Mastectomy swimwear

[AndreaOlmos]

Hi all! This is a new Spanish brand that has created fabulous designs! I gave my mum one for her birthday and she can sunbathe, swim and even jump! She said it is very comfortable and she recommended this new shop. In case you would like to have a look: www.lasseda.com  The webpage is in Spanish but they speak English perfectly! I hope you like them as much as my mum did 🙂 take care! Andrea

[Petal88]

I am in very early days of all this, still waiting to hear if I need lumpectomy or mastectomy. I have a date of 20th December for my operation and still don't know if I will need radiotherapy or chemo. Either way, is it silly to still plan on going on holiday in March to Tenerife for a week (already booked) and would I be able to swim and therefore need one of these swimsuits? Trying to stay positive so planning ahead but would appreciate advice.

[Lucy_BCC]

Hi all

Here's a link to the BCC information about swimwear after surgery which may be helpful to you:

http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-information/impact-breast-cancer/breast%C2%A0prosth...

best wishes

Lucy BCC

[RoadRunner]

I can highly recommend the Nicola Jane chlorine resistant sporty swimsuits.  I swim every week.  I had a mx in 2007, started off by sewing a pocket into my Speedo costume, but wasn't very happy with the result.  I bought a Nicola Jane costume from their sporty range and have been wearing it ever since.  I had a recon in 2010 so no longer need a mx costume, but I like it and it is showing no signs of perishing with the chlorine.  So excellent value for money.  My Speedo ones never lasted anything like as long. As I am tall I bought the long version - another bonus as it fits better than the Speedo ones ever did.

[Guest user]

Recently had a mastectomy. I bought a Speedo swimsuit (Xylia) online which I have been able to swim with an A-cup/size 2 swimming prosthesis. The breast area in the swimsuit is quite fitted with half zip in front. It works well without pockets. I have only had slippage of a centimeter after a half hour of swimming freestyle which I can cope with and easily adjust. From experience, this brand lasts quite a while without too much give, so I am hoping it lasts sometime before I need to get around to sewing a pocket into the inner bust layer, or indeed replacing my swimsuit altogether.

I agree with many of the comments here about the struggle to find a swimsuit - in my case, a costume that looks like sports wear and that is suitable for many hours of exercise in the pool.  

[Guest user]

Thanks val. Willet to m& s in Livingston but they do not keep stock in store. I am going to go to a bigger store as I am not good at returning things I order off the net. I like the sound of the suit with the skirt as they look quite flattering and I have a c section scar with a bit of an overhang.
went to the bcc lingerie night in Hamilton last night and found I have been wearing the wrong size bra, so made to measure swimsuit may be the wrong size. Turns out I should be wearing38e not 40dd. I can just see the shower pouffies escaping and floating away. Before coming on to the forum I would not have been able to even consider going swimming with that thought in my head. The lingerie night was great very informative and social. Would recommend it to anyone especially if you need a fitting. The shop where it was held is getting swimwear in in a couple of weeks so I will also be heading in there to see what's available. Will keep you posted.
thanks again for the support. Xxx

[scottishlass]

Forgot to mention I bought ordered them from Marks and Spencers!

[scottishlass]

I ordered 2 swimsuits from the post op section and collected them from the store yesterday. I only wanted one and the patterned one is just perfect. It fits around the top great and has pockets for anyone with prothesises. I orderd another that has a skirt and decided to keep this one too as I coud sit reading a book wearing it and feel more comfortable as it skirts the top of your legs. You get the VAT back if you have had BC. So Mine were £35 and £30 and it ended up at £51+. So they came in around£25 each. The swimsuits are lined, well made and flattering....now all I have to do is try swimming in them. I had reconstruction in 1989 and can honestly say these are the best fits I have had. I just wish they covered the scar on my back more, even although the swimsuits come up quite high in the back. Happy shopping girls. Val

[Guest user]

