This document can also be found on the WWW at: Main Site (English): In French: In German: Breast Form FAQ v4.0 Index --------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ PART I: Introductions, breast cancer and the breast form industry ------------------------------------------------------------------ 0. What's new in this version/wish list for future versions 1. Disclaimers 2. Thanks To... 3. Purpose of the FAQ 4. What is a breast form? 5. History A. History of the bra B. History of breast implants C. History of breast forms 6. Information about breast cancer 7. Breast cancer treatment and recovery options 8. Medical purpose for the breast form industry 9. How soon can you be fitted for a prosthesis after breast surgery? 10. How the transgendered community benefits ***************************************************** PART II: Materials, Form Types, and Attachable Forms ***************************************************** 11. Materials used in commercial breast forms (Good points and Bad points) A. Silicone B. Rubber/Latex C. Foam D. Cotton Batting 12. Why choose a weighted or non-weighted form? 13. Types of forms A. Symmetrical 1. Triangle (tri-corner) 2. Teardrop 3. Heart shape B. Asymmetrical 1. Curved teardrop 2. Extended triangle C. Other types of breast forms and accessories 1. Custom breast forms 2. Attachable forms 3. Thin shell breast forms 4. Attachable nipples 14. More details about Custom breast forms A. Why choose a custom form? B. General process of creating a custom form C. Known custom breast form manufacturers 15. More details about attachable breast forms A. What are the parts of an attachable form? B. What are the advantages of this type of form? C. How are they attached to the chest? (step by step) 1. Shaving the chest area 2. Preparing the skin 3. Marking the position for the supports 4. Attaching the support 5. Attaching the form to the support 6. Detaching the form from the skin support 7. Detaching the support from the chest wall D. Tips for attachable forms E. Amoena Luxa breast forms F. If your breast form is non-attachable... PART III: Bras and Forms - How to fit them, get them and keep them ------------------------------------------------------------------ 16. Can people tell if you are wearing a breast form? 17. Do I need a special bra to wear a breast form? 18. A properly fitted bra... 19. How to measure for a bra A. Before you begin B. Traditional measurement method C. The usual bra measuring system may not work D. Notes 20. Bra band sizing conversion charts from around the world 21. Common bra fitting problems and possible solutions 22. Reasons why it may be difficult to receive a professional fitting. ***EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS*** 23. Form fitting tips 24. Taking care of your breast forms 25. Breast forms and hot weather 26. How long can I expect my breast forms to last? 27. When your breast form approaches retirement A. Donating your old breast forms B. Repairing a damaged form PART IV: Appendix A & B - Manufacturers and Retailers ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix A: Manufacturers of commercial breast forms Appendix B: Retailers and suppliers of breast forms PART V: Appendix C - How to make your own forms ------------------------------------------------ A. Making your own forms B. Special considerations when creating your own breast form C. Form 1: Grain and nylons D. Form 2: Rubber fishing worms and balloons E. Miscellaneous "make your own form" directions ============================================================================= 11. Materials Used in Commercial Breast Forms ---------------------------------------------- The predominant material used in the more expensive commercial breast forms is silicone gel inside a very thin, slick plastic shell with tapered edges. Other materials such as rubber/latex, foam, or cotton batting are sometimes used as well. Here are the main qualities of each of the types of materials used to help in deciding if a certain material is right for you: A. Silicone Good Points: - The material gives the form a comparable weight, movement and feel of a natural breast. - The silicone can be colored; many forms of this type are available in a variety of shades to match skin tone. - Realistic nipples and areolas can also be produced. - The material of this type of form warms to your body temperature and feels very comfortable. - Silicone can be whipped with air to produce forms just as realistic, yet are much lighter to wear. - It is NOT the same material that was used in breast implants. It is similar, but the main problem with silicone implants came from their use INSIDE the body. Even if a breast form is punctured, the contents can not be absorbed through the skin. Bad Points: - Silicone forms are _expensive_, ranging anywhere from 100-450$ U.S. per form (and sometimes even more.) - Many silicone forms come in only 1-3 color shades. While this is still more shades than any of the other material options, people are not limited to just a few different colors. People's skin shades even differ with the season and the amount of sun their skin receives...a silicone form can not adapt to these changes. - Even given the variety of shapes, sizes and styles of silicone breast forms, you may not be able to find the right match for an existing breast. - Possibility of built-in nipple not matching color, shape or size of one on an existing