Accredited Retailer— A store that is authorized to accept health insurance or Medicare payments for post-mastectomy products.
Apex— The thickest part in the center of the breast form. Some breast forms are designed with a higher or lower apex. Some breast forms have an apex right in the center. The nipple usually sits at the apex.
Asymmetrical— If you cut the breast form in half, the two halves would not be the same. The Classic shape is Asymmetrical and only fits either the right or left side of the body.
Band Size— The band size is the number part of the bra size. It relates to, but is not the same as, the measurement around the chest under the breasts where the bra band goes.
Bilateral Mastectomy—Surgery that removes all of both breasts.
Certified Mastectomy Fitter (CMF)— Post-mastectomy breast forms are medical prostheses that are important for a woman’s physical and emotional health. After mastectomy surgery, a doctor writes a prescription for specialized breast forms and lingerie. A Certified Mastectomy Fitter helps her patients fill their prescriptions. A Certified Mastectomy Fitter is trained to help women find the right fitting breast form and to help them use their health insurance or Medicare payment options. Certified Mastectomy Fitters go through training and testing about post-mastectomy products and patient sensitivity. To become a Certified Mastectomy Fitter or to find one in your area, please call 1-800-887-3370.
Classic— An Assymetrical shape that only fits either the right or left side of the body. The Classic shape was the first designed by Ruth Handler when she started the NEARLY ME® brand. She designed it to match the cup of a bra.
Cleavage— Breast tissue in the center of the chest that shows in a v-neck or low-cut top.
Closure— How or where the bra closes. Some bras close in the back, and some bras close in the front.
Concave— Curved across the back. “Scooped out” so the center of the form is thinner.
Contoured— The back of a breast form is not flat like a table-top. All breast forms have a slight curve so they fit well against the body. Some are constructed with more curve across the back than others. See Available Back Profiles for more details.
Cup Size— The size and depth of the “cup” that the breast rests in. This size refers to how big the breast are and how much they stick out from the body. The cup size is the letter part of the bra size.
Drape— When seen from the side, some women’s breasts sit up high, and some swoop lower. This is based on the Apex.
Full— Thicker profile. More projection. Sticks out more from the chest.
Lumpectomy Surgery— Surgery where a small area of tissue is removed from the breast.
Modified Profile— A thinner profile that is scooped out or concave across the back to match smaller breasts or to fit over more breast tissue behind the form.
Modified Surgery— In this site, we use the term "modified" to mean that less tissue has been removed than with a "radical" mastectomy.
Molded— Most NEARLY ME® breast forms are made of silicone gel encapsulated in a polyurethane skin. Molded forms are solid (but still soft) silicone without a skin. Traditional Forms are Molded.
Non-Weighted Form— A form that does not replace the natural weight lost after breast surgery. Generally, these forms are made of a lightweight foam. Non-weighted forms are good for sleeping, healing, and exercising, but can cause health problems when worn everyday of the remaining breast is heavy. Some foam Casual forms are slightly weighted.
Oval— Describes the perimeter shape. A symmetrical shape with a round bottom that is elongated at the top. Also called a “tear-drop”. See Available Shapes or more details.
Polyurethane— Thin, supple plastic that is used like a skin to encapsulate the silicone gel.
Profile— The depth at the center of the form and the shape of the front and back curves are related. The profile affects how the form looks if you hold it up and look at it from the side. The profile also relates to how much tissue is left behind the form. See Available Profiles for more details.
Projection— How far the breast form sticks out from the chest.
Radical Surgery— In this site, we use the term "radical" to mean more tissue has been removed.
Standard-weight Gel— Silicone gel that is the same weight as human fat and, therefore, breast tissue.
Symmetrical— If you cut the form in half down the center, both sides would be exactly the same. Because of this, each symmetrical form can fit the right and the left side of the body. It does not matter which is worn on the right and which is worn on the left.
Tapered— Profile that matches the drape of mature breasts. Elongated wings that get thinner toward the edges. Tapered forms have a thinner profile than Full forms.
Transition— Where the edges of the breast form meet the natural tissue should be smooth so that under clothing no one can tell where the breast form stops and the body begins. NEARLY ME® breast forms are carefully designed so that the thickness at the edges of the form and the shape of the form work together for this transition.
Triangle— Describes the perimeter or outline shape of a breast form. A symmetrical triangle with curved edges. There are several versions of the triangle. See Available Shapes for more details.
Underwire— A metal or plastic curved wire under the cup of the bra. The underwire helps define the breasts’ shape. Most NEARLY ME® bras do not have underwires due to post-surgery irritation issues.
Weighted Form— A form that replaces the natural weight that has been lost after breast surgery. Generally, these forms are made of silicone. Our Standard-weight silicone gel weighs the same as human fat.
Whipped Gel— Silicone gel that is whipped to be 20% or 30% lighter than Standard-weight Gel.
Wing— The elongated edges of a breast form.
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