I’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time and will be having a mastectomy. My choice is diep or no reconstruction. Can anyone give me any information on what having a silicone breast form is like? Is it comfortable, does it move around particularly if you’re exercising, is it obvious it’s not real if you lean forward, stretch your arms up etc? Trying to decide whether I can live with one breast or whether to go for the reconstruction. Any advice appreciated.
Hi Mel
I’m so sorry you are having to go through this again. I hope all goes well. That’s a big decision and a lot will depend on your image of your body. For me it was a no-brainer. I didn’t want to be worrying about a ‘false’ breast and additional scarring. In lockdown, I have been so comfortable - no bra, no prosthesis. But I’ve gained weight from medication (honest!) and I now have one good-sized boob and a smaller prosthesis! That needs rectifying. I’m also perfectly at ease with my scar though it needs a lot of tlc to keep it supple.
Prosthesis-fitting is a fine art if you get the right person. They know exactly what they are looking at and, even if you are satisfied, they keep finding defects till you get the right one. I had been wearing knitted knockers (free from www.knittedknockersuk.com) which are very comfortable but they don’t have the weight you really need. They are great to have though. A prosthesis is comfortable, the correct weight, the perfect matching shape and it should sit perfectly in the special pocket in the bra - for me the problem is the bras. I had been small-breasted all my life and mastectomy (or post-surgery) bras feel like fortresses to me and I can’t wait to whip them off again. This is bras fitted by a specialist and specialist brands. The supermarkets do sell some great post-surgery bras (George for example) but they don’t always work if they are pre-formed cups. If you are used to wearing ‘proper’ bras, I’m guessing the fortress won’t be a problem.
I prefer a kk in a sports bra when doing exercise because a prosthesis does feel as though it’s detaching when you lean forward. It isn’t but it’s a strange sensation. All the mono-boobed women I know wear a kk for swimming. A good sports bra though will hold a prosthesis firmly in place and your breasts should move in harmony. There’s no case of leaving it behind as you move swiftly!
As far as I’m aware, no one can tell you are wearing a prosthesis. I have a ‘dog-ear’ at the end of my scar which serves to provide some semblance of cleavage when I look down but the days of flashing cleavage are past if you have a mastectomy. It’s better to do up that extra button or wear a camisole under a low V.
This is obviously only my personal experience. Hopefully you’ll get more opinions but, if you go for the mastectomy, do order your knitted knockers, so much more comfortable than the softy you are provided with by the hospital for initial use.
All the best for whatever lies ahead x