amoena Valetta Camisole question

Houndmommy · June 2011

The washing instructions say to hand wash - anyone use the gentle cycle on your washing machine? I paid a lot for these camisoles and don't want to ruin them but I would prefer to wahs them in the machine. Thanks! Kim

Erica3681 · June 2011

I hate to hand wash unless absolutely necessary. I don't have that camisole, so I'm not really much help, but I wash my Amoena bras in the machine and then hang them to dry. They've held up fine. Maybe using a delicate cycle would help.

BTW, how do you like the Valetta?

TokyoSing · June 2011

I also hate to handwash. I don't have the amoena camisole but I put all my handwashables in separate mesh bags and put them in with the rest of the wash. They have survived well.

Houndmommy · June 2011

I will probably machine wash them. I wash my amoena bras in the machine and they have been fine.

Barbara, I really like the camisole BUT, I can't wear it with a regular breast form because the pocket goes too far down and so the prosthesis, is waaaay below where my real breast is (does that make sense?). I also have a contact form and it works fine with the camisole. I was quite disappointed when I realized I couldn't use my non-contact breast form and was going to post here to see if anyone had similar problems. I have wondered if the problem is because my real breast is a small "B" cup and so of course my breast form is smaller but I am nearly 6 feet tall and so I got a size 10 camisole so it would be long enough. The size 8 fit too but I decided to get the one that was a little bigger to give myself a little extra room. The 10 fits well - it is snug and doesn't gap anywhere so it isn't too big for me. Anyway, is this a common problem with camisoles? I really love the Valetta - it is very comfortable and I wore it alone as a top and felt good in it. It was nice in the hot weather not to have to wear a bra. I really hope it washes well. I do wish though that I could wear my non-contact breast form in the pocket.

BoobsinaBox · June 2011

I had that same problem with tlc camis in two styles. I think they don't try them on with forms, just on models with boobs. Duh!

Dawn

nagem · June 2011

I'm not familiar with this camisole, but couldn't you just stitch above the bottom of the pocket to keep the foobs from sliding down? Nothing ever seems to fit me (5' 10" and on the slender side), so I'm constantly tweaking garments (not always successfully).

chrissyb · June 2011

To wash anything that says hand wash in the washing machine, use a stocking or delicates bag and the delicate/gentle selection on your machine. I do this with the most delicate of fabrics and have no problem. I also only use tepid water and a very mild detergent.

Love n hugs. Chrissy

Anne888 · June 2011

I'm 5'2" and an A cup, and the only mastectomy camisole I've found that actually looks "normal" and makes the foobie side match the real side is the "Stiil You" camisole from WomansPersonalHealth.com. There are "Illusions" Breast Forms sold separately that fit perfectly in the pocket. I wear these camis often and wash in a mesh bag on a cold, gentle cycle with other delicates. Unfortunately, they are expensive compared to many other camisoles I've seen, but this is the ONLY cami style that fits me.

Houndmommy · June 2011

Thanks everyone. Anne888, I'll look into the Still You camis.

Erica3681 · June 2011

The Still You camisole is also sold at MakeMeHeal as the Hope Tank Top. They are expensive compared to some camis but wear very well, so long as you air dry them (machine washing is fine). They are my staple garment--so comfortable. They can be worn with Illusions but also work with foam or microbead forms.

Barbara

BreastFree.org

Anne888 · June 2011

Barbara, thanks for pointing out another source for the Still You cami. I checked out MakeMeHeal and saw that they have this camisole in pink - a color not available from WomansPersonalHealth. I just ordered the pink to add to my collection! Which foam forms are you using with the Still You cami?

Erica3681 · June 2011

Hi Anne888,

I wear the Still You cami most often with my old Amoena Leisure forms, Style 126. I say "old" because they've reformulated the foam and I don't like the new forms as much. The older forms were made of latex foam. While almost weightless, they had a very slight amount of heft which helped them stay in place for me. I guess because of latex allergies (even though the foam was covered), they now use polyurethane foam in that form and I don't like it as much.

Since my old 126s are aging, I've tried the American Breast Care Memory Foam Form, Style 916. The memory foam is kind of like a Tempurpedic mattress LOL. They have a very nice shape and removable covers, though they aren't soft at all. I've gotten used to that, though. They look very natural in the Still You even though they probably wouldn't pass the hug test. I've noticed over the almost-five years since my mastectomy that very few people give me a big tight bear hug and usually the ones that do know all about my situation, so I've stopped worrying too much about hugging and instead focus on getting a natural look in clothes (and being comfortable!).

But if you like the Illusions forms, those seem like the perfect solution, since they're so soft yet lightweight. My main problem with them in the Still You cami is that the little points at each end of the oval tend to stick out a bit. Maybe I have a weird-shaped chest. Have you found them to hold up well after washing?

Barbara

Anne888 · June 2011

Well, I don't know if I've run into more huggers since my mastectomy, or if I'm just more aware of them, but I seem to run into a lot of them, lol. I have a single mast. so a big advantage of the Illusions forms for me is that the form comes with a light shaper for the other breast. That way they both look the same in the cami. My experience has been that they last for a loooong time. I do wash the form by hand, even tho I put the cami in the washer. And I don't wash the form nearly as often as I wash the cami. The illusions form is probably best for my needs, but I couldn't resist asking because even after 10 years I'm still always looking for "something better." (And I always appreciate your suggestions and reviews!)

Lunakin · June 2011

The hug test!

I'm a uni mx, and know I don't feel the same on both sides. Is there any form that really feels like breast tissue? Then there's the temperature difference.