Thanks everyone for your support with this. I have ordered a halter neck custom made swimsuit from woman zone. I think it was only about £40. It hasn't arrived Yet so I'll keep you posted about how it is going. Morwenna you have a fabulous sense of humour and have really helped me feel much less uptight about the whole thing. I have gained about five pounds over the last few weeks so lm now a wee bit lopsided. At least when I used to gain weight before both boobs were fat. Now I think I understand why they are reluctant to give you a reconstruction if your bmi is too high. the prosthetic I got for swimming will definitely need pumped up. I will just need to get some shower pouffies to balance me up. If this swimsuit doesn't hurry up I will be needing a bigger size. I'm going to a wedding on Saturday so ill have to resort to stuffing my bra with a bit extra padding. Haven't had to do this since I was a teenager. What do you think socks, toilet roll or a shower poofie.
nextstep I too would like to lose weight, but feel divorce is just a bit drastic to achieve that goal. you don't say what age your kids are, but you sound so upbeat and together. I wish I could go swimming with your confidence.
thank you Lisa x and dee for your support too. I felt so isolated with this before joining the bcc community.
I am going along to the lingerie evening at Hamilton tonight as every bra I have bought since getting the mx is the same, but different colours. none of them have a pocket and I am finding my silicone prosthetic a bit uncomfortable and can't wait to get it off when I get home. The other day whilst in my friends house I pulled out the bottom of my bra to reposition it and it fell right onto the floor. Another day I went out and forgot to put it in because the site of my op is still numb.
it is so good to share some of this stuff. I did not think losing a breast could be such a trauma, but you are right about the hysteria morwensome laughing is sometimes the only option.
i will let you know the outcome and if I feel brave enough will post a picture in the swimsuit.
love annie c xxx

[Lisa_x]

Hi,
Sorry I haven't noticed this post before. I had mx and went on holiday last year. I bought a swim prosthesis from Nicola Jane, about £10. It was sponge like and they come in sizes. I thought it was pretty good but you do need to give it a discreet squeeze when you get out of the water. I didn't buy a mx swimsuit. I got one from Debenhams, about £30 and one from AAda for £10. They were both straight across the chest and had a built in shelf bit which held both boob and prosthesis in place. I bought a size bigger than normal so I could pull it up high. My size was about 38 E at the time. If you do buy a swim prosthesis, think about getting 2 as I found that after 2 weeks holiday, the prosthesis shrunk a bit (I did wear it for 2 weeks and was in and out of the sea/ swimming pool)
Happy Swimming!

[Nextstep]

I had my first post MX swim today almost 3 months after the op. The shower pouffe thing worked fine for me. I think it's best to let it drain before getting out of the pool though as I had a sudden rush of water when I got out quickly.
I had an M&S post MX costume which was fine. I was a 14 when I got it and bought a 16 as someone said they were very tight fitting (to hold wobbly bits in I think). However because I have been under a bit of stress recently (having decided that cancer wasn't enough and I would opt to get divorced too) I have lost one and and half stone in the last month and dropped down to a 12 so it was perhaps a little loose at the top - when I looked down I could see that one boob was in the skin and one in the costume if you know what I mean.
I wondered whether other people could see and then decided that if they could and they had a problem with it then they had the problem not me!
I felt really good after the swim especially when I did the back crawl. I am determined to find time to swim (in all that spare time I will have being a single mum working a 50-60 hour week!).

I would encourage anyone who is thinking of swimming but worried about it to just get out there and do it - I am sure you will feel better for it.

[dee49]

M&S do them too....
http://www.marksandspencer.com/Post-Surgery-Swimwear-Beachwear-Womens/b/321188031

[Morwenna]

OK, now I have to add an advisory about using the shower pouffy!

I was at deep water workout yesterday, and merrily doing something quite vigorous using my arms and involving bobbing up and down, when something blue and pouffy floated into my line of vision. I was like, " What the ....? OMG!!!"

I grabbed it, and quickly looked around, but nobody seemed to have noticed, as I was facing the side of the pool, so I gave a mental shrug, and quickly stuffed it back into position. Then I was caught with a fit of the giggles, so made my way over to tell my friend what had happened. A lady nearby heard me, and she said "Well, it is good that you can laugh about it!"
I don't know if she realulised that it was incipient hysteria!! 🙂

.... But it was very funny! It'd have been even funnier had it been a proper prosthetic though. In that case, I might have just swum away from it and denied everything!

