4 things you need to know about mastectomy products

NHS patients do not have to pay for their prostheses, and you’ll usually be given a fitting appointment soon after surgery. Although it’s not advisable to buy a prosthesis without trying it first, it is possible to order them online or from high street stores.

“Your breast care nurse will arrange a prosthesis fitting for you, and may be able to arrange for you to look at a range of prostheses beforehand so you have an idea of what to expect. You may want to take a few tops with different necklines with you to your fitting, so you can see what works best for you.”

If you want, you can adapt an ordinary, well-fitting and supportive bra by sewing in a piece of stretchy material across the back of the cup in order to create a pocket to hold a prosthesis.

3. Be picky about clothing

When shopping for strapless clothes look for material that provides good support, especially in the bra area so that the prosthesis can be held in place comfortably. If there’s not enough support then you could always use a safety pin to attach a softie inside the garment, or failing that wear a strapless bra or bra with see-through straps.

Alternatively, if you wish to go braless then there are specially designed clothes with in-built pockets for prostheses. However, going without a bra for long periods of time following a mastectomy may cause pain and discomfort in your neck, shoulders or back.

For those of you wishing to wear a prosthesis in bed, you could consider a ‘sleep’ bra, which provides low-level support and can be used with a softie. You can also buy specialised pocketed nightwear, or simply pin your softie in place while you sleep.

High-support mastectomy swimwear can be found in some high-street shops, department stores or specialist outlets. You can wear a regular high-street swimsuit if the top is cut high enough over the breast area and under the arms to cover the prosthesis. It also needs to have some structure, which is usually provided by cups.

You can get special swimming prostheses that don’t get damaged by salt water or chlorine. However, if you don’t swim very regularly, it’s fine to use your regular silicone or foam prosthesis as long as you rinse it well afterwards.

4. There are loads of accessories to make life easier

Bra-strap extensions can be handy when you’re wanting to wear clothing with a low or revealing back post-mastectomy. These extend standard bra straps so that they can continue down and around your body to fasten at the front, ensuring you still get maximum support.

For those of you who want to keep wearing one of your pre-surgery bras, but are struggling to create pockets that are the right size for your prosthesis, it might be a good idea to invest in a pre-made pocket to sew in. In some cases NHS hospitals will do this for you free of charge.

If you have had your nipple(s) removed as part of your mastectomy, you may be interested in using prosthetic nipples. These are self-sticking, made of soft silicone and can be worn on both natural and reconstructed breasts. Some hospitals custom-make artificial nipples to specified sizes and skin colours, so it’s possible to get ones that actually do look like the real thing. Alternatively, you may feel more comfortable by covering any remaining nipple, in which case specialist suppliers and some high-street shops sell stick-on shields for a more smoothed-out look.

Camouflage make-up can be prescribed by a GP in cases of visible scarring, and there are different colours for all skin tones. You may be referred to a skin camouflage service, which will give you advice on different types of products available and how to apply the make-up in the most effective way.

Reading about all these different products is undoubtedly pretty daunting, but it’s important to remember that no matter how much your body changes post-surgery, the people closest to you will not see you any differently as a person. There is so much support available, and it’s always OK to ask for help if you’re unsure about anything. Talking things through can help you feel less isolated and more able to cope with all the changes. For more information on mastectomies, chemo or any other queries you might have, visit Breast Cancer Care.

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