What Are Breast Forms and Prostheses?
After mastectomy or lumpectomy, some people hold off on reconstruction (or don’t get it at all) and use a breast form when they want a breast shape.
Breast forms — also called breast prostheses — come in a variety of types, sizes, and colors. Most are made from materials that mimic the weight and feel of breast tissue. Breast forms can be worn inside the pocket of a special bra or attached to the chest with or without adhesive. The form that’s right for you depends on how much breast tissue has been removed, as well as your personal preferences.
Types of breast forms
There are several types of breast forms, including temporary, silicone, non-silicone (made from foam, fabric, or other materials); these can be off the shelf or custom-made. Some well-known breast form companies include American Breast Care, Amoena, AnaOno, Anita, Athleta, The Busted Tank, Trulife, and Nearly Me.
After breast cancer surgery, it’s likely you’ll receive a light, cloth-covered breast form that you can wear in your bra while you recover. Because these forms are so light, some women say they move around inside the bra cup, so they either sew them to the bra or fasten them with a safety pin. Once the area has healed, you can decide on a more permanent type of breast form.
Silicone breast forms are designed to look, feel, and move like breasts. Many have air chambers to make them lighter and cooler to wear. Some brand’s air chambers can be inflated so you can make the breast form the exact size you want. Companies offer silicone breast forms in different weights, sizes, shapes, and skin tones. There are also different nipple and areola styles and colors. All these options are helpful if you’ve had a single mastectomy and want the form to match your other breast as closely as possible. Having a breast form that is the same weight and size as your other breast helps prevent back strain and muscle pain.
All silicone breast forms can be worn in the swimming pool, ocean, or hot tub. There are also specially designed swim forms that are lighter and may be more comfortable to wear when you’re at the beach or pool.
There are several ways to wear a silicone breast form. You can put it inside a pocketed bra. Some silicone forms have a tacky surface on the back that helps the form stick to your skin. Others have an adhesive backing that attaches to your chest. These are called contact prostheses and you can wear them with a regular bra. Be sure that the skin on your chest area has healed from surgery and radiation before using a silicone form with adhesive backing.
Silicone breast forms wear out over time. Exposing the silicone breast forms to very high or very low temperatures can make them wear out faster. In general, it’s a good idea to replace a silicone form about every two years.
Out-of-pocket costs for off-the-shelf silicone breast forms are approximately $250, depending on insurance coverage. Inflatable forms and versions with adhesive backing tend to be more expensive.
Non-silicone breast forms, also called leisure forms, are much lighter and cooler than silicone. Similar to the pads in bathing suit tops or sports bras, non-silicone breast forms can be made of foam, fiberfill, fabric, or even beaded materials in a cloth shell, and can be weighted or unweighted. To wear foam forms, you put them inside a pocketed bra. Foam forms can be hand-washed and air dried. Some foam forms are made from material that doesn’t soak up water so you can wear them while swimming.
It’s a good idea to replace foam forms about twice a year. Out-of-pocket costs for foam forms are about $50.
Custom-made breast forms are made of silicone and can be designed to match:
the contour of your chest wall (even if there are bumps, ridges, or indentations)
the size, shape, and weight of your remaining breast, if you have one, to restore symmetry
If you’ve had a double mastectomy, a certified mastectomy fitter can help you try forms of different sizes and shapes so you can figure out which makes you feel your best.
You can also choose the skin tone and shape and color of your nipple and areola. A custom-made silicone breast form has a tacky surface that helps it stay in place when you wear a regular bra. Many women say a custom-made silicone breast form fits their chest like a puzzle piece.
If you’re interested in a custom-made breast form, it’s best to make an appointment with a certified mastectomy fitter so you find the proper fit, weight, and shape for your body.
While custom-made breast forms tend to last longer than off-the-shelf silicone forms, mastectomy fitters recommend replacing custom-made forms about every two years. Custom-made forms are more expensive than off-the-shelf forms and prices vary by manufacturer and insurance coverage.
What to expect from a certified mastectomy fitter
Working with a certified mastectomy fitter — a healthcare professional who has training in how to fit people for breast forms — can help you find a breast form or forms that look and feel best. Meeting with a mastectomy fitter before surgery can give you a sense of your options, but these conversations can also wait until you heal.
