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Here are some tips and techniques that many of us have learned about or devised as we've used the Brava system. We hope that you find something helpful here. Before following any advice found on this site, always consult with a physician familiar with your medical history and personal concerns.
If you are seeking advice not found here, or you wish to share advice of your own, please visit the Bravargh blog. Be sure to find the appropriate category on the right for submitting advice. Thanks very much!
Your Body
In addition to what is stated in the Brava manual, we offer the following general tips:
- Rin cleans her skin with baby shampoo on the rough side of a facecloth, then rinses and dries with a towel and a blow-dryer before applying the domes. (Also see section on skin lesions and blisters.)
- Emily uses unscented baby wipes to clean her skin before applying the domes. (Also see section on skin lesions and blisters.)
- Clean your skin thoroughly after removing the domes, to remove the sticky coating of the domes. PMB10 recommends using baby oil to remove the residual dome coating, as it's gentler on your skin than soap.
- When you put your domes on, press them gently but firmly against your chest while the Smartbox creates a seal. If you can't get them on properly using the bend-over-and-stretch method, put them on while lying on a bed, or put them on upright, while looking in a mirror to make sure the nipple is pointed toward the center of the dome.
- Turn the Smartbox in toward your chest so you don't accidentally press the buttons and turn the system off in the night, or make a container for it out of a small box.
- Rather than cleaning the Smartbox as described in the manual (Brava Customer Support now tells us to never get the Smartbox wet), run a dry cycle. Remove the rubber port cover, turn the Smartbox upside down in its cleaning tray, and turn it on. You can run it this way for ten minutes every day, up to 2-3 hours or more.
- Inspect every component of your system every day! If there are any problems, contact Brava Customer Service right away. It may be easier to have your doctor handle repairs and replacements for you.
If you feel burning or pain while you're using the system, you may be developing a skin lesion. Brava recommends you stop using the system. You can try our tips for taking care of them if you want to try to continue using the system. If you're not careful, these could lead to permanent scarring. Emily recommends preventing damage before it ever occurs, the first time you use your system.
Rin's advice:
Telfa is Curad's brand of non-stick dressing, like the stuff in the middle of a band-aid. It's like cotton, with a plastic coating on both sides. The plastic coating prevents the cotton from sticking to your domes. Many companies make products like telfa, and you can pick them up at your local drugstore.
New Skin is an "antiseptic liquid bandage" product you paint over a blister or wound to help it heal. It is very difficult to remove (it's really not meant to be removed, I don't think, I think it's meant to stay on until it comes off by itself, but you can't wear it under the domes). It stings if you put it on an open wound. You can buy it at your local drugstore.
For wearing the domes: My doctor told me to cut a small piece of telfa, just small enough to cover the blister or lesion, and place it over the lesion, then put on the domes.
When the domes are off, wash the area and use triple-antibiotic cream (with or without pain relief) over the area. For a blister, my doctor recommended painting over the area with Newskin to help it heal.
I started out doing that, and my lesions sometimes got better and sometimes got worse. I only had a couple of little blisters, but I found the Newskin so difficult to remove (I was abrading the area I was trying to heal when I would take it off), that I gave up on using it. I think it would be possible to leave it on and cover with telfa, if it were a small area.
This is what ended up really working for me: I ended up not caring so much about my domes, since you can wash the cotton right off if a little bit happens to get on by accident. I ripped the plastic coating off of one side of the telfa. This made the pad much softer against my raw skin. I'd wash the area with baby shampoo and a face cloth before applying the domes, as recommended by my doctor and Brava. Then I'd put triple antibiotic cream over the lesions. Then I'd cover with the telfa, cotton side down. Then I'd apply my domes. I have to do this every day, but my lesions are looking much better. They haven't ripped open again since I started using the telfa cotton-side down against my skin with the antibiotic cream.
Emily's advice:
Prevention, prevention, prevention. The skin between the breasts is thin and takes
a lot of abuse from the BRAVA domes. This is where blisters and scarring are most
apt to occur. (Rin's note -- my lesions are near my armpits.) Once a blister occurs
(I got one the FIRST night) they are extremely hard to get rid of. Do NOT wait to
do something about blisters.
I happen to use Carefree bodyshaped pantiliners (unscented) because they are
cheap. You can use your favorite brand.
1. Do NOT remove the paper that covers the sticky glue. The silicone dome will set
on this protective paper.
2. Cut off the outer trim which leaves a rectangular shaped pad. Cut the pad in half
lengthwise. This gives you two strips. You only need one strip each time you wear
the domes.
3. Use micropaper tape (hospital tape) to attach the pantiliner to the chest in-between
your breasts. (lengthwise)
4. Put your domes on. Turn on the Smartbox. You may need to make adjustment to the
placement of the pantiliner after your domes are on while you are trying to create
a tight seal. At this point you can even pull the tape off your skin. The domes will
hold the pantiliner in place.
