Custom Made Breast Forms

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cher27
cher27 Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

I had a left mastectomy in March 2012, underwent a nightmare reconstruction that never worked out, took a year for my incision to finally heal. I never knew there were "Custom Made Breast Forms" and wish my plastic surgeon had told me they were an option instead of the implant which caused me nothing but complications, infections, etc. These forms are adhesive, can be worn 24 hrs./day 5 days/week then I understand adhesive has to be changed. They can be worn with regular bras or no bra, they are matched to your skin tones and have nipples. I won't have to wear a bra 24/7 for my self-esteem or to look normal at night for my fiance! I will be able to wear normal bathing suits! No more heavy prosthesis, ugly lingerie, etc. Why aren't we told about these as an option? Why doesn't Medicare pay for them? In the long run would be cheaper for insurance companies than plastic surgery. I am just trying to make women aware that these custom forms are available as an option because I never knew about them till I happened upon a shop that carries them. I go for my fitting Saturday! I understand some insurance companies cover the cost if you have a prescription from your doctor.

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited August 2013

    cher,

    What are the name of these forms? I'm not aware of any forms currently on the market that can be worn continuously for such a long time. 

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  • cher27
    cher27 Member Posts: 5
    edited August 2013

    Here is a website that shows a process of being fitted for a form:

    www.wcbl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Westcoast_Wire_Winter_2013_FINAL.pdf

    Here are a couple websites that offer the custom made forms:

    www.contourmed.com

    www.radiantimpressions.com

    Good luck!

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited August 2013

    Hi cher27,

    I'm familiar with ContourMed and Radiant Impressions (I created a non-profit website, BreastFree.org, so try to research all the breast form options out there). What confused me was your comment that the forms adhere to your chest 24/7 and then the adhesive can be changed. These forms have a somewhat tacky back but do not adhere to the chest in such a way that no bra is required. They just tend to conform to the chest when you're wearing a bra and aren't quite as likely as other forms to gap when you bend over. They should be removed and washed after a day's wearing. There's no extra adhesive that is applied, to my knowledge.

    Radiant Impressions forms are now available from TruLife in non-custom styles called Impressions I and Impressions II. For the most part, custom forms aren't necessary unless you have an extremely uneven chest. And many women, like me, don't like the feel of silicone directly against the skin, so prefer to wear breast forms in a pocketed bra.

    Barbara

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  • Blogger
    Blogger Member Posts: 93
    edited August 2013

    My plastic surgeon, who has helped be through my breast cancer reconstruction journey, called me this afternoon asking for my help. He knows I am a sewer and can be quite creative so asked me this question. He saw a woman today who had breast cancer in 2006 with chemo and rads. She had a reoccurrence in 2008 with more chemo and rads. She has now reached her 5 year anniversary and saw him about reconstruction. My doctor said she is lucky to be alive with all she has gone through but cannot help her because her skin is so fragile from all the rads and he is afraid she would never heal.



    She wears a 44 bra and HATES the heavy and uncomfortable prosthetics. I have not talked to her personally but left her an e-mail to discuss options with her. Because she is so tender s he does not want to wear a bra of any sort but wants a shape so her clothes look better.



    Can anyone give me any options that might be available? My PS thought I could come up with some ingenious ways to alter clothes, add to them. etc. so she can have a shape without wearing a bra. Any ideas? I would truly like to help but I don't know where to start.



    I was lucky and my reconstruction with TE's and implants worked well for me.



    Thank you for any ideas you might have for me.



    Suzanne

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited August 2013

    Would she be able to wear a soft camisole with a shelf bra (a thin strip of elastic where a bra band might be)? Still You makes a wonderful pocketed camisole which I began wearing shortly after surgery, when my skin was still quite tender. Seven years later, it's still my go-to garment. I wear it with weightless foam forms and it gives me a very natural shape. In the Breast Forms section of my non-profit website, BreastFree.org, under "Non-Silicone Breast Forms," I recommend foam and other non-silicone breast forms that I and other women have found comfortable. If this woman has insurance, she should be able to use it to purchase both the breast forms and camisole.

    Hope this helps.

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  • Blogger
    Blogger Member Posts: 93
    edited September 2013

    Erica,

    Thank you, thank you, thank you. Fantastic information and wonderfully helpful! I think this woman should find this information very, very helpful and I will be pass it on to her immediately.



    Sizanne

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