Custom breast prostheses

Ariom · April 2013

Dragongirl, thank you so much for the detailed post, it is so appreciated.

I have some of the Ahh Bras, I was using them in the middle of our summer with a soft foob. It gets mighty hot where I am, so I would doubt I'd wear the Contact in those conditions, but I will definitely try the contact with the Ahh Bra.

I have put together quite a selection of boobs and bras, but will continue hunting using your great suggestions on the seamless bras. I'd also really appreciate the info on the new sheer one you have found.

I am disappointed that I can't use most of my pre Mx bras due to them all having wires. I read a terrible post somewhere about a girl getting a serious infection because the wire had worked free, and stabbed her. Due to her widespread numbness she didn't feel it. I have very little feeling, and lots of numbness on my chest and around to my back, so that really scared me.

Take care, and thanks again DragonGirl.

DragonGirl · April 2013

Ariom,

I've never heard a story like that, about a wire bra, but I suppose it is possible. The bra I bought recently which I have had luck with is a Bali brand bra. On the label it shows how the band and cup sizes correspond to small, medium, large and extra large garments, to help you choose your size. Here is their website:

WWW.balicompany.com

I think this is the model number: 3484/P844 from the tag on the bra itself. Also, on the cardboard cover that came with it there were these two strings of numbers:

CT0207N/C00BB001 FCP

and

MT0294DBLXL00000 FCP (I think the XL refers to the size I bought, extra large, which seems to be the equivalent of a 42-C or D or DD. The bra is a nylon/spandex mix which means the cup and band are stretchy. It gives good support from the bottom band with no wires and is a seamless cup.

I actually went and got a new Ameona Contact prosthesis last week. I like it better than my TrueLife Contact Prosthesis because the shape is a triangle but with a bit if an extension that goes under your armpit to fill that space. The only worry I have is that it comes with a special cleaning soap and brush, as well as some skin moisturizer (which at this point being post mastectomy six years I do not need), and a non reusable cleaning pad to use on your skin before affixing the prosthesis. I am not sure how much the refills are for these and I know proper care using these products will extend the life of the adhesive. Oh well.

My experience with the numbness was that it dissipated over a few years after my mastectomy. Since you just had yours last year, that will probably get better over time, although may not go away entirely. So, maybe those old wire bras may be useful later. I would hang onto them,

The fitter also showed me a prosthesis used by women temporarily while undergoing reconstruction, also made by Ameona. It was cool because you can adjust the filling inside, which may be helpful to some women without reconstruction having difficulty getting fitted properly.

I was thinking about buying a foam boob for around the house, you know, a lighter one, that would be nice. However, I found out by trying some on that they all seem to have a very rigid shape and they all projected out a bit too far, or not enough. The reconstruction prosthesis did not work for me for that as it does have a silicone outer layer that keeps it's form and did not work for me even if I adjusted the interior foam. Have you come across any foam or forms filled with other material that would respond to the compression a sports bra would produce, thus making the projection sort of variable? If so, please fess up as that is what I would like to have, something lightweight, that matches my real boob in size but does not project out so far (the fitter said I had a shallow projection, whatever that means).

Thanks for any input. Oh, I purchased the Bali Bra at JC Penny's, which does do sales online. Maybe you could find it on their website if not on the Bali website.

DG

Ariom · April 2013

Wow! DragonGirl, I can't thank you enough for the information!

Being a "newbie" at this means it is all trial and error, but getting some seriously good feedback is fantastic.

I have been on the website for Bali Bra, and will definately source one of those, thank you! It looks great, and with the support I am looking for.

Not sure if I mentioned it but I have taken out a membership with MYUS, a company that gives you an address in the US to be able to buy from any US store or even Ebay sellers who don't post internationally, have it all delivered to them and they package and send. The disparity in price for almost everything, between the US and Australia is unbelievable. The cost of a prosthesis here is extraordinary, we do get a contribution of $400.00 every two years from our government, but to put that in perspective, a Contact Prosthesis is $475.00, so we are out of pocket, unless we have ancillary benefits and Private Health Insurance.

