My Trip to the Fake Boob Store

Attention male readers: this post is just a lot of girl talk about breast prostheses and bras. Just so you know!

It occurred to me last week that I'd like to investigate what I can about what it's like to live with one breast before I make a decision about whether or not to reconstruct.

I decided to go on a field trip to my local fake boob store and just start asking questions. Here in my city there's a specialty store and there's Nordstrom. So I went to the specialty store, which has been family owned for over 30 years.

I was pleasantly surprised and heartened by what I found out. Prosthetics have come a long way, and they're continually being improved. (The main complaints are that they're too heavy and too hot).

Their goal at this store is to keep you in your favorite clothes, swimwear and bras. They have a seamstress who alters clothes and swimsuits to make it easier to do the prosthetic thing. And many of the bras with pockets in them for prostheses look like the ones I buy now (at least the basic-colored ones).

There are prostheses that stick to your body, that are good in the pool, that are extra light, that make dinner for you - OK, maybe they don't actually do chores.

Of course I don't know how I'd really feel about using these products, but it seems like I'd have a decent chance of wearing the clothes I'm used to and just living my life. Once again in this process I feel grateful to be a small-breasted woman (smaller prosthesis = greater comfort).

Obviously I'm thinking about life both in clothes and out of clothes as I think about reconstruction. But the trip to the fake boob store was a good start.