Oh, another plus though, ..... when you get to the shower afterwards, you come prepared with your shower-sponge! 😉

[Morwenna]

Seriously, the bath pouffy thing worked really quite well as a foob! It weighs nothing, I got the really soft silky one, so cannot really feel it, and costs $1.50 rather than $150.00!!

The funniest thing was when I showed it to one of the ladies when we were changing, and she said "well, what were you using last time?" .... Apparently she didn't notice my uniboob at all!

I think when we have something we are self-conscious about, even if its a zit on your nose, you think everybody's eyes are going to be on it, when in fact for the most part, people are too wrapped up in their own stuff to really notice as much as you'd think!! (That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it!) 🙂

[Guest user]

Thanks lynberi. I've done it, just ordered a swimsuit from womanzone. Will be able to try it on at home which will reduce anxiety. You were right for made to measure they are really reasonable.

[Guest user]

thanks for getting back to me on this. I felt so alone before joining bcc community. Morwenna you have brought a smile to my face. i was comfortable with no hair and was able to deal with that by using humour. it is going to take me a bit more time to get up the courage to go out and about with only one droopy boob. i am hoping to get out shopping soon, but like the idea of getting something made to measure. I live in between Glasgow and Edinburgh, but will check out if the company you mentioned lynberi. I know this is just another hurdle i have to get over. I think "feel the fear and do it anyway" needs to be my motto.

[Lynberi]

Not sure where you ladies live but the company Womanzone in Warrington do made-to-measure swimwear and it's fantastic. They also have a mail order catalogue. You choose which fabric you want, Which neckline/straps and back height as well as high or lower cut leg. They do one-piece cossies or a Tankini set. They have a special pocketed bit for your prostheses and they also sell swim prostheses. they are also a very good price. Hope that is helpful xx

[Guest user]

I had my mastectomy 6 months ago and went on holiday last month intending to swim. A M&S swimsuit with pocket filled with the thin preformed fillet from an M&Co sports bra worked perfectly, didnt collect water or move around (or float) and I swam in the hotel's indoor pool alongside other guests. I felt less self conscious than when fully clothed (I don't wear a prosthetic as too sore yet) and walking around the main part of the premises! Go for it and good luck!

[Morwenna]

Ive started to go to deep water workout. A friend took me a couple of times, then I went on my own the third time.

I was somewhat anxious about the whole swiimsuit thing, and spent ages trying all sorts of padding, but suddenly, on the day, I just decided to go flat-chested, or rather uniboobed! I'm not sure I would have plucked up the courage to go alone initially, and had been thinking about going to a pool for a while, but with my friend it was actually fairly easy.

I guess a few people looked a bit curiously at me, but I just smiled sweetly at anybody if I caught their eye. About three people commented on my hair, which is just coming in, and is dead-white and little more than 1/4 inch long, and one lady only realised AFTER she had said how much she liked my hair exactly WHY it was that short. She got a bit flustered and apologised ... and THAT was actually more embarassing if anything, but I just grinned and told her it was fine! Actually, I was a little defensive about it the first time I went, but I gave myself a talking-to, and now I just smile and say Thank You 🙂

The swimsuit I used was a Speedo-type - not actually Speedo, but you know, one that tends to just flatten everything rather than have cups. I do also have one with cups, but I could NOT make that look good. I have actually just bought one that it is a bit higher at the neckline and under the arms, and I can hide some of those bath pouffy things in there and see how that looks. I found with my old one, and it is getting on a bit, that the float around my middle, plus all the bouncing up and down in the water tended to pull the suit down, and my one boob nearly ended up hanging out. MAJOR wardrobe disfunction! and a little perturbing in a mixed class .... well there was ONE man there! 🙂

The rest of the class was mainly rather elderly to middle aged ladies, and they were all very nice and kind. I was quite pleased with myself, although I am recovering from lung clots, I wupped all their asses!! 😄 (I'm 53, but considereed myself reasonably fit pre BC!

