Hi Ladies,
Just wondered if any of you are having or had the same problem i have? I’m 32 and had a mastectomy last September. I have searched and searched for nice and normal bra’s and bikini’s but the cjoice is so limited! I’ve managed to find some bikini’s on figleaves.com (they were so very helpful) and 2 bra’s from Marks and Spencer. But other than that…nothing. Yes there are companies that specialise in post surgery underwear and swimwear but they all seem to be offering full swimming costumes or are limited on sizes or the underwear is…well…a bit frumpy. Im 32 and just because i only have one breast doesn’t mean i don’t want to look good in underwear and swimwear!
So…i guess what im asking is has anyone come across anything that might be useful to me?
Thanks
Nic
The black and white bikini on here isn’t too frumpy?
nicolajane.com/category.asp?cat_id=SWIMALL&pf_id=&jump=16&sfile=1=
Hi there! No you’re right it’s actually really nice. What I’m saying is, it would be nice if there was a bit more choice. I did get some lovely and perfect fit ones from figleaved.com. Bras are more of an issue though I think. I’m seriously thinking about getting a petition running and sending it to lingerie and swimwear companies? I can’t believe that in this day and age and with so many more young women being diagnosed with breast cancer, something hasn’t been done about this already. I mean, unfortunately there is a market for it right?
I agree with you - I don’t know if i will need specialist underwear or not yet - but i know that if i do I will be in trouble. I struggle anyway as I have a narrow back. For example M&S has never fit me even when pregnant or BFing, so I’m sure it won’t now either!!
I’m a young one as well - age 30.
Hi
I swim alot and have to replace my swimwear every couple of months.
I have had a mx and have struggled also but recently I tried a ‘normal bikini and cossie’ from asda that had foam inserts you could take out, even though the hole was small I bought it and cut the hole slightly bigger to fit swimform in. It is full enough to hold the swimform and hide the scars.
It works out alot cheaper than buying from specialist.
I’m not quite as young as you at 42 but I also like to have nice underwear and swimwear.
Chris xx
The items in the Nicola Jane site looked very nice but £86 for a cossie and £108 for the matching skirt to go over it? Crikey. Beam me up.
Hello there, about three or so weeks ago there was a thread running on here on the same topic and someone recommended a great site that had lovely stuff - I am sorry not to be able to remember it (its that damn tamoxifen again!!) but if you search you may find it or someone might hop on here who has a functioning memory! bw Nicola
what annoys me about M&S is that if you look at the post surgery stuff on their site, my size is ALWAYS shown as out of stock - or in the case of bras (42D) not available at all.
Well i’m glad i’m not the only person that’s annoyed/frustrated about this! I was beginning to think i was just being fussy!
Yep size is a slight problem for me too even before my mx. I’m a 32DD but sizes generally go from 32D to 34DD?? And now i’m looking at post sugery stuff it’s mainly just A, B, C and D??? Whats that all about??
Anyway…
I’d love to try and get some kind of petition running that i could put forward to people such as M&S/Nicola Jane etc to say we need better sizes and ranges for women like us. If i looked into this would you ladies be up for signing it and spreading the word??
I found a great company locally to me called WomanZone, you can visit their showroom and pick any style of costume, bikini, tankini have different neck and back styles and all fitted with mx pockets in, you have a choice of fabric and high or low leg. I’m sure this company would do mail order. I have bought mx bras from them but as other ladies have stated, I’m a 32D so the only colour available is white or cream! WomanZone have got discontinued stock before now for me as I wanted colours and patterns.
I was very disappointed with Bravissimo who I used to buy all my underwear from, as they do not do mx bras, it was all down to costs when I brought it up with them.
I would add my signature to any petitions which gave us greater choice.
Jude
Thanks Jude. Yes i’ve just looked and there is a WomanZone in Warrington. I’m only in Bolton so it’s not far!
I would really like to get some more feedback from other on here re the petition before i set anything up. Not sure what, if any good it would do but i guess if you don’t try it!