I tend to do a one-sided hug anyway since I'm not really the huggy type....except with DH who doesn't care about symmetry as long as he's getting the hug.

Sher · June 2011

Barbara and Anne888, have you tried the Still You Bra recently? I never cared for them previously and not sure just when the style was changed, but I now like them even better than the Still You Tank. The shape is mostly the same, but the material is more like that of the tank, the straps and elastic at the bottom different. I found them at mastectomyshop.com and the bra now comes in 7 colors, but I've only purchased them in nude so far. Since I was buying the tank and then cutting off the outer cami part so I could just have the "bra" this was very expensive, but buying the bras, I can get 2 for the price of 1 tank. I wear my size C illusions with the bra and have no problems with the bra riding up. I do a vertical line basting stitch about 1/2" over from the center seam each side to keep the forms from migrating to center, and had to do that in the tank as well, possibly because the illusions cover fabric is a bit more silky?

Erica3681 · June 2011

Sher,

I have two Still You bras, both purchased several years ago. One (in black) is like the one pictured at mastectomyshop.com, with the same straps as the Tank Top. The other bra (in nude color) arrived after Still You had modified the style, and has elastic straps and elastic edging all around both the top of the bra and the bottom. Is that what the current style you purchased looks like? Would it be possible for you to post a picture?

I find my nude colored bra (with elastic all around) to be quite uncomfortable--the elastic along the top of the bra bothers my skin, especially under my arms). But if the style is now made with a softer edging along the top, I'd be very interested in trying one (and potentially recommending it on BreastFree.org).

Barbara

Sher · June 2011

Barbara,

The new style bra does have the elastic at top and bottom as well as for the straps and is likely the same as yours, although the elastic doesn't bother me at all. So whether it's different or just that our bodies are different......not sure and it's probably not something that would really show in a picture. When I saw it was available in all the different colors, that got me thinking that maybe the style had been changed.

The older version Still You bra had a folded fabric hem - top and bottom and straps. I purchased a tank in nude at the same time as the bra and the fabric is definitely heavier in the tank although not as heavy as the old style bra. For some reason, the nude material in the tank always felt heavier than the white material and even seems to run larger in size.

The area where my SNB was done is very sensitive and I need to keep the strap looser on that side or it can actually make my arm ache. This has been a problem with many of the mastectomy bras, camis and sports bras I've tried (and I've tried lots), especially if the bra is cut high up under the arm. The Still You tank and bra are pretty much the only ones I can tolerate and I love the new style bra.

Edited to say that "love" is a pretty strong word describing a bra and I honestly don't "love" any of them. Being form free, bra free and flat is the absolute best, but when I do need to wear breast forms, the new style Still You bra is the best, most comfortable that I've found so far.

Erica3681 · June 2011

Thanks, Sher. It does sound as if it's the same as the newer of the two bras I have. It is so true that our bodies are all different and what fits one person may feel awful to another. I've had cancer on both sides but only one side was radiated (three years before my mastectomy) and that side tends to be more sensitive to irritations, like elastic.

But enough about me. I'm glad you've found a bra that you "love."

Anne888 · June 2011

Sher, I've never tried the Still You bra, just the camisole. The truth is, I don't wear the cami as an undergarment but as a pajama top. I'm petite all over, including my remaining breast, which is an "almost A" cup. I've found that a molded cup bra works best, so that my pros. side matches the real breast. When I tried a couple of stretchy bras that were mentioned on this board, I had a bad case of "mismatch", with the prosthesis side sagging down somewhat. So I stick to my Petite Tshirt bra by American Breast Care, the only bra that doesn't swallow me up and gives me a bit of a shape.

Houndmommy · July 2011

Just an FYI - I washed the cami in a bag on delicate and then hung it up to dry. It washed just fine.

ValeriePM · July 2011

Hello Houndmommy,

Yes you can wash your Valetta on the gentle cycle and hang to dry and it should be fine. Washing this camisole in the washing maching will make the color slightly fade more quickly than handwashing them. When washing do not use fabric softner as it will break down the Lycra in the fabric. Because of the modal fabric if feels like cashmere and wrinkles fall out very quickly when worn. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

ValeriePM · July 2011

Hello Houndmommy,

In regards to wearing a regular weighted silicone breast form in the pockets, your current shirt size should be what size you are wearing with the Valetta. It sounds like you went with a bigger size becasue you are longer waisted. Our Valetta Tank is the longest waisted tank on the market right now. However the pocket size does get slightly bigger when you go up a size. could you give me a littel more specifics about your breast form? What style is it, is it lightweight or standard silicone and what size is the form and what size bra do you usually wear? Hopefully I can find a better solution for you.

mammalou · July 2011

I guess I never read the tag and I have been washing mine in the machine. It comes out just fine.

Houndmommy · August 2011

Hi ValeriePM - I haven't been on the boards for awhile as I've been on vacation so I missed your posts. Thanks for the info on the cami. I wish the fitter that sold it to me had told me to stick with the smaller size. It fit fine and the length was good. She just thought I might be more comfy in the size bigger so it would be a little looser. I have two breast forms - the amoena Natural Light 2S Size 4 (I got it right after my mx and since then I've lost some weight so the form is actually a little too big now). My other form is the amoena Contact 1S size 4. This is the form the fitter had on me when she fitted me for the cami and when she did the fitting she had me use the form attached so I never tried the cami with a form in the pocket. As for my bra size, before my mx I wore a 36B. I think it is possible that I could be closer to an A cup now as I have lost some weight and of course my remaining breast got smaller. Any help would be appreciated. I am vry frustrated with this whole prosthesis and bra thing.

amoena Valetta Camisole question

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