healing. And if the breasts shift around, particularly when you are lying down, this can place a strain on the wound.”
heart&core’s patent-pending zipper and adjustable straps already serve as points of differentiation from many products, as each patient needs customization for a perfect fit. The Shirl Bra, as well as all of heart&core’s products, include special features to assist in the comfort of the bras:
Sporty yet practical racerback design keeps straps from falling
Wide, flat band prevents rolling or twisting
Medical grade Velcro is soft yet strong
Premium fabric blend (95% nylon/5% spandex) is silky soft, strong, antimicrobial, breathable, dries quickly and maintains shape
Seamless tag means no itching
Universal band sizing up to 60″
“We are so excited about this bra, as it perfectly complements our line of post-surgical bras thoughtfully designed with each unique patient in mind,” said Lara Regan, CMO of heart&core. “We’re grateful to have already received positive feedback from patients and hospitals about how this bra uniquely serves heart surgery patients. We know this new bra can support many women facing different types of surgery, and we hope it helps to ease their discomfort during recovery.”
As with all heart&core bras, the Shirl Bra is FSA and HSA approved, which allows women undergoing surgery to order with their funds. However, this also brings up the need for insurance companies to recognize the need for specialized bras after heart surgery and cover them as part of insurance plans. With breast cancer-related surgeries, patients have at least two bras covered: one to wash and one to wear. Heart surgery patients have the same need for these bras. With a spotlight on the number of these surgeries a year as well as the need for a recovery bra, it would be ideal for this coverage of bras to be extended to other types of surgery, like heart surgery.
“While we’re thrilled that people can use their FSA and HSA accounts to purchase our Shirl Bra, we hope this opens the conversation for why heart surgery bras are essential to the recovery process and therefore should be considered for insurance coverage,” Swendseid said. “We’re thankful for our partners who are delivering these bras to their patients, and we hope to expand with more opportunities to help the growing number of women facing heart surgery.”
About heart&core Sports & Medical LLC
heart&core was launched by two sisters in 2009, inspired by their mom’s experience with breast cancer. After a day of shopping for bras during her recovery from lumpectomy and radiation treatment, they knew they needed to create a bra with all the unique features specific to patients’ needs post-surgery. And in that one shopping trip, an idea was born.
Their collection is known for details like patented drain management, multiple areas of adjustability and a wide range of sizes.
heart&core’s mission is to create products that make a difference. Their bras are designed for real challenges, real needs and real people. Their goal is to make post-surgical recovery a more positive experience.
For more information, visit heartandcore.com
