Strapless bras!
Strapless bras! Hiya
Wondered if anyone can help me. I am a bridesmaid soon and the dress is strapless, I had a mastectomy and was wondering if anyone knows anywhere where we can buy strapless mastectomy bras? I havent seen any anywhere and I do shop with Amoena, Eloise and Nicola Jane!
I may have to end up buying a normal strapless bra and pocketing it myself, but if I dont have to would be better!
Thanks
Louise
Hi Louise,
Well, I had the same problem just in March there so I am a wealth of info on the subject!
I had to get a new boob - can’t remember the make of it but it is a foam one with a little metal bit inside it. It is a kind of flat shape (like the shape natural boobs go in a strapless bra) instead of the usual triangular shape and is quite lightweight. It is marketed as a sports/ swimwear prosthesis. I just threw the packaging out the other day - doh! I’m sure your Breast Care Nurse will know the one I am talking about. I got mine free from the hospital as my Nurse is very nice but I believe they only cost about £40 anyway. I then bought a Panache strapless bra (from Bravissimo) and because the boob is foam you can cut the edges off it so it fits perfectly into the bra and there’s no bits poking out. The Panache bra was the best one by far that I found. I didn’t have to sew a pocket into it, the boob just sat perfect. I am a 32F so not small and I danced all night with absolutely no problems.
If you need anymore info just ask. Hope it all goes well.
Carla x
Hi Louise,
Just remembered - the prosthesis is a Trulife Leisure form!
Also, had a look at your profile and see that you are a student nurse. I’m a nurse too and apart from me being ER+ve our situations are similiar!
Good luck going back to your training. I’m going back to work in 2 weeks and am really looking forward to it.
Carla x
hi there! Hi Louise,
You mention that you already shop with Eloise - and this is just a thought anyway! - but have you tried ringing them and telling them the problem? They have things available that aren’t on the website. And they can pocket things for you, if need be.
I ask because I have done that several times and they had a wealth of suggestions for me (I had some odd structural engineering problems and they managed to fix them) - it just may be worth a call, is all. I found them utterly brilliant.
Good luck and I bet you’ll look gorgeous!
love
susie xx
Bras Hiya
Thanks for the advice. Carla, I may end up buying a foam one and cutting it like you said, I’m only an A cup, but I just find it difficult to get a prosthesis to match my other boob, the dress I’m wearing is boned and I can lift it slightly higher than normal, so hopefully it should be ok!
Glad to hear you are going back soon, it isnt the 8th May is it, thats when I start! Our situations do sound quite similar, do you think you will have recon, I like the idea, but I think I want to get qualified first, so I have another 2 and a half years before I can think of that! Good luck when you go back? Have you been qualified long?
Susie, thank you for your advice too, too be fair I was being slightly lazy!!! But I know they have been great for me in the past too, so I may just get off my bottom and give them a call. Thank you for your kind words too! I read your profile, and I hope you find out what it is and why it does cause you pain.
Take care
Lou xxxxxx
Hiya!
I wasn’t able to have an immediate recon because I was too slim for a natural recon and said no to an implant because of the odds of rejection with radiotherapy. I had quite a traumatic time in hospital after my mastectomy and said that I wouldn’t put myself through any more surgery. BUT, now almost a year since surgery I feel like I would quite like a new boob and have forgotton about the pain. I’ve an appointment to see the plastic surgeon in 3 weeks so I’ll see what she says.
I’ve been qualified 10 years (started training straight from school) and work with terminally ill children.
Hope you get sorted for the wedding; have a fab time. Let me know how you get on with the boob, bra and wedding!
Carla x
bras Very interested in hearing about strapless bras and how the problem was solved. Can any one tell me what they do about the swell of the remaining breast that shows. Am I wearing too low necklines? I thought that might be the case but if it is possible to go strapless then maybe i am missing something.
I am 34D and usually wear my ordinary under-wired bras. I would really welcome any advise on this as with summer on the way I want to wear summery clothes .
Thanks
Susan
Hiya Susan,
If you read back to the advice I gave Louise you’ll see what prosthesis and strapless bra I wear for strapless tops. I’m a 32F so like yourself was worried about the obvious breast tissue on the other side. To be honest I think that it is more obvious to yourself than it is to others. Make sure you get a good fitting bra though and you can’t wear your regular prosthesis with a strapless bra as the top pokes out and it doesn’t fill the side! Good luck and happy shopping for your new summer wardrobe!
Carla x