Commercial breast forms come in all shapes, materials and prices to meet
a variety of needs. With all the choices available, it can sometimes be
difficult to make sense of all the terminology.
Symmetrical
(A form that can be worn on either side of the body.)
| Triangle (tri-corner) |
This is the most general type of form, and offers the most complete and natural bra fit for most users. | |
|---|---|---|
| Teardrop | The name implies its shape. The tapered end is used for a better fit either under the arm or on the upper part of the chest. | |
| Heart shape | This type of form has double extensions, both for under the arm and the upper chest wall. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
Asymmetrical
(A form designed to be left or right side specific.)
| Curved teardrop | This is essentially the regular teardrop type with one rounded portion of the teardrop having a slight extension for the upper chest wall. | |
|---|---|---|
| Extended Triangle | This is a modification of the symmetric style. One of the lower corners of the triangle will have an extension which goes under the arm for better fitting in a bra with some wearers. |
Other Types of Breast Forms and Accessories
| Custom Forms | When an off-the-shelf form just doesn't do the trick, several companies offer a way to create a form custom-fit to your body and your needs. | |
|---|---|---|
| Attachable Forms | These are a newer type of form that is becoming quite popular. Such forms are usually silicone and more expensive than the non-attachable types. They are temporarily attached usually by velcro (hook side on the form, soft pad side attached to the chest by adhesive or surgical cement.) | |
| Thin Shell Forms/ Breast Enhancers |
These usually serve as an augmentation for surgeries that remove only a portion of the breast. They can also be worn as breast padding to augment the size of smaller busts. Also used in cases where two existing breasts are of differing sizes (very common), or in cases where changes due to weight gain in an existing breast have created an imbalance with a breast form you already have. | |
| Attachable Nipples | Most breast forms do not have a pre-formed, colored nipple built in to the form (only some more expensive ones do.) Several manufacturers carry nipples that can be applied to forms that do not have this feature. Unlike the form itself, this accessory is rather cheap. A pair of silicone nipples usually costs about 20 - 40$US. |