Hi Nic
Warrington is the one I went to, you need to phone in advance to make appointment as they devote the whole hour to you. It’s in a lovelylittle office and you can take with you whoever you like, I went about a week after op and sent hubby off elsewhere as i didn’t think they’d want a man in the place - but the said he would have been more than welcome.
The prices are really good there considering the swimwear is almost cusomised to your taste and style.
Girls there very helpful and you can buy all sorts of useful extras there.
I’m certainly going to make an appoint with them for a costume, my old self coloured costume which I’ve had a pocket put on makes me look lobsided! WomanZone will also fit pockets in anything for you.
Jude
xx
Jude thats really, really helpful. Thank you so much! i will definitely make an appointment to go and see them!
Thanks again :)) x
hi all, have had the same problem trying to find a bra that i can wear post surgery. i have had immediate reconstruction but can only wear crop top type bras for three months then soft not underwired or seamed. There are shops starting to cotton on to the ever increasing (sadly) need for post surgery u/wear however choice is somewhat limited. Most are not at all pretty/sexy and yet dont we need to feel that even more so than normal. We have had our confidence dented and trampled on enough with the prognosis, surgery and chemo whithout having to resort to wearing ( no offence intended ) old fashioned frumpy bras. For those living in or near lancs try Pappilion , cannon st preston. Have heard good things about this place and am planning to visit nxt week. Also Matalan have a few to look at though only saw 1 that had pockets for prosthesis but not a bad bra, resembles a t shirt bra. good luck all on the never ending quest x
I have also just been to the Warrington Womanzone. It was great. I’m a 32D and short in the body so I always have had trouble finding a cossie. They are making me a cossie and a two piece with matching skirt, in my choice of fabric, neckline and back design. I think they will be great. The girls are really experienced and very helpful.I also bought a lovely Mastectomy bra and swim Prosthesis.
Hope you all get sorted x
Hi
I too am constantly on the look out for pretty, non-frumpy underwear. You may well have already tried these, but I have found sets on amoena, aboutthegirl, and chantillyrose (all online). I have in the past bought some nice stuff from m and s-the post surgery range- but lately it hasn’t seemed as good.
All the best.
C
I too have the same problem with bras. I had a mastectomy in nov age 22 and only have 2 bras so far ( the same bra but different colours) that i like even though i have spent hours on the internet looking! I am only a 34A and when i find a bra that i like they start in an B. When i look at the bras that are in my size i get abit upset as they are not nice and look like the are designed for older woman. I really dont think that the designers realise that young woman get breast cancer and we still want to look good. It really makes me mad as im left feeling that because i have had a mastectomy i cant wear nice underwear! I rang one designer and ask why they dont do A cups,they told me they dont stock many bras in that size because its not popular!
After my WLE & SNB I was told not to wear underwired bras, so off I trotted to find a nice one, its like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack, I ended up in Debenhams in tears, the lady there was so, so very nice and eventually I ended up with their Comfort Bra debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_152010301160_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7ELingerie%7EBras
Ok so its not really sexy, but it is pretty 'ish and better than that its really comfortable and the way its contructed it does give you a good shape too. For you ladies who’ve had mx I’d take a look you may be able to get a prothesis in there and also the ladies in there were very helpful.
garelle, I sympathise with you, but I would like to point out that wanting to look good doesn’t stop when people get older.
We ALL want comfortable but nice-looking underwear and I really don’t understand why the manufacturers aren’t making more of an effort to accommodate us.
I concur with Jeniffer. I’m in my 50s but still want sexy underwear. I’ve had some surgery - not the main one yet - and went to M&S at the w/e for a non-underwired bra with no parts that would chafe.
A lady showed them to me - they were ALL white! Not a single colour; no black, no purple, nothing. I got a very comfortable bra with soft, cotton jersey lining it but it makes me feel very frumpy. I’ve lost my hair and eyebrows - please manufacturers, don’t take away our sensuality!