What does it feel like to wear breast forms?

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I'm considering prophylactic bilateral mastectomy because I'm BRCA2+.  I'm sure reconstruction is not the right option for me so please don't suggest it. I would rather be flat for a lot of reasons.  But I notice a lot of women who chose no reconstruction also eventually put the breast forms away and hardly wear them.  I've been to the store to feel them and look at mastectomy bra options. I was pleasantly surprised by the look and feel. But in order to make a more informed decision, could some of you who've gone through this describe what they feel like to wear?  I'm 130 lbs and currently a 36B but I'd be happy to have a small A size prosthetic or maybe wear nothing, as long as no one asked where my boobs went while I was gone from work for a few weeks!  I don't want anything too heavy digging into my shoulders. Are they hot in the summer?  Hard too wear?  Do they feel uncomfortable against the skin or dig into the shoulders and sides even if lightweight?  Or maybe you can't feel them if you lose sensation in the skin on the chest.  I'd love some honest answers. Thank you so much for your help with this.  

Comments

  • aunt_paula
    aunt_paula Member Posts: 271
    edited April 2014

    I had a BMX about 12 weeks ago and am not doing reconstruction. I do have a couple of mastectomy bras with Trulife foam forms (they also have a little silicone in them to give them a little weight), but only wear them occasionally. My incisions are numb, and some of the area around the incisions too, but I am still regaining feeling, so not sure what will be numb when it's all said and done. My bras don't dig into my shoulders at all; the forms are very lightweight and comfortable, and they're not hard to wear. I can't answer the hot in summer part yet but my guess is probably not--I may have this wrong, but I think the silicone forms are more likely to be heavy and hot. 

    I went into surgery not planning to do the bras, but ended up deciding it wouldn't hurt to have them (mainly for certain clothes to fit better). I didn't decide/get fitted until six or seven weeks after surgery. If you wait to decide until later, you can still change your mind.

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2014

    Hi jkbrca2, and welcome to Breastcancer.org. 

    As well as the great advice you've received from Aunt Paula, the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Prosthetics has information you may find helpful, and there are several threads in this forum where you can read many others' experiences with (and without) breast forms. 

    • The Mods

  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited April 2014

    I had a uni-mx 4 years ago and have worn a prosthesis ever since.  Mine is totally comfortable that I don't even give it a second thought all day long.  I bought an Amoena Essential Light and it is not heavy.  It actually feels pretty real.  If you mashed on it and then on my natural breast for comparison, the prosthesis feels surprisingly natural.  It came with one cloth cover but I went online and bought several additional ones so I would always have a clean one to wear.  I am totally comfortable in mine and don't mind wearing it at all.  I would suggest going to someplace locally to try on some prostheses so you can try them out before buying.

  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited April 2014

    I had a UMx about 15 months ago and still have a "D" on the other side.

    I agree that you should go and be properly fitted for both the bras and the prosthesis. I would also suggest you check out the Camisoles made by Amoena, they have the pockets in them and are so comfy to wear alone, under a shirt or cardigan, or even a jacket. 

    There are many, many options out there. I have the Amoena Light and the Tru Life foam weighted forms that were mentioned earlier as well as Micro Beads and other Silicone Swim forms. I probably wear the foam forms, more often than the silicone, but either way I don't notice I am wearing a form any more. There are a few silicone forms that have a clear gel back, which is supposed to transfer heat in the Summer. I often find myself feeling my chest to make sure I haven't forgotten to put one on!

    Good luck!

  • Mich71
    Mich71 Member Posts: 45
    edited April 2014

    Mastectomy in November and fitted for small prostheses end of December as I was an "A" before unilateral mastectomy.   My form does not bother me at all but I do tend to take it off early evening when I get home from work.   During the day at work, I basically forget it's there.  Amoena Lara molded bras seem to work well.  It's been awfully cold this winter so I'm not sure what the summer will bring quite yet.   Prior to the prostheses fitting I wore the Genie Bras which were more than comfortable to wear during the day over my incision when I returned to work and wear to sleep at night if I wanted the compression.  

  • Celtic_Spirit
    Celtic_Spirit Member Posts: 748
    edited April 2014

    I've been wearing them for the past six years and feel totally comfortable in them. I exercise in them and occasionally take a nap in them (I do take them off at night). Mine are made by Amoena. They pretty much conform to my chest; once in a while, they'll feel a little hard, but that may have more to do with the bra I'm wearing that day. I live in a hot climate and don't find that they make me uncomfortable; in fact, my natural breasts were large and uncomfortable, and in the summer I got rashes beneath them and lots of sweat. These are a breeze compared to my real breasts!

  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited April 2014

    I'm 4 yrs post UMX and have no problems at all with my pros. or ever 'think' about it!

    I'm on the 'smaller side' too - 5'6", 120 lbs (+/- a bit any day) and wear 32 or 34 and A or B depending on the particular bra's cut/style.

    My pros is no 'heavier' on my shoulder than strap on non surgery side.  No 'hotter' than the rest of me gets when it's in the 100's here.  I do all sorts of outdoor 'stuff' (horses, biking, mowing, gardening, flyfishing, swimming, etc). 

    My best suggestion is to find a GOOD Certified Fitter when needed.  There are so many different styles and shapes between the different companies and we are all so differently built.  They can look at you and how you are built with an educated eye as to what would probably be best 'fit' for each of us.

  • GeorgiaRai
    GeorgiaRai Member Posts: 175
    edited April 2014

    I wear my 36Bs 7 days a week and like others have said, I rarely think about them and don't have any issues with weight, sweating, etc.  I freaked out in the beginning (I'm almost 2 years out from surgery) because I was so  uncomfortable and fidgety when wearing foam forms in a regular bra (even though it had pockets.  I didn't get silicones until after rads, but they made all the difference for me.  I really only think about them in the morning - putting on a back-hook bra that already has forms in it is a learned skill! lol!

    Good luck with whatever you decide to do, jk. 

  • SoCalLisa
    SoCalLisa Member Posts: 13,961
    edited April 2014

    I had a uni Mastectomy and have been wearing the forms for 12 Years. I rarely think about it. I have the Amoeba forms and bras. Just put it on in the morning and off at night. I have the swim form too. I took an old mastectomy bra, cut it and sewed it into my regular bathing suit. Hugs to you. .

  • jkbrca2
    jkbrca2 Member Posts: 67
    edited April 2014

    thank you all so much for your thoughts, Ladies. It's lovely to such an open place to ask these questions. 

  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited April 2014

    Hey there, I am similar in size to you and prefer an A-cup. Because I had full-blown cancer, and therefore had lymph nodes removed, a normal bra irritates me. I experimented with various light foobs (fluff, beads etc.). My current go-to foobs are simple bra liners of silicone. I got mine in a lingerie store for 12 bucks. I wear them in a soft yoga top and back them with "modesty shield," the kind you get in a coobie or similar bra. 

    The trick is to get a yoga top or soft bra of fairly sturdy material and where the front has a double layer of fabric. Some of them are already made to work as pockets, but otherwise just cut a small slit at the back. If the two sides are not separate, just put a few stitches down the front. It is low cost, comfortable and looks fine IMO.

  • bluepearl
    bluepearl Member Posts: 961
    edited April 2014

    I bought simple silicone forms from Walmart and wear them in mastectomy bras I got on ebay. Don't notice them.

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