breast. - Built-in or attachable nipples will not react to temperature changes (become erect) like a real nipple will, so, all other things being equal, there may be some external visual differences between a silicone form and an existing breast in certain circumstances. B. Rubber/Latex Good Points: Cheaper alternative to silicone, while still retaining some of the qualities of silicone that make it so desirable. Bad Points: While still having some of the qualities of silicone _to_a_certain_degree_, rubber/latex can not dare to match the weight, feel or movement of even the cheapest silicone forms. Some people are allergic to rubber or latex. C. Foam Good Points: Commercial foam forms are very cheap and can even be easily homemade. Can't be punctured or ruptured like silicone forms. Holds shape well, even in restrictive wear like sports bras. Bad Points: Will not likely have the drape, weight or movement approximating a real breast. The primary goal of this type of form is to approach the _shape_ of the natural breast. D. Cotton Batting Good points: - Very cheap and easily home made. - Soft and comfortable against post-surgery, healing tissue. - This type of form can be a good way to estimate what cup size might fit best for your frame and body type. - Can restore the visual and dimensional balance of a missing breast. Bad Points: - VERY light and has no draping qualities - Can even become lumpy or distorted over time, especially if under-filled. - This type of form will not move the way a natural breast would due to its lightness. 12. Why choose a weighted or non-weighted form? ------------------------------------------------ Whether a breast is lost to cancer-related surgery or if there is simply a size imbalance between two breasts, balancing breast weight between the left and right side of your body is essential to avoiding future health and posture problems such as spinal curvature, shoulder drop, balance problems, neck and back pain, and poorly fitting clothes. A breast form that is under-weighted compared to its sister-next-door *can* ride up on the chest wall and can look visually unbalanced...the same issue can happen in reverse for a form that is too *heavy* as well. Some women may also want the benefit of a lighter form for some reasons - exercise, hot weather, etc. Other women may not be able to use a form of a normal weight for valid health reasons (such as lymphedema or osteoporosis), so a lighter form will be work better in such cases. 13. Types of forms ------------------- Commercial breast forms come in all shapes, materials and prices to meet a variety of needs. With all the choices available, it can sometimes be difficult to make sense of all the terminology. In fact, the terms used here may not be the only ones you see in relation to form types. A. Symmetrical: A form that can be worn on either side of the body. 1. Triangle(tri-corner): This is the most general type of form, and offers the most complete and natural bra fit for most users. 2. Teardrop: The name implies its shape. The tapered end is used for a better fit either under the arm or on the upper part of the chest. 3. Heart shape: This type of form has double extensions, both for under the arm and the upper chest wall. B. Asymmetrical: A form designed to be left or right side specific. 1. Curved teardrop: This is essentially the regular teardrop type with one rounded portion of the teardrop having a slight extension for the upper chest wall. 2. Extended triangle: This is a modification of the symmetric style. One of the lower corners of the triangle will have an extension which goes under the arm for better fitting in a bra for some wearers. C. Other types of breast forms and accessories: 1. Custom forms: When an off-the-shelf form just doesn't do the trick, several companies offer a way to create a form custom-fit to your body and your needs. 2. Attachable forms: These are a newer type of form that is becoming quite popular. Such forms are usually silicone and more expensive than the non- attachable types. They are temporarily attached usually by velcro (hook side on the form, soft pad side attached to the chest by adhesive or surgical cement.) 3. Thin shell breast forms/breast enhancers: These usually serve as an augmentation for surgeries that remove only a portion of the breast. They can also be worn as breast padding to augment the size of smaller busts. Also used in cases where two existing breasts are of differing sizes (very common), or in cases where changes due to weight gain in an existing breast have created an imbalance with a breast form you already have. 4. Attachable nipples: Most breast forms do not have a pre-formed, colored nipple built in to the form (only some more expensive ones do.) Several manufacturers carry nipples that can be applied to forms that do not have this feature. Unlike the form itself, this accessory can be rather cheap. A pair of silicone nipples usually costs about 20 - 40$US. 14. More details about custom breast forms ------------------------------------------- A. Why choose a custom form? Even though there are a wide variety of shapes, sizes and color tones available in retail breast forms from the various manufacturers, there is still a possibility that an off-the-shelf breast form solution might not be right for some people... The sizes or shapes available in general retail breast forms may be too small or large for your situation, or you may have issues that an off-the-shelf form can not address. The best alternative in these situations is a custom breast prosthesis. A good custom breast form is tailored to your own body's contours, will most likely be made of silicone, and simulates the weight, shape, color tone, texture and movement of your natural breast tissue as closely as possible. 