Now, regarding the products to clean the Contact and prepare your skin before, and after wearing it, I was told that the form has to be well scrubbed to keep the surface sticky, and the skin prep was to keep your skin ready to accept the form. I had an issue with my first prosthesis when the dye from a cami stained the outer skin. The girls at the place I bought it gave me a 150ml bottle of the cleanser to try, I checked the price and it was about $10.00 here, I just looked online for you in the US it is about $6.00 at a Williams Pharmacy.

Amoena gave me a credit on my first prosthesis, that's why I got the Contact, but I had already bought another prosthesis from the US. I have used the cleanser every day, on it, and I have found it very economical. As far as the prep goes for wearing the contact, I plan to exfoliate my skin, as I always do, and change to an oil free moisturiser at night, then maybe an alcohol wipe before attaching. What do you think?

I have several soft foobs, including dacron filled, microbeads, and something foam and firmer. I find they all work in some way with different US bras or swimwear, but I too, am on the hunt for the perfect soft form. I am waiting for a delivery from the US of a new one called Jilliana which has a mix of dacron and microbeads. I bought it new from a seller on Ebay for $26.00.

I also have the "shallow projection", I call it, a bit of a ski jump! Hoping the mix in this new foob will address that. If it does I'll certainly let you know.

I must say, I have gotten used to the numbness, and the pins and needles after the surgery, but it would be a bonus if it were to improve.

Thanks again DG! Take care.

NormaJean65 · June 2013

http://www.special-trade.eu/store/breast-prostheses-soft/breast-prostheses.php

Okay, I'm going to jump in here and throw out a suggestion....something I have been looking at. Since I have never been able to find a mastectomy bra that doesn't feel like I am in a harness and the multiple prostheses I have tried is either too heavy or too light, one day it came to my mine what do cross dressers do??? For those of you looking for something to stick on w/ adhesive check out the sight above. I am petite and my chest is somewhat concave up to the first rib so I have been considering the teardrop shape.

Good Luck to all.

NormaJean65 · June 2013

http://www.special-trade.eu/store/breast-prostheses-soft/breast-prostheses.php

Sorry the link wasn't complete.

NormaJean65 · June 2013

Dang it!!! didn't work the second time either BUT click on what is there & it should take you to the correct site. I just tried doing that & it worked.

crystalphm · June 2013

The Link worked for me...I wonder if they really are lighter than the ones we have available? They seem to have quite a nipple point which would bother me but it could me...snipped :-)

Cross dressers would be wearing them against a full chest filled with muscle, so they might not be as comfortable as we hope against scars... I do remember people wearing Pals? Was that the name? Which were sort of the same thing...

Ariom · June 2013

When I first started to investigate what was around in the way of Prosthesis, I googled my way into a few cross dressing sites. There is even YouTube footage on how to make your own silicone prosthesis......too much like hard work, for a possibly unattractive result, depending on how creative, and artistic you are.

There was even someone selling a Custom made prosthesis on Ebay which was kind of eerie looking because it was so lifelike, but I wonder who would buy someone elses custom made?

With all my searching, I have found that there isn't a single perfect Foob. I have got a collection together that suit different circumstances. It doesn't have to be expensive. Some of the cheaper alternatives work very well.

NormaJean65 · June 2013

crystalphm.......The site does offer them w/o nipples so no need to snip!!! The site offers a "surgical spray adhesive" or one could attach with adhesive strips that look like velcro to me. I certainly wouldn't want to leave the foobs on for 2-3 days at a time. But our need is much different than theirs. I simply don't like not being able to wear anything that is scooped at the neck line. Otherwise, I am happy to be bra free. My BS screwed up my second MX and did a simple MX leaving me w/ no skin to work with for recon. Felt betrayed & hurt but when I read about all the problems experienced in a large percentage of recons I think maybe she did me a favor. Still could ring her neck some days.

birdie32 · November 2014

Hello Sally SB, how long did you wait for your prosthesis from Irene Healey of New Attitude to be made. I had the prototype made in April 2014 and it is now Nov. 2014 and still haven't received it. She doesn't answer my emails or return my phone calls. I am very disappointed in this company.