In general, you can be fitted for a breast form or forms about six to eight weeks after breast cancer surgery, when the area has healed. If you’re having radiation after surgery, experts recommend waiting until your skin heals from that treatment.
“But if someone has to go back to work two weeks after surgery, there are options,” explains Mary Walsh-Aframe, a certified mastectomy fitter and founder and owner of The Women’s Image Center in Worcester, Mass. “There are very light forms that can be worn while the area continues to heal. Once healing is complete, we can discuss other types of forms.”
“If someone is having a lumpectomy, we can discuss special lumpectomy forms,” she says. “If someone is having a mastectomy and hasn’t decided on reconstruction, we can go over all the selections so people can decide what’s best for them.”
At your appointment, a mastectomy fitter needs the following:
a prescription from your doctor for the breast form and the mastectomy bras
your health insurance card
one or two of your best-fitting bras that you wore before mastectomy surgery
The fitter also will ask about your lifestyle and preferences, including:
your typical daily activities, both at home and at work
how physically active you are, and what types of activities and exercise you enjoy
whether you plan to wear a breast form all the time, most of the time, or some of the time
what’s most important to you: comfort, appearance, or both
any concerns you have about the form feeling like an actual breast
if you want to wear a breast form without a bra at times
whether you want to be close to the same size you were before surgery, especially if you’re having a double mastectomy or implant removal
your budget for out-of-pocket costs
The fitter will help you try on various types of forms so you find one that’s best for you and your unique situation. If you decide on a custom-made breast form, the mastectomy fitter uses a scanner to take 3D measurements of your chest and upper body for the manufacturer.
Caring for your breast forms
All breast forms come with instructions for how to best care for them. You can handwash some non-silicone forms with mild soap and let them air-dry, depending on what they’re made of. Some breast forms also come with removable covers that you can wash or wipe down.
Some silicone breast forms include cleaning kits with non-abrasive wipes and mild soaps that are safe to use on silicone. Certified mastectomy fitters can offer advice on which store-bought soaps or cleaners are safe to use. Breast forms with adhesive backings have special cleaning instructions to ensure they retain their stickiness as long as possible.
“I tell people to be meticulous when cleaning silicone forms with tacky or adhesive backing,” Walsh-Aframe says. “Bacteria can grow in warm, dark, moist places, which is the environment the form is in when you’re wearing it next to your skin. If you’re wearing a silicone form that’s in a pocketed bra, you don’t have to be as careful with cleaning.”
You can handwash mastectomy bras in mild soap and lay them flat to dry, just as you would other delicate lingerie.
Health insurance coverage for breast forms
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 is a federal law requiring health insurance companies that cover mastectomy to also cover breast reconstruction and breast forms. But it’s important to know that Medicare is exempt from providing the coverage required by this law.
Although coverage varies by health plan, Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial health insurance plans usually cover the following:
two to four mastectomy bras per year
a new silicone breast form about every two years
a foam or other non-silicone breast form about every six months
Most health insurance plans require a doctor’s prescription for breast forms and mastectomy bras. Some health plans even cover more than one type of breast form if you need it, but they likely won’t cover every type of breast form available. You also need a doctor’s prescription every time you replace your breast form(s).
Health plans generally don’t cover other garments, such as pocketed bathing suits, camisoles, lingerie tops, or athletic tops. It’s best to call your insurance company in advance so you know exactly what your plan covers.
No matter your coverage, you’re responsible for any co-pays and deductibles for your breast forms. It’s a good idea to keep records of any bills or charges so you can refer to them when talking to your health insurance company.
Medicare does not cover custom-made breast forms. You may be able to get coverage for custom-made forms if you have a supplemental plan.
If you opt for breast forms now, many health insurance companies cover breast reconstruction surgery in the future. Still, it’s a good idea to make sure that submitting a claim for a breast form doesn’t limit your reconstruction surgery choices.
If you’re concerned about costs — including co-pays and meeting your plan’s annual deductible — you may want to ask your medical team or a mastectomy fitter if they can recommend financial assistance resources. An organization called Knitted Knockers provides knitted breast forms free of charge.
— Last updated on August 7, 2025 at 4:53 PM