It’s important to educate yourself on the differences between mass-marketed breast forms and custom breast prostheses so you can choose the best alternative to breast reconstruction.
After a mastectomy or lumpectomy, some women choose to have breast reconstruction surgery, while others prefer breast forms as an alternative to reconstruction. Breast forms vary in quality and price, so women considering alternatives to breast reconstruction naturally have a host of questions about how to choose the best breast prosthesis. There are significant differences between types of breast forms available, and it is important to understand the key differences before you begin using breast forms.
Off-the-shelf (OTS) Breast Forms
Mass-manufactured breast forms are produced in bulk for off-the-shelf sale at a variety of retail and department stores. They are typically less expensive, though they have many drawbacks, such as:
- They are made in limited sizes, colors, and shapes.
- They do not take individual breast weight, texture, or skin tone into account.
- The patient’s mastectomy or lumpectomy surgical site is not considered in the design.
- They often do not look or feel like a natural breast.
Custom Made Breast Forms
Breast forms are well recognized as important alternatives to reconstruction for many women. But is important to know that you have options—and you don’t have to settle for poorly-fitted forms that cause you discomfort.
In our patented process, ContourMed experts use proprietary Symmetry Scan technology to make a precise image of the contours of your surgical site. With this, we can create your ContourMed custom breast form based on precise details. This allows our team to create customized breast forms that are unlike anything available in typical mass-manufactured breast forms. Here’s how they are different:
- Custom breast forms are made precisely to fit your measurements.
- Forms can be created in a different size than your original breast – smaller or larger.
- Each breast form is hand-crafted by experts.
- Breast forms are created in different sizes, colors, shapes, and textures.
- The areola and nipple shapes are created based on your specifications and preferences.
- ContourMed’s custom breast prostheses are waterproof, and ideal for swimming and other water activities.
A Leader in Breast Form Design
ContourMed is a trusted provider of information for women exploring post-mastectomy options. Their custom designed breast prosthetics, which feel and behave like a normal breast. If you are interested in learning more about your custom breast form options, please contact ContourMed today at 501-214-6080.