If you end up with scars, try using Curad Scar Therapy pads (available at your local drugstore) or Mederma (link in the links section).
The coating on the domes can cause an allergic rash. If you don't want to stop using the system as recommended by Brava, you can try our techniques for treating the rash yourself.
Rin's advice:
My rashes aren't too severe. They were definitely worse in the summer. I wouldn't want to use this system in the warm weather again. I found that when I removed the domes, even if the rash wasn't so bad then, it would get worse after I ran, and worse still after a shower.
When I first bought my system, my doctor already knew all about the skin problems and had a handout on how to deal with them. One piece of advice was to always wash your skin after removing the system. I always have, but that hasn't prevented the rashes.
She also advised to use over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream on the rash. For "pimple-type eruptions," she recommends lotrimin lotion. I tried both of those, but they didn't cure my rash. She then gave me samples of a stronger steroid for my rash, and that has helped it more. I still have it every day. When it flares particularly badly, I use the prescription-strength steroid cream.
I've never tried to do anything for my rash while the domes are on.
PMB10's advice:
At the first hint of a rash I would smooth benadryl cream on the area and this seemed to nip it in the bud.
KJanine's advice:
If it is that itchy diaper-type rash:
Buy Skin Prep (by Smith & Nephew) spray or wipes.
Buy Witch Hazel, it is a gentle astringent used for bug bites. (Don't buy
the green one with additives in it...it looks almost flourescent! Buy the clear
cheap one.)
You will also need cotton balls.
Wipe the entire breast area, including where the domes sit, with cotton balls soaked
in witch hazel.
Use a blow dryer, held away from your body so it isn't too hot, and dry your breasts
and surrounding area very well. What you want is really dry skin in that area.
Once this is done, spray Skin Prep on all the areas where the domes sit and where
that ridge inside the dome might sit should your breasts swell and touch that too.
Make sure to get it under the arm area next to your breasts. Do spray around
there but not too much. Again blow this dry. Your skin should now look like
you sprayed hairspray on it (don't use hairspray...just mentioning that for visual
purposes).
Now use Cortisone 10+. It is only 1% cortisone and is available over
the counter. Put a very slight layer on only the areas that are really badly rashed. Again
use the blow dryer but it really won't dry. Now spray the Skin Prep over the
whole area again paying special attention to the areas with cream. Now blow
dry a lot again and get everything really dry. The areas with cream will be
tacky. Don't worry about it :) Don't get your skin too hot... hold
the blow dryer at a distance so your skin feels feels warm/cool.
Now when you have done the best you can with this...put your domes on and once you
start the pressure, pull them very tight to your chest.
This worked wonders for me, and at 15 weeks of trial and error when you take the
domes off the next morning, the rash will be almost gone, and much better.
I only do this layering technique when I have a bad rash. It is a lot of work.
Once it clears up, use only the Skin Prep and skip the cream until after you have
taken your domes off for the day, then use ALOE GEL (the clear one) and a little
cortisone in the areas that have a little rash.
To clean her domes, KJanine soaks them in warm water and baby shampoo for about forty-five minutes, then replaces the water/shampoo mixture and rubs them gently, then rinses them and lets them dry.
Most women, when they first use the system, experience backache during sleep. This may be because we aren't accustomed to sleeping on our backs in such a rigid position all night.
Rin's advice:
First, the backache won't last forever, so don't despair. To manage the pain while you do have the backache, you can try the following:
- Put a pillow under your knees, and don't use one under your head. This presses the lower back into the bed.
- Put a cold-pack (I use the kind that comes with padded lunch boxes) under your back. I found this made the pain bearable enough for me to sometimes fall back to sleep.
- Vary your sleeping location. I slept half the night in bed, and then when I woke up with a backache, I'd move to the couch. On the couch, I could wedge myself into the corner with pillows (it's an L-shaped set of couches, actually). In fact, at week 17, I still find it easier to sleep on the couch some nights.
PMB10's advice:
I rarely slept in my Brava, but when I did I would not only put a pillow under my knees, but found that a pillow under each arm also helped tremendously. It helps hold your arms up more even with those big domes. I found when I allowed my arms to rest back on the mattress (I was in L's and XL's) it pulled the domes and was painful.
The System
Domes lose their tacky seal with use (the coating peels off and rolls into little sticky balls). Some women recommend washing them as little as possible to prevent this loss. Others have had luck washing them every day. Rin's doctor recommended washing them with force, but this only peeled off more of the coating when she tried it.
If your domes lose their seal within the warranty period, get them replaced! See if your doctor will handle this procedure for you.
