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As pioneers of the Brava device, we had hoped that it worked as implied on the Brava website. It is with sadness and disappointment that we provide this FAQ, offering the reality of Brava use that is our collective experience.
Deciding to use the Brava
Q: I'm not satisfied with my breast size. Should I try the Brava?
A: The answer to this question depends on what you're looking for. Are you willing to spend $2500 and a lot of your time for no breast size increase, since this is a possibility? How about an increase that even you don't find noticeable? Many women get some breast tissue, but not 100cc (which is a miniscule increase). Are you willing to spend $2500 and a lot of your time for a breast increase which you will only notice if you scrutizine your breasts? Very few women gain a cup size using Brava, even using it more than 10 weeks for more than 10 hours per day. If you will be satisfied with a very tiny change in your breast size, then the Brava is for you. If you're hoping to have larger breasts, the Brava is not for you. It simply doesn't deliver on that promise for most women. For most women it only adds some "fullness" to the breasts.
Besides the issue of what you'll gain, there is the issue of "compliance." Can you be in your house, basically not moving, not exercising, and not showering, for an absolute minimum of 10 hours per day? Can you do this every day for a minimum of 10 weeks?
Some women who have used the Brava have found they suffer from the symptoms of clinical depression while using the device. If you are prone to depression, take this seriously. The Brava severely limits your freedom.
Q: I understand that I fit the criteria of a "rapid responder." Does that mean I'll definitely get 100cc?
A: Nope. What's clear to us is that Brava and their authorized physicians have no idea who will benefit from using Brava and how much they'll gain.
Q: Brava conducted a scientific study which showed that women will gain 100cc by using the device 10 hours per day for 10 weeks. Why is your website so negative about the Brava?
A: Brava's website is advertising. They conducted the study. They threw almost one-third of the women out of the study. They are trying to sell you a Brava.
They don't print "results not typical" under the images in the "results of women" section of the site, but they don't say the results are typical, either. 100cc in 10 hours per day for 10 weeks is the arithmetic mean of the gains achieved by women in the study. The arithmetic mean is a good statistic to use if you have some high numbers and a lot of low numbers, to make the overall picture look rosier.
The purpose of this website is to help women understand the reality of using the Brava. It is intended as support for women who have already purchased one, and as an honest contrast to the Brava site for women who are contemplating purchasing one. This website was created as a free service by women who've used the Brava and know the reality, to help women who are only seeing the advertising put out by Brava and their authorized physicians. Brava is trying to sell the product and it also implies that if the product doesn't work, it is the fault of the woman using the system. This is not true. Brava does not work for everybody.
Q: You keep saying 100cc is miniscule, but a cup size is a significant amount of growth!
A: 100cc is probably not a cup size, unless you're already close to outgrowing your bra. Take a small plastic bag and put 100cc of water in it. You can measure 100cc with most medicine droppers or cups. Now place that in your bra.
Either you're a "rapid responder" and you'll gain 100cc or more (Brava does not tell us what percentage of users are "rapid responders," but it is most likely very low), or you're an "average" or "slow" responder, and you will not gain 100cc, even using the Brava more than 10 hours per day for 10 weeks.
Growth
Q: Does it really take only 10 hours/day for 10 weeks to gain a cup size?
A: If you're a lucky "rapid responder," then it might. Although they haven't changed their website to reflect it, Brava customer service representatives are now telling us to use the device 12-14 hours/day (16 is better), for 12-14 weeks (16 is better).
Q: Is 100cc a full cup size?
A: That's questionable. In the discussion by Sumner A. Slavin, M.D., which follows the Khouri article, Dr. Slavin writes "Why...would an increase of only 105.6cc allow patients to state they were a full cup size larger? ... a 100cc implant would not produce such a change."
Q: Did every woman in the Khouri study gain 100cc?
A: No. According to the Khouri article, women stabilized with a mean volume increase of 103 plus or minus 35 ml. In percent of initial volume, women gained from 15 to 115 % of initial volume, with an average of 55%.
Q: How many women in the Khouri study gained 100cc or more?
A: Brava refuses to disclose this information. One can only assume the worst, and the worst is that very few women gained 100cc or more. As this number is an arithmetic mean, a few "rapid responders" could have skewed the (much worse) results of most women. It is also worth noting that almost one-third of the women in the initial study were dropped from the study. Their data is not included in the results.
Q: Is the product guaranteed?
A: NO!
Q: Does everybody grow?
A: NO!
Q: Is this an alternative to breast augmentation surgery?
A: Not really. Women don't usually get 100cc implants.
Q: On the website, it shows that at five weeks I'll appear to have a cup-size growth, although it'll mostly be swelling. Will I be buying bras that are a cup size larger at five weeks?
A: This is somewhat misleading. Every day, you swell and then gradually lose the swelling. When you remove the system at five weeks, you'll have swelling which, after diminishing three hours, will reflect what you should see when you've finished using the system. It is important to realize that after four hours or so, most of your swelling is gone and you're back to (almost) where you started. And for most women, it seems, this swelling is not a cup size.
