Breast prostheses and swimwear

High street swimwear

Some high street shops sell suitable swimwear for women who wear a prosthesis, including one-piece costumes, and two-piece bikinis and tankinis. A tankini is a two-piece costume with a top that extends further down than a bikini.

The top needs to be cut high enough over the breast area and under the arms to cover the prosthesis. It also needs to have some structure, which is usually provided by cups.

You could adapt a high street swimsuit with cups by making your own pocket to hold the prosthesis in place, or simply by stitching two strips of ribbon from top to bottom across the back of the cup.

If you do this you will need to wear a lightweight prosthesis or foam leisure prosthesis. There are also special swim prostheses available from mail-order catalogues but these can be quite expensive.

Also, some may be too heavy to wear in a swimsuit that has not been designed for use with a prosthesis.

Mastectomy swimwear

You may prefer to wear pocketed ‘mastectomy swimwear’, which you can find in some high street shops, large department stores or specialist shops.

A variety of costumes are available from a number of mail order catalogues. You can choose between one-piece costumes, two-piece bikinis and tankinis. Most are cup sized.

You can use your full weight silicone prosthesis or a swim prosthesis in a mastectomy swimsuit.

You do not need to pay VAT on mastectomy swimwear if you have had breast surgery. If you adapt non-mastectomy swimwear, for example by putting in a pocket, you can claim back VAT on the cost of adapting it, not on the swimwear itself.

Looking ahead

By taking simple measures you can become more confident about your body and how you look, which may affect other areas of your life in a positive way.

This might be through having a suitable prosthesis fitted, choosing an attractive, well-fitting bra, or making some adjustments to your clothes.

Small changes could make all the difference to how you feel. What is important is that you are able to make your own choices and find what is most comfortable and works best for you.