Once your domes lose their seal, it's hard to keep them on without losing the vacuum. To prevent vacuum loss, you can wear something over your Brava bra to help hold the domes in place, such as an ace bandage, a tube top, or another sports bra.
Some women on the forum used a body glue called "It Stays," which can be bought at healthylegs.com. Women have had varying luck with it.
The Skin Prep, by Smith & Nephew, also helps the domes adhere better to the body.
Do NOT clean your Smartbox with liquid of any kind, no matter what the instruction manual states. Use the filters provided by BRAVA. If you perspire heavily, you can cut a pantiliner to fit the inside tip of your dome to absorb sweat before it enters the tubing connected to the Smartbox.
Press the domes to your chest while the Smartbox is running to gain a better seal. The better the seal, the less the Smartbox has to work. You can do this by lying on the floor, on the bed, sitting bent over your knees in a chair. You can also try crossing your arms across your chest and pressing gently but firmly.
If think you are accidentally turning your Smartbox off, you can try facing it toward your chest when you put the system on. If this doesn't work, make a container for it out of a small box (Rx packaging, etc.). This will protect the on/off buttons from being bumped and turning the system off accidentally.
If your Smartbox is sounding weak, it may be flooded. Run a dry cycle. Take the rubber port cover off of the port, turn the box upside down in its cleaning tray, and turn it on. You can run it this way for 2-3 hours, or even longer. Some women run one every day for 10 minutes (using the alarm as a timer).
Inspect your Smartbox every day. Make sure there are no cracks in the stem, or anywhere else on the box. Make sure it's uploading data, and that it's uploading data correctly. If you note any problems with the Smartbox and you're under warranty, contact Brava Customer Service right away. If you are under warranty, Brava will send you a loaner Smartbox while they repair yours, so that you don't miss any days of wear.
If you're not under warranty and you need to have your Smartbox repaired, you can still arrange for a loaner. They'll put a hold (not a charge) on your credit card until they receive their loaner back. You must pay to send your Smartbox to Brava, and the repair will cost $50 - $100.
If your Smartbox stops working altogether, some women have had luck sucking the air out of the domes and using a barrette to clamp the tube. One woman's Smartbox stopped working and she opened it up, discovered that a soldered connection had come disconnected, and soldered it back together herself (it worked).
From Rin:
My Smartbox developed a thin crack in the stem in my seventeenth week. As the system was no longer under warranty and I didn't want to pay to have this fixed, my husband fixed it by wrapping the stem with kevlar thread. Ordinary thread is too weak to use, but a stronger thread that is less expensive than the kevlar thread might work.
He bought the kevlar thread from Edmund Scientifics (about $20). He tied a "constrictor knot" around the bottom of the stem. He then tightly wrapped the string around the stem and the loose end of thread from the knot. This held the crack closed. He then tied a knot at the top, using the loose end of the original knot. In fashion true to himself, he thinks there's probably a better way to do it, but I'm not unwrapping my Smartbox to let him try!
PJHamm's advice:
For a crack in the Smartbox stem, use a small amount of epoxy designed specifically for plastic only. Work the epoxy into the crack with a toothpick and then coat the outside of the crack. Gently clamp the stem together for twelve hours.
Any ideas, ladies? If anybody who's used sucking/baretting would like to write in, I'd appreciate it. Please use the advice submission form.
I was told by my doctor to trim them -- I haven't had to yet.
Any ideas, ladies? If so, please use the advice submission form.
Wet filters can be reused. Simply let them dry out, and then clean them as described in the information which came with your original set of filters. (This information is also available on the Brava website.)
If you don't perspire heavily, you may not need to use the filters at all.
Always apply the filters very gently, as the filters themselves may cause cracks in the Smartbox stem.
For many of us, the data component of the Brava system did not work. This included the following:
- Doctor didn't take measurements or photos
- Doctor took photos while there was still significant swelling
- Smartbox cradle lights failed to light properly
- Smartbox stored incorrect wear data
- Smartbox failed to upload data
- Smartbox stopped storing data
Therefore, we recommend keeping your own records. Take your own measurements in exactly the same way at the same time, every day or every week. Take your own photos, again, at the same time of the day every week or month. Also, select one bra and compare its fit throughout your use of the system.
Obtaining a Brava
Buying a used Brava, or a new Brava through non-authorized sources
In the links section of this website, there's a link to a used medical equipment resaler which sells used Brava systems. They also sometimes sell completely new Brava systems. If you buy a Brava this way, then you don't have the support of a doctor (the value of which is questionable), you won't be able to upload your data to their website (which doesn't necessarily work for those of us who paid for it), and you won't have the warranty (which doesn't cover the time you'll probably have to use the system anyway). If you can get a completely new Brava system through this resource for half the price of a Brava through a doctor, it seems like a good gamble. In fact, one woman on the forum recommended trying to buy two systems, so you'd have extra parts. You may need extra parts, because the system components don't last very well, and Brava won't sell you domes if you didn't buy through them. Bear in mind that the resaler doesn't often have complete new systems to buy.
