FAQ - Breast Prostheses

Do I need to wear a breast prosthesis?

No, you don't! There is a growing number of women who have had a double mastectomy, even a single mastectomy, who choose not to wear a prosthesis/prostheses; there are many support groups on Facebook to join if you're interested in connecting with these women. 

However, there are many benefits to wearing a breast form including:

  • It can improve your posture (very, very limited scientific evidence, and anecdotal evidence). I believe it can give you the confidence to stand up straighter and show your chest. 
  • Re-establish symmetry, especially after single mastectomy
  • Benefits on your psychological wellbeing
    • Maintaining a feminine silhouette
    • Enhances self-confidence
    • Improves body image 
    • Able to wear the clothes you want or used to wear
    • Improves socialisation

Using a breast prosthesis can be an important aspect of well-being and improve your quality of life post breast cancer treatment. But it is a very individual choice. I personally love wearing a prosthesis, and I am more than happy for you to make an appointment and come and see for yourself what a prosthesis is and the different types that are available and have a chat about it. 

What kind of prosthesis would work best for me? 

Many factors are taken into consideration when deciding which prosthesis would work best for you, and this is why I keep a range of prostheses, and appointments are long enough to give you time to talk through and try different options:

  • What surgery you have had  
  • Your bra size pre-surgery, and if you've had a single mastectomy, the size and shape of your remaining breast
  • Your body shape
  • How your chest wall has healed after surgery
  • If you have any sensitivities around your scar
  • If you suffer with hot flushes or get hot and sweaty very easily
  • Personal preference
    • For a form that feels more like a natural breast
    • For an extra-light weight prosthesis
    • For a form that adheres to the chest wall
  • If you wish to wear underwire bras
  • Cost
  • Your lifestyle

When can I start wearing a breast prosthesis?

As long as there are no stitches, staples, steri-strips, wound dressings, swelling or oozing or draining at the surgical site, you can be fitted for a breast prosthesis 6 to 8 weeks after your surgery. If you feel like you want a prosthesis before this time frame, you can purchase a leisure form, which is made from memory foam and has more structure than a soft form that you get with your Berlei bra.  

Do I need to buy pocketed bras or can I wear regular ones?

If you have had breast-conserving surgery, you can wear your regular bras - partial breast prostheses are designed to be worn directly on the skin, and can be worn in a regular bra as long as the wire is not pressing against the form. 

If you have had a mastectomy - there are some styles of regular bras that have features that can work well with a prosthesis (full cup, high centre gore, stretch lace). Keep in mind pocketed bras keep the breast form more secure, and these bras are designed specifically for women who have had a mastectomy. The breast form warranty might also be affected if the prosthesis doesn't fit well in the regular bra.