Restoring your body image after breast surgery is an important part of your recovery. Experiencing body image changes from a mastectomy, lumpectomy, or reconstructive surgery will dictate your needs for balance and symmetry. Selecting the right prosthesis or enhancer that suits your body type and lifestyle makes the adjustment to breast surgery much easier physical and emotionally. Careful planning of your fitting will help ensure that you find the prosthesis or enhancer that is right for you. To see breast and post-mastectomy products, click here.
When your incision has healed, usually four to six weeks following the surgery, your physician will give you a prescription for a prosthesis or enhancer, and bras, which you will bring to the Image Recovery Centers® at the time of your fitting. You should not plan to be fitted until your surgical site has healed. The time may vary for each survivor.
When ready for fitting, our certified and trained fitter will meet with you at the Image Recovery Center®. Our specialist will help you decide on prosthesis according to your remaining breast size, the weight and shape you need in a prosthesis and your life style. In the case of bilateral surgery, you can choose the size you wish. Plan to come in when you have time so you can find the prosthesis and bras that best suit your needs.
A fitting usually takes about an hour. When you come in for your fitting, bring or wear a close fitting garment so that you can see what your body looks like with the prosthesis. Like a natural breast, a prosthesis vary in weight, and their consistency varies from soft to relatively firm. Some are also designed for left and right. Breast forms are designed to fit into special pockets inside the mastectomy bra. The pockets enable the form to stay in place and to secure it from moving. The Image Recovery Centers® offer custom prostheses to ensure that you obtain the fit and style you prefer. We have trained certified breast fitters in our centers.
On the day of your fitting it is important to ask the following questions:
Prosthesis pricing ranges from $300 up to around $450 for a silicone weighted prosthesis. Bras range from $42 and up.
A professionally trained and certified fitter will assist you in finding out what your insurance company or Medicare will cover on your prosthesis and bras. The Image Recovery Centers® is a participating provider accepting prosthesis and bras to fit most major insurance carriers.
Restoring your body image is a positive step toward recovery. Our professionally trained staff members will assist you in selecting prosthesis and bras to fit both your body and lifestyle.
The Image Recovery Centers® have available a variety of swimwear, sleep and lounge wear, skin care products and non-metallic deodorants. If you would like to check out our online store, please click here.