Q: If I wear it for 20 weeks, will I gain 200cc?
A: Apparently not. It seems that the amount of tissue you grow decreases with each "cycle." Brava service representatives are telling us 40-50cc for the second cycle (this may be more than 10 weeks, see above).
Q: How much did the women in the "results of women" section of the Brava website grow?
A: Brava customer service representatives are unable to tell us. (We would assume they got the best growth, which is more than 100cc, but we don't know.)
Q: How about using other breast-enhancement products, such as herbal creams or pills, while using the Brava?
A: Those of us who have used these products developed health problems while on the products which disappeared upon discontinuation of the products (and we did not observe lasting breast growth). Remember that "all natural" does not mean good for you! Cyanide, fen-phen, and snake venom are "all natural."
Use
Q: Can I really wear it in public?
A: Of course you can, but you probably won't want to. For one thing, the domes are huge and do not look like natural breasts. For another, it's very easy to pop the seal, which sounds a little like flatulance. If you pop the seal, or if you've had a slow leak, the smartbox pump will come on. The smartbox pump is loud enough to be easily heard in any but the loudest conditions.
Q: Is it truly comfortable to wear?
A: It's only comfortable to wear if you don't have lesions or rashes, you don't have a backache, and you're not moving. If you're trying to move around, it's not particularly comfortable. When you first wear it, you may have an excrutiating backache when you try to sleep (this could last up to three weeks). If you have lesions, you might feel burning or pain at the site of the lesions. The rash can itch.
Q: Can I do housework while wearing the Brava device?
A: Can you do housework without bending over, lifting your arms, or perspiring? It's not impossible, but it's very difficult to carry out your daily routine without losing the vacuum seal of the bra.
Q: What about affectionate and intimate contact?
A: It's very difficult to be affectionate and intimate while wearing the Brava, although possible. It is difficult to lift, hold, and cuddle children, impossible to hug, and challenging to be intimate with your partner. This becomes very tiresome with time.
Q: What about Brava and cancer?
A: Brava claims that the system will not cause cancer. However, you are growing tissue which could potentially develop cancer, and you are adding tissue to your breast which could make a breast exam more difficult to perform.
Q: Can I exercise during the time that I'm trying to grow breast tissue with the Brava?
A: You can, of course, and you should exercise. Exercise is necessary for physical and mental health. However, as exercising can decrease the amount of fat in your body and could cause you to lose weight, it could make growing tissue with the Brava device more difficult or even impossible. Brava customer service representatives have told us that if you're going to begin a rigorous exercise program, to do so prior to using the Brava. They have said you may continue with whatever program you're currently using and use the Brava at the same time. They have also told us that BMI (body mass index), is a factor in how well you grow tissue with the device.
The product
Q: Do I care for the device as described in the manual?
A: No! Don't clean the smartbox. Use the filters if necessary (but install them very gently on the smartbox), and run dry cycles when necessary. Some women recommend cleaning the domes as little as possible to preserve the tacky seal, some have had luck cleaning them every day.
Q: Is there anything else I'll have to do every day, besides wearing and cleaning the device?
A: Inspect all of the components, every day. Inspect the rims of your domes for loss of the tacky seal. Inspect the smartbox for cracks in the stem. If you notice any problems at all, call Brava customer service immediately. It may be easier to get parts fixed or replaced if you have your doctor handle this for you.
Q: Is the product warrantied?
A: Yes, but only for 90 days. If you're not a rapid responder, if you're hoping for more than 100cc, or if you miss a day or two of wear and have to make this up in extra weeks, you will have to wear the device beyond the warranty period to gain the tissue you're hoping for.
Q: Is the product FDA approved?
A: No. According to the Berkeley Wellness Letter, "the FDA has not reviewed it for effectiveness, but allowed it on the market as an unregulated device."
Q: What if my equipment fails and I'm under warranty?
A: Contact Brava customer service right away, and don't stop contacting them until your equipment is replaced. Keep track of every interaction with the company, and send follow-up mail after each conversation describing the problem, the outcome of the conversation, and the Customer Service Representative with whom you spoke. It may be easier to get parts fixed or replaced if you have your doctor handle this for you.
Q: What if my equipment fails and I'm not under warranty?
A: You can contact Brava customer service and get instructions from them. This will most likely include sending the equipment back for repair at your expense, or paying for new equipment. Or, you can look at the Advice section of this site and see if there are any hints on how to repair your system yourself.
Q: Will the smartbox accurately keep track of my wear pattern, and will I be able to see charts of my growth on the website?
A: Not necessarily. You're only going to see charts of your growth if your doctor takes the measurements (volume and circumference) and sends them to Brava. Many of our smartboxes made errors in uploading our data, and some simply stopped recording the data before we finished the 10 weeks. Some of us have no accurate charts at all on the Brava website. Therefore, keep track of your own data!