Women's Health
Custom Breast Forms
Unique Solutions for Unique Women
Custom breast forms provide women with a personalized prosthesis to suit their distinct surgical site and lifestyle, which is exactly why many women choose them over other options.
According to American Breast Care, “prostheses come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and skin tones and are made from materials that are designed to move, feel and weigh as similar to a natural breast as possible. It’s important to choose a prosthesis that suits your lifestyle as much as possible. Even with all of this options, an off-the-shelf breast form may not suit your individual needs. Oftentimes, the sizes or shapes available in standard retail breast forms cannot address fitting complications posed by an uneven surgical site, especially with partial surgeries or physical conditions like lymphedema in the chest wall.
Blooberry.com notes that “a good custom breast form is tailored to your body contours, will most likely be made of silicone, and will replicate the weight, shape, color tone, texture and movement of natural breast tissue as closely as possible.” Additionally, the process of creating a custom breast form is much more involved than purchasing a pre-made form, therefore the custom form will be more expensive, but medical coverage may still be available.
Because Surgical Sites Are Not Equal
No two surgical sites are alike, especially with patients who have undergone a mastectomy. How much tissue is left following a mastectomy or lumpectomy can greatly affect how a standard form contours to the body and its ability to match the remaining breast. Surgical sites vary widely on a case-by-case basis, making the decision to get custom breast forms a very popular yet personal one among women, many of whom have surgical sites that are not easily accommodated by an off-the-shelf form, or those experiencing failed reconstructions. Sometimes, a surgical site can be sensitive to the touch—in this case, a form that is not specially fitted to the area can cause irritation and discomfort.
“The precise
fit to the chest wall is probably the most important aspect of a
custom breast form. The chest wall surface of someone requiring a custom breast
form might be uneven due to the effects of a lumpectomy or multiple/radical
surgeries. Some women’s chests may also be too sensitive from surgery or other
causes to tolerate the significant friction that a standard form can generate
on the chest. Having a form that matches your contours exactly distributes the
weight of a form better than an off-the-shelf breast form and can be much more
comfortable and lighter to wear,” according to Blooberry.com.
What to Expect at the Fitting
Appointment
Pre-Scanning Consultation
American Breast Care outlines the pre-scanning consultation process, personal scan session and personal fitting below: “Your fitter will discuss the benefits of a custom breast prosthesis to help you decide if it’s right for you.
During your pre-scanning consultation, your fitter will present and review a set of realistic expectations, show you color options, discuss payment options, and explain the scanning process. This will help you better understand the entire process and ensure that your expectations will be met with your new form.
If you and your fitter decide a custom breast prosthesis is right for you, she will check the fit of your bra and breast form. She will look for specific bra and breast form fit characteristics to ensure your prosthesis will fit like a puzzle piece to your unique chest wall contours, and review color and nipple/areola options with you.
Once fully assessed and scanned, your fitter may want to keep the bra she fit you with until the date of your personal scan session.”
Personal Scan Session
“On the day of your personal scan session, wear a separate top and bottom. Your fitter will begin the session by fitting you in the bra in which you were fit during your pre-scanning consultation. She will also review the scan process and provide you with some simple instructions.
Next, she will apply a series of removable stickers to your torso and bra. She will then take a series of reference pictures and then scan your chest with a bra on, and off, using a state-of-the-art, iPad-based, 3D scanner. That’s it!
After your personal scan session, your scan files will be transmitted to the development team and the breast form designers will then use CAD-based, reverse engineering to create a custom breast prosthesis with accuracy and detail to your fit and color specifications.”
Personal Fitting
According to American Breast Care, “your fitter will contact you to set up a personal fitting appointment when she receives your custom breast prosthesis. She will fit the form against your chest wall, hugging the unique contours of your body. The consultant will also present and review the care instructions and warranty with you.
Your consultant will initially fit your prosthesis in the bra in which you were scanned. Moving forward, feel free to try different bras. You may find many different bra styles complement your new custom breast prosthesis!”
Comfort, Increased Feeling of Self-Esteem and Empowerment
Your journey to a fuller life begins with comfort and confidence. You are already beautiful, but sometimes the surgery following a breast cancer diagnosis can make you forget that. So it’s important to do whatever it takes to let you feel like you again. A custom breast form is lightweight and non-irritating to sensitive surgical sites. It also replicates the natural breast in color, contour and shape. This will give you the confidence and security you may need to get out there and live your life to the fullest. A custom breast form can help empower you to be you again!