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 people's chests may also be too sensitive from surgery or other causes to tolerate the significant friction that a general 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 to wear, feeling lighter. A custom form can also be designed to alleviate stress and friction entirely on more sensitive areas of the chest wall as well. Since the process of creating a custom form is much more involved than buying a pre-made form, a price comparison between the two will show that the custom form will probably always be more expensive. Just how much more? That will certainly vary depending on the company, but medical insurance coverage should still be the same for this type of form as with pre-made forms. B. General process of creating a custom form The first steps in creating a custom breast form involve taking a casting or surface mapping scan of the area before and/or after breast surgery. If the mapping is done before surgery, important data about the original external contours of the breast to be operated on can be preserved. The mapping that happens after surgery is performed will capture the exact current contours of the chest area where the breast form will sit, and possibly map the other existing breast to create a mirror image if a scan was not made prior to surgery. After mapping the area, a form prototype is then made. At this point you will probably meet again with the company to do preliminary fitting adjustments. They should also discuss any further options available for matching skin tone, breast shape and areola size/color. If attachability to the chest is a desired feature, you should also be asking about this by now. The final fitting for the custom breast form should then follow at a later date. C. Known custom breast form manufacturers - Amoena: http://www.amoena.com/ - Belle-Amie: http://www.belle-amie.com/ - Contour Med: http://www.contourmed.com/custom.html - Health Related Products/Realastic: http://www.hrp.greenwood.net/breastrecon.html 15. More details about attachable breast forms ---------------------------------------------- [Note: the following applies to a few breast forms known to use a two-part attachment system - the Affinity line from Amoena, the Discrene model 7730 breast form, and the Classique/Mystique model 330N] A. What are the parts of an attachable form? An attachable breast form consists of two parts; The skin support and the form itself. The skin support is an upside down "V" shape with the soft half of velcro on one side and an adhesive on the other. The form itself will have the hook (rough) half of the velcro permanently attached at points on the back side of the form. This type of form allows the wearer to be free from most special considerations that are necessary for other forms (special bras, having to _wear_ a bra to wear the form, etc.) B. What are the advantages of this type of form? This type of form is very securely attached to the chest wall and can be worn for a wide range of activities including sports and swimming (generally safe in chlorine and salt water.) They also tend to move with the wearer more naturally than non-attachable types (in my experience.) C. How are they attached to and removed from the chest? (step by step) [After doing this a few times it only takes 5-10 minutes to complete the attachment process] ATTACHMENT: 1. Shaving the chest area (if necessary): The area must be free of any hair for the supports to hold properly over an extended period of time. 2. Preparing the skin: This type of form will usually come with an exfoliating creme that is applied to the area that will be covered by the skin support. The exfoliating creme will help clean off any dead skin, oils, soaps or shampoos that build up over time. Doing this helps the support stay on for the longest period of time. 3. Marking the position for the supports: Place the support on the form in the proper position, then put on the bra you will be wearing. Place the form in the bra and position it to the correct location. Pull the bra strap down and away from the form and use a pencil(usually comes with the form) to mark key spots on the support and your body to help in placing on the chest. Take off bra and form and carefully detach the support from the form. 4. Attaching the support: Remove the adhesive cover and place on the chest. Hold in place for several minutes to assure a good bond. After doing this several times, it becomes easier, and the support tends to stay on longer - up to a week, depending on your skin type. 5. Attaching the form to the support: Hold the form over its intended location and depress the middle of the form slightly toward the chest so that the upper portion connects first. This is to ensure a better drape. DETACHMENT: 6. Detaching the form from the skin support: At all times holding the skin support to the chest, slowly pull the form away from the support, starting from the armpit area. 7. Detaching the support from the chest wall: "This might sting a little" 8-} You have been warned. It is a gigantic