I recently had 360 Lipo and a mini tummy tuck. I am currently 2-1/2 weeks post surgery and at the stage 2 faja need which is supposed to be fairly tight to help shape the body/skin to new contours. I have several compression tanks that give decent support but better when I wear my lipo foam to make it tighter. But trying to go to work stuffed with lipo foam looks a bit odd. So I have been searching for some kind of full torso waist trainer tight support compression garment. I didn't want anything that has legs or buttons at crotch as those always show weird lines through pants and impossible to pee in without getting undressed. But I also didn't want something that just wrapped around the waist and would leave skin hanging out above and below that could become creased as its important to have a flat even compression for the skin to adhere and heal properly.
This looked like it would fit the bill to keep my posture straight and provide full torso compression, and it does the trick! Based on reviews I read, I also ordered 2 sizes down from what the size chart told me based on measurements so definitely agree to size down if you want it tight. Size chart showed me at probably Lg/Med but I took a chance and ordered the small. Is certainly tight and I have it on the very first outer notches right now, but got it to button up relatively easy. I still have a lot of swelling only being a couple weeks post surgery so I know as that continues to get better I will have room to cinch it tighter as needed. I currently have on a compression tank against my skin to help so the ribbing on this won't dig into my skin as bad and leave marks. My ab board on top of the compression tank then this is cinched over all that - lots of layers to get it just right, but I am wanting to do everything right so my results are the best possible. The tight compression that this adds is really nice to make me feel supported (you tend to feel a tad vulnerable after this kind of surgery while things are healing and painful) and seems to also be helping with my pain level which I wasn't expecting. Feel like I have a suit of armor on, lol. Very happy so far with how this feels.
Few specifics that were important to me that I want to note:
First for reference I am 5'4" and about 135lbs - I am a pretty small person all over, my tummy was always an issue no matter what I did so hence the surgery I did.
1. The straps do dig a bit into the front of my arm pit, but doesn't seem like its anything bad that will make it uncomfortable. I wanted full torso support so its to be expected. I think this will totally depend on your body structure as well. If you are a tad heavier and have more arm/back fat I can see how this would dig in harder making it more uncomfortable. If you have a more slender upper body it doesn't seem to be a problem. I saw a few similar options that had more of a racer back set up and think if you are heavier that would dig less...but then of course you get spill over which tends to make doing things like this irrelevant as you don't want the fat popping out the point is to hold it all in. So take that advice as you will depending on your body structure.
2. Saw some reviews about length being too long or too short. It sits perfect on me, right below my hips just above where my leg crease is when I sit down. This is perfect as my hips were included in the lipo so I needed the garment to be low enough to keep that area under compression as well, but want to be able to sit down without it digging into me. This will obviously depend on how long/short your torso is.
3. For me, being able to use the ab board with this is a perfect combo. My compression tanks aren't tight enough to really suck the ab board against me so wasn't sure how to get it to really work for the intended purpose to sit up straight and allow the body to contour properly for my lipo/tummy tuck and a new flat stomach! When I put this on initially without the ab board it seemed to really want to crease in at the point right above what's currently left of my little lower belly pooch thats still swollen. That would have been annoying and uncomfortable without the ab board to give a really rigid support there in the front. As I mentioned I still have lots of swelling that will take time to go down and that little belly pooch is the worst, so having it want to cave in right there would leave a weird mark in my healing skin. But again for my purposes, this isn't to hold in fat (as it would have been pre-surgery) its to hold my body together as it heals, prevent swelling and help it contour to my new shape after surgery. So this combined with the ab board is perfect. but just note it might crease there at your lower tummy pooch if you have one.
4. I mentioned above but I did size down about 2 sizes compared to what the chart would have me buy. I think this will really depend on your goal for how tight it is and if it digs into other areas. I am pretty slender all over and wanted it as tight as I can handle comfortably so goal achieved for me to go with a small. My waist is about 32" swollen at last measure which I think put me in a large. That might be ok if I wanted a soft compression to smooth out rolls. But I needed it tight and the small fits super tight on the first outer hooks. And I know as swelling continues to go down it will be perfect to adjust down as I go. You may have to order try on and send back to get the right fit...hard to go off a chart as I think we all have different body types and goals for what you want this garment to do.
5. I read a few reviews that talked about it moving around and riding up. For me its not doing that at all, sitting very solid and in place with any movement. I think pre-surgery when I had more fat to deal with it might ride up around that. Its certainly weird to have a nice slender waist/tummy/hips now so things just to sit better and not move around. So this will again depend on your body type. I feel the frustration of any excess fat moving things around been that way my whole life and no compression garment can really make you look skinny if that's what you want...that pesky fat finds somewhere else to pop out and look worse usually. Getting size based on the chart if you are heavier might be better for all those factors, if you go too tight will likely move up and push fat out in other areas.
6. I also read a few reviews about the compression loosening as you wear it. I will update my review if this changes as this is my first day wearing it. but so far feels just as tight as when I put it on in the morning. This again may depend on the size you get and how tight you can cinch it down.
7. you can't really wear this and have a tight top against it, you will 100% see the corset hooks and ribbing, so beware of that. I always hated that about these types of things as the goal was to be able to wear something form fitting and look slender...but it would be obvious you are wearing some kind of corset under your clothes. Pairing this with something that isn't skin tight though will work.
8. If any of you are post surgery like me, I wouldn't recommend wearing this 24 hours a day. I know the ribbing even with a tank against my skin will likely push in and leave some marks. So I still plan at night to just wear my compression tank and use the lipo foam to provide a soft even compression and make sure I don't end up with any permanent ridges or marks. This will be for work/day time only. As soon as I get home it will come off and lipo foam will replace until I am healed enough to just wear compression tanks without the foam. The ribbing was my only hesitation with this as its important to keep even compression on my torso, but hard to find. The ribbing does really help it to sit straight and not ride up. I think this will be fine with the evening rotation of the foam and will try to keep off over the weekends as well. Hoping the tank under it will also help act as a bit of a barrier to the ribbing sitting right against my skin.
Hope this review helps go through some of the pros/cons I looked at a ton of options. I absolutely love it though, I sent back several other compression garments on the hunt for just the right thing and this was it for me. Overall compression garments suck, especially if the goal is to reduce the look of being a bit overweight or having problem areas...been a struggle all my life despite being in shape everywhere else. Can hardly wait to be all healed and finally have the waist I have wanted forever, thankful to have found this to help my post surgery healing and final body contours.
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