I wear two stick on boobs, and it changed my life for the better, I feel so much confident wearing them, although it was trial and error until I found ones that were suitable. The contact ones, (Tresia by Amoena), didnt stick so well with me, as when the body temperature rose and I was sweaty, I had to dash to the disabled toilets (as they have sinks in them), to wash it and restick it, didnt give me lots of confidence, so I got a different type. I wear the Tria system (amoena), and they stick on with skin support triangles like a sticking plaster (they were made by Colplast), and stay on your skin for up to 7 days, and you can have showers, swim etc, and the prosthesis has velcro at the back and sticks directly onto the skin support, and nothing moved these and they moved which ever way you did, and you didnt need to wear a bra, they were brilliant and I have been wearing them for nearly 4 years, HOWEVER, I have just had a letter from Amoena to say that in 2009, they will be discontuing the prosthesis and skin supports, well I was really upset, as it took me so long to finally get something that I was comfortable with. Typical isnt it…!
However, Amoena advised that they are hoping to come up with a similar replacement sometime in the next year or so, so I shouldnt need to panic just yet, and since I can still get the skin supports for another 18 months, then I will hang fire. I do hope that they come up with the same way these were, as they are great.
Amoena are great for allowing you 3 monthly trials on their prosthesis, (also available through your breast care nurse), and have got some wonderful ladies on their customer services team that are wearing prosthesis, so it is great speaking to them, knowing they understand about finding one that is suitable.
The skin around the area where the prosthesis sits, does get smooth, but you get skin tonics, gels, skin preparations to use whilst wearing your prosthesis, and they do help keep the skin good. I take my prosthesis off at night to allow the skin to breath, and sometimes during the months I am having hot flushes, or my period, I put my prosthesis in a pocketed bra, that way it is allowing the skin to breath, and saves running to the loo to restick it if you have the contact ones.
I also wear the stick on nipples, (again from Amoena), they are good when you are on holiday or wearing summer clothes, so that you still look the same as you did before your operation, the only thing is that ‘it always looks cold’ if you know what I mean, so sometimes it is quite noticeable even when it is boiling hot outside, and you have ‘cold nipple look’ so I tend to take them off, then… But they are good anyway.
There are lots of different types of prosthesis, and as the ‘publication - confident choice has within it, information on prosthesis’, however, you could talk with the prosthesis fitter at breast cancer care in London or Scotland, and they will give you information about the different types, and fittings, also your breast care nurse will have info too, but it is great to speak to women who are wearing them too.
hope this helps but any further information just ask, and we will help you as best we can.
take care,
Cxx