bandaid. If any hair is underneath, this may hurt a bit, but generally, it is far less painful than you might think (It is also easier if the support is removed in the shower or when wet.) D. Tips for attachable forms * Note a freckle or mark on the skin you can use as a guide when positioning the skin support. * It works best to put on the skin support at night and waiting until morning to put on the form. The heat from your body helps the attachment last longer. * Most skin supports are NOT reusable. The replacement skin supports are sold separately. * If you are wearing something strapless or a swimsuit, you might find it helpful to attach the support while wearing the garment. * Be careful when positioning the skin support, as the adhesive will work better if only used once. * You can keep the skin supports on without the forms attached, and no one will be able to tell under an undershirt and a shirt or sweater. This way, you can get more use out of the supports if you cannot live full time as a female. * You can even shower with the supports on, but make sure the support is thoroughly dry before attaching your forms. * Attachable forms do not have to be attached- they will fit in a regular bra, and they have a fuzzy velcro padding that covers the rough side of the velcro on the back of the breast form. * You will probably have some slight redness for a little while after removing the skin supports, so plan accordingly if you need to have your shirt off for whatever reason. * Skin supports can last anywhere from a few days to 1-2 weeks, depending on your skin type, perspiration and activity levels and your lifestyle. E. Amoena Luxa breast forms Amoena has introduced a new attachable breast form line called the "Luxa Contact". What makes this system different than the system previously described is that the adhesive in this case is built in to the breast form backing itself, there are no "extra" parts - and the adhesive renews itself and basically doesn't wear out. I do not know many of the details of this type of form (please help me and tell me more if you have used this product), but a few people have added their input: - The forms are not meant to be worn braless. The adhesive system is meant to provide a very secure attachment to the chest while wearing a bra. The adhesive is not strong enough and will separate from the chest fairly quickly. Some have reported that smaller size forms might stay firmly attached, while larger sizes would not. You may need to experiment. - The amount of the form attached to the chest sounds like it is much greater than the "inverted V" attachment system used in the Amoena Affinity and similar products. Some find this to be its best feature, as there is probably a lot less "gapping" around the edges. - These forms seem to be the most expensive type Amoena offers, so watch your budget. - Keeping the forms clean and using the included skin preparation products is essential in creating a strong bond between the form and the skin. - It's OK to wear the forms without preparing your skin first, but then you have to clean the forms a lot more often to keep them sticky. F. If your breast form is non-attachable... If you have a breast form that is not attachable, or the form you are considering buying is not attachable, there ARE a few options you have to attach (or partially attach) a breast form to the chest. Although the adhesives used in the following solutions below are listed as medically safe to be used on the body and with many breast forms, be sure to check the ingredients and warnings before using - some people can have problems or allergies associated with strong chemicals used on the skin. If possible, check with the retailer to see if you can try a sample of the adhesive before taking the plunge and buying an entire product (even with attachable skin support system adhesives.) And whatEVER you do, please don't try to "roll your own" form attachment solution with just any old adhesive - they can be very dangerous and even cause serious chemical burns to the skin. Some questions you may want to ask about adhesives: - What type of materials make up the adhesives? - Are the materials non-allergenic? - What other types of products use these types of adhesives? - Is the adhesive water and/or sweat resistant? - How long does the adhesive last, and how long can (should) the forms be worn using the adhesive? Full adhesion solutions: (Allowing you to go braless or to keep breast forms from sliding around in your bra.) - Nearly Me double sided tape: A cut-to-shape double-sided adhesive strip - Smith & Nephew Skin-Bond Adhesive and Uni-Solve Adhesive Remover: Two part liquid attachment and removal system products - Hollister Medical Adhesive Spray and Adhesive Remover: Two part spray attachment and removal system products Partial adhesion solutions: (These methods will not allow you to go braless, but will help forms stay in place in a bra or bathing suit.) - Nearly Me "Security Patches": Reusable silicone double-sided adhesive patches - Jobst "It Stays!" Roll-on Body Adhesive: A water soluble adhesive that can keep a breast form from moving Non-adhesive solutions: - Soubra: An attachment system for breast forms which attaches the form from the shoulder, without adhesive - not directly against chest. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please send any comments, ideas or corrections to bformfaq at blooberry.com