[Guest user]

Thanks Lucy Bcc. I am sure I got this booklet when I had my op. will revisit it.
annie c xx

[Guest user]

Himets sdfmeg.you sound soo confident and and unselfconscious. Did you always feel like that?
annie c xx

[Guest user]

Hi kahran q I intend to check this Out too. I am not sure yet whether I can get up the courage swim go to a pool. Feel anxious just thinking about it!!!
annie c xx

[Guest user]

Hi cressida thanks for your reply. I havent been back on line this week as i have been working and just vegetate when i get home. also trying not to let my family know how i am feeling about this as they have had enough to worry them. I have looked online at the m& s cossies and they appear quite reasonable. I would like to try some on before buying. I live near glasgow so I think my best bet is bareheaded shopping centre. Haven't heard of using shower puffs. Will defo give them a try, maybe in the bath first!!! I am new to the site and feel glad I have joined. Thanks again.
annie c xx

[Cressida]

Hi Annie,

Saw this a few days ago but got wrapped up in my own stuff, so am responding a bit late - hope you are still checking.

I recently investigated Mx swimwear for myself. Before cancer I used to buy underwired, cup sized cossies. These tend to be expensive anyway. I bought a M&S cossie in the sale, but I think it is about £28 full price. Ironically that is less than the cup sized underwired ones I used to buy. It describes itself as "tummy control", which means you have to fight your way in, but then it is nice and supportive. It has a ruched/ruffled panel down the front so it disguises any lumps and bumps (or lack thereof). On the advice of the younger women's BC facebook group I stuffed the pocket with shower puff balls. They are light wieght, don't hold water and are cheap. You use as many as you need. I used 3. I know another lady who got the same cossie and she is very happy with it.

Don't forget to ask if VAT is in the price, as you don't have to pay it. You might have to sign a form declaring you have had a Mx (Obv loads of women with 2 boobs are desperate to purchase Mx bras and cossies). Then the price will come down another 20%.

I am not sure if you can get underwired pocketed cossies - I did not come across any. I was advised to avoid underwired bras due to the harm that could be done by the wire sticking into numb surgery sights. If you really feel underwired is what you want, then maybe you could get pockets put it? (or do it yourself if you are any good at sowing). My hospital prosthetics dept sows pockets into patients' bras, if that is what they want.

Let us know how you get on and what cossie you end up with, x

[Guest user]

Asda do a not very sexy but price effective pocketed post mastectomy swimsuit! I swim perhaps twice a year so had no intention of paying more than a basic price!

[Guest user]

I plan to get a chlorine resist suit with a built in breast support, and possibly use it with. Cup,e of those shower puffs. Before this mastectomy, when I used to be 34ff, I wore bra with prosthetic, swimsuit and rash vest. Chose a time when the swimming pool was quiet, and no one really looked at me. Perhaps we're a bit strange here, but quite a few people wear rash vests in the pool.

[Lucy_BCC]

Hi Annie

You may find the following publication from BCC useful to read, it contains some information about swimwear and there are various swimwear stockists in the back, please also feel free to call our helpliners as they may also be able to add further information about your queries:

http://www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/treatment-side-effects/confident-choice-breast-prostheses-bras-clothes-after-surgery-bcc123

Helpline 0808 800 6000 weekdays 9-5 Saturdays 10-2

Take care

Lucy

[Guest user]

I am 50 and wear a size 9 prosthetic on my left side. I had my operation in may last year. No probs With healing after fluid stopped building up. I have never worn a swimsuit since the op, but now have been given a prosthetic on NHs (Scotland). I tried it with a couple of the swimsuits I have kept from before, but because of my age and the weight of my own breast I feel I need a suit with very firm underwire support. I have looked at loads of websites, but cannot see anything. This is really getting me down as I struggle with exercsin due to severe joint pain and peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet since the chemotherapy. I want to go for reconstruction, but need to.Lose a stone before they will even consider me. I am going to look into different swim prosthetics too if anyone has any info on this too.
Annie C