Lighter Breast Prostheses Equal Comfort, Benefits
By Mimi San Pedro, CMF  Breast prosthesis weight is an issue that has
evolved in recent years. The traditional school of thought was that
women should wear weighted silicone prostheses that are similar in
weight to the natural breast to give balance. New research findings
and industry trends are showing that lightweight breast prostheses
are shaking up the marketplace and the way people think about
breast prosthesis weight.
It is in our blood as Americans to invent--to go beyond the
standard to create newer and better options that improve our
quality of life. Advances in technology often dictate new methods
and trends that change public perception and purchasing
decisions.
Take the home entertainment industry, for example. In 1972, Sony
introduced the first home videocassette recorder in the United
States. In 2001, it was estimated that close to 95 percent of US
households had one. It was the industry standard until 1994, when
companies began offering the DVD player. Consumers who thought they
had the best possible option with the VCR quickly realized that a
better alternative was available. Technological advances changed
consumer behavior and perceptions.
Trendsetters: Dispelling Myths
This paradigm shift reminds me of some of the resistance I
encountered when we began offering the first truly lightweight
breast prosthesis. Dispelling common myths is something that
trendsetters face on a daily basis. There were several naysayers,
and we were up against a wall of doubt when we started commercially
manufacturing the product. It wasn't easy, but the evolution is
underway. In fact, more and more companies that had traditionally
only carried weighted silicone breast forms are now offering
lighter breast prosthetic products.
Medical Reasons for Lighter Weight
From a scientific standpoint, there are now several medically
based factors that warrant a lightweight prosthesis.
 The first is osteoporosis. It is
important that women over 60 who have bone density disease wear a
lightweight form to reduce the acceleration of osteoporosis.
"Some people who have osteoporosis feel that the heavy
off-the-shelf prosthesis can increase or exacerbate their problem,"
said Jim Hagans, MD, a breast oncologist with Baptist Health System
in Little Rock, Arkansas. "A prosthesis that is light in weight can
alleviate some of these problems and definitely not allow them to
propagate."
Patients with lymphedema should also consider a
lightweight prosthesis. It is estimated that approximately 35
percent of all post-mastectomy patients are diagnosed with
lymphedema. On its website, www.lymphnet.org, the National Lymphedema
Association strongly recommends that large-breasted women wear a
lightweight form "because heavy prostheses may put too much
pressure on the lymph nodes above the collar bone."
Some of the standard silicone products available for women with
larger breasts can weigh more than five pounds. Ronda S.
Henry-Tillman, MD, with the Arkansas Cancer Research Center at the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, said that
a lightweight form could reduce strain on spinal muscles and
enhance the posture of its wearers.
Comfort: A Compelling Reason
In addition to the medical benefits, the comfort issue for
post-mastectomy patients--regardless of the presence of medical
complications--is the most telling truth for the benefits of a
lightweight breast prosthesis.
 Elizabeth McCann of Houston, Texas, a bilateral
mastectomy patient who wore weighted silicone prostheses for more
than a decade, said the weight was unbearable.
"The humid Houston summers can be pretty tough--especially when
you have several pounds of silicone up next to you," McCann said.
"I would wear them to go out in public, but as soon as I got home,
they were the first things to come off. I was miserable from the
strain on my back. They were so heavy--it felt like someone was
pushing my shoulders down all the time."
McCann said her lightweight forms, which are less than half the
weight of the ones she was wearing before, alleviate strain on her
back. "I don't have as much pressure on my spine and I keep them on
all day long now," she continued.
An added benefit of some lightweight breast forms is providing
more options for patients. "Heavier products that require a special
bra can be very uncomfortable for women with scar tissue on their
chest wall. It's almost like wearing a pair of shoes that are too
tight," said Larita Irvin of Texarkana, Texas. "I can now wear any
bra I choose."
As Elizabeth McCann mentioned, the sheer weight of a standard
silicone prosthesis can make the chest wall hot and increase
perspiration.
"The prosthesis I was wearing was extremely heavy, hot and made
me sweat," said Wanda Rouse of Abingdon, Virginia. "When I put my
new custom lightweight prosthesis, I couldn't believe the
difference it made--it absorbs moisture and gives me symmetry."
O&P: Lighter-Weight Trend
As I look at trends in the O&P industry as a whole, today's
prosthetic devices are getting lighter and lighter--which is
apparently what customers want. I have to question the reasoning of
those who still say that mastectomy patients need the weight of a
prosthesis to match their natural breast. Do these individuals
think that a prosthetic limb should weigh as much as an existing
leg? I think amputee patients would convince them otherwise.
Many O&P providers are beginning to understand the benefits
of lightweight breast prostheses and use this research as they
counsel customers in their decision-making process.
Thanks to emerging technologies and new materials available for
post-mastectomy patients, I believe that lightweight breast forms
will one day emerge as the industry standard. Mimi San Pedro, CMF, is president of ContourMed, Little Rock, Arkansas. A four-year breast cancer survivor, San Pedro left behind an 18-year career as an advertising executive to make a fresh start on a career that was both challenging and personally rewarding. In 2003, the national Susan G. Komen Foundation, SELF Magazine, and Yoplait selected her as one of the “Yoplait 25 Champions.” 
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