Search for what goes under a compression garment and you'll get three names — ab board, lipo foam, lipo board — used almost interchangeably by sellers who often can't tell you the difference either. There are really two products here, and they do different jobs.
Why anything goes under there at all
A compression garment follows the shape of the body underneath it. That's what fabric does. So the pressure it applies isn't uniform — it's higher wherever the body is more prominent and lower in the hollows.
A board or a sheet of foam sits between your skin and the garment and creates a flatter, firmer intermediate surface. The garment then presses against that surface instead of directly against the contour, which spreads the load rather than concentrating it on high points.
That's the entire concept. Everything else is a variation on it.
Ab board (also sold as "lipo board")
A rigid or semi-rigid contoured panel, usually high-density EVA foam, shaped to the curve of the abdomen and waist. It's a single piece. You place it over the abdomen and close the garment over it.
Because it's firm, it holds its own shape rather than taking the shape of what's underneath — that's the point. Density is what separates a board that works from one that doesn't: a soft one deforms to the contour within an hour and you're back where you started.
Most are trimmable, which matters more than it sounds. Torsos vary, and a board that's too tall digs in at the ribs.
Lipo foam
Softer, thinner, more flexible — usually sold in sheets or pre-cut pads. It doesn't create a rigid plane the way a board does. It's used more for cushioning and for covering broader or more irregular areas where a rigid board wouldn't sit right.
Some protocols use foam alone, some use foam under a board, some use neither. That's genuinely your surgeon's call and it varies by what was done and where.
Which one do you need?
Honestly: ask the office. This is one of the most protocol-dependent parts of the whole recovery kit, and the answer differs between surgeons operating on the same procedure.
What we can tell you is what to look for once you know which one you need:
- Density, stated. "High-density EVA" is a real spec. "Comfortable foam" is not.
- Contoured, not flat. A flat rectangle against a curved waist creates its own pressure points at the edges.
- Trimmable. You will almost certainly want to adjust the height.
- Washable. This thing lives against your skin for weeks.
How it goes on
Board against the skin — or over a soft cotton shirt if you're getting any irritation, which is common and worth heading off early. Then close the faja over it. Most people take it out for showering and sleeping, but again, your surgeon sets that.
If you notice a distinct edge pressing in, the board is too big for your torso. Trim it. That's what the trimming is for, and people put up with the digging far longer than they need to.
The VYRA Ab Board is high-density EVA, contoured to the waist curve, and trimmable. Always follow your surgeon's instructions on whether to use a board or foam, and for how long.