Ariom · November 2014

Hello Birdie, I just wanted to say Hi, and welcome you to BCO, it doesn't look like you've posted before. This thread is a very old one that hasn't been active since June 2013, so we don't know the outcome of that purchase. .

I am very sorry to hear of your experience with this company. I am not in the US, but is there a reporting system over there for this kind of bad service? I know we can report to fair trading and Ombudsman.

I wish you all the best.

glennie19 · November 2014

Birdie, can you contact the Better Business Bureau? That might be a start. Will try to think of who else you could report this to.

Adaptecss · February 2015

hi

I got the new attitude custom prosthetic, covered by insurance, sooooo worth it. Irene healey is wonderful and talented anaplastologist.. Other prosthetics are heavy and look like crap, even those that pretend to be proper custom...

Adaptecss · February 2015

contact her, Irene healey, new attitude, toronto, Canada but she has US clients too! You are worth the cost

Ariom · March 2015

Hi Adaptecss, This thread hasn't been active for some time, you may want to post on "all things bras and prosthesis" in the "Living without reconstruction" area.

I would be very interested in the price of this custom prosthetic. There aren't many women posting here, who have gone that route, of custom forms, they aren't very popular. I guess most of us are happy with the great range of forms, which are readily available, so it is good to have your input, on another type, of breast form.

I took a look over the site you mentioned. It is certainly an interesting innovation, with no adhesive and light weight. Obviously, it won't be for everyone, the cost will likely prohibit many, whose insurance won't cover it and we have women posting here, from all over the world who would not have access to it.

birdie32 · March 2015

If you are going to have a custom breast prostheses made I highly recommend you wait until your treatments are finished. I lost almost 30 pounds during treatments and now my prostheses is too big and my insurance only allows me one in a lifetime. I feel Irene should be advising women to wait until after treatments are finished because some women gain weight and some lose. By the way it costs $5800 dollars.

Ariom · March 2015

Wow, Birdie! that's a huge cost for something that can become redundant so quickly, if you gain or lose weight.That's quite an oversight, to not warn you to finish all treatments, before having this made. I wonder if normal fluctuations in weight,, would mean these custom forms wouldn't always fit properly?

That's certainly good advice for anyone considering one of these custom forms.

Erica3681 · March 2015

Adaptecss, just wondering whether you tried any non-custom breast forms before deciding to go with the New Attitude form. There are many non-custom forms that are designed to fill in any unevenness on the chest and also many that are very lightweight. Perhaps if you'd tried those, you might have been surprised how well they work.

I've seen Irene Healey's website and even been in touch with her. The breast forms she creates do look beautiful and she can match an existing breast very closely. But the cost is very high and when I spoke to her, she said that since they're silicone, if you normally have a problem with perspiration behind the form, she couldn't guarantee that her form would prevent that.

The excellent fitter at the Friends Place boutique at Dana-Farber in Boston advised me against getting a custom-made form, which she said are mainly helpful for women who have had very disfiguring surgeries, with removal of muscle, etc. Adaptecss, since you had a reconstruction failure, perhaps you fall into that category. In which case, it's great that you found something that works well for you.

Adaptecss · March 2015

hi

Yes, actually, muscle was removed and after 2 failed skin expansion attempts (radiated skin never totally sealed up after surgery, got infected, healed over 7 months, twice!) then a disastrous tram flap... So I waited a year to heal then saw irene, as she had told me it was enter to wait. I had no luck with othe forms at all. So glad I could get this done, insured! Lucky. Irene is working on her own, and at great personal expense to do this for us. Compared to the hundreds of thousands spent on my botched surgeries, the cost of this small piece of of normal she crafted for me is small and should be covered for all who need it. It moves with my body, under soft tight top, no bra

Adaptecss · March 2015

anybody out there know whether it is recommended to try skin expanders after radiation? Anybody know any one who can fix a failed tram flap (abdomen bulge, mesh removal??). I'm in kingston ontario. Any research or link would be helpful. Also, my arms were strapped in for 14 hours and my arms don't work right anymore... Constant pain...Would love to know if this happened to anyone else?

Custom breast prostheses

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