Buying a used Brava system, however, whether through another user or through this resource, doesn't seem like a very good idea. The system does not hold up well through one user's wear, so whether it would even last through two is questionable. The domes look disgusting after just a few weeks of wear. There are questions of whether sharing the domes would be a hygienic practice (Brava says it isn't).
Buying a Brava through an authorized physician
The way Brava wants you to buy their system is through a Brava-authorized physician. The physician's role is to determine whether you're a candidate for the system, measure you, and monitor your progress. This does not seem worth the money you pay for it, but it's the easiest way to get a Brava, and it's the only way to get a Brava with warranty and support from the Brava company (which is of questionable value).
If you do buy through a Brava authorized physician, shop around (if possible). In some areas, it's hard to find a doctor who sells the system. In others, there are many choices. If you are one of the lucky ones with many choices, then ask for recommendations on the forum. Find out what the doctor gives you for the amount of money you're paying (some doctors do MRIs and take volume measurements, some don't take any measurements at all). Find out if there are extra charges (some doctors charge an initial "consultation fee" which is in addition to the $2500 for the system). Find out if the doctor has helped other patients who've had problems with their equipment which Brava was reluctant to solve.
If we were doing it over again, we'd try to find a doctor who'd offer some sort of money-back guarantee. Make sure the terms of this are clearly defined. (Satisfaction guaranteed, or some growth guaranteed? How is it measured?). They probably won't, since the system obviously doesn't work for everyone. But it's worth asking!
Because your doctor is only paying $1400 for the Brava, see if you can negotiate a lower price. (What they do isn't very much, and in some offices, visits are handled by nurses and phone calls are handled by receptionists.)
We have found that many of our doctors measure us before our swelling has subsided for the day, and claim that we have "growth." Here are our tips for visiting the doctor:
- Visit at least four hours after you've removed the domes, preferably more.
- Don't visit during a time of the month when you'd naturally be swelling (e.g. just before your period, for some women).
- Make sure you're always inhaling or exhaling during the measurement. Varying this will vary your size.
- Make sure the person taking your measurement is holding the tape measure level with the floor.
If you decide to buy a Brava without using a physician, you'll need to buy the system in the appropriate sizes. The domes come in narrow and wide widths, and in small, medium, large, and extra-large depths.
Buy two sets of domes in different depths, because as you swell, you'll outgrow the smaller set of domes.
We believe that the narrow width is for women whose chest circumference at the inframammary fold (under-bust) is 27" or less.
We can't imagine using the small domes, as you'd outgrow them pretty quickly. Even AA women have started out in mediums. Similarly, the extra-larges are extremely deep, but if you're a B-cup to start, you probably need to use large/extra-large.
There is also a bra, which comes in different sizes.
One woman on the site claimed that she created her own vacuum-suction breast growth device, similar to a Brava. She had used it eight weeks and had grown from a AA to a full B.
We are extremely skeptical about this device, especially since the woman hasn't posted since that initial message, and so we have no way of questioning her about it or of learning if, once she stopped using her system, the increase stuck. It seems like an awfully quick increase to be growth. We strongly recommend against trying this. According to the Khouri article, there are several components of the Brava that are designed to prevent damage to the wearer, and which cause the Brava to work where other devices which use the same principles have failed to work.
However, here is a description of the woman's device:
She said the device cost her about $40 to build. From the plumbing supply department at Lowes, she bought:
- two "faucet protectors," at $2 each. These are the equivalent of the Brava domes.
- five feet of RVFD 5/16 OD vinyl clear, flexible tubing for $1.75, and a "barbed 't'" to fit the tubing and two single barbed connectors ($5). This would be the equivalent of the Brava tubing.
To create the vacuum, she bought a Coleman "rechargeable quickpump" in the camping supplies department of Lowes or Walmart, for about $29.
To create the system, she cut the tubing into two sections of one foot length each, leaving one three foot section. She attached one end of the three foot section to the small adaptor that comes with the quickpump, and connected the adaptor to the pump. She attached the other end to the single end of the t-connector, and attached one end of each of the two shorter tubes to the sides of the t-connector. She then inserted the other end of each of the short tubes into the tops of the faucet protectors. Then you must find your own way to create a seal. She used duct tape.
Once again, this is a highly questionable device which could likely cause injury. At the very least, we would think, skin damage from the duct tape. More seriously, skin lesions and damage to the breast tissue.