silicone allergy ?

[Matia]

Hey Girls,

I seem to have negative reaction to my breastforms, when i wear them for longer time - sticked to my chest, my skin is very sensitive even days after that , do you have any experience with it ? i hope it's only irritated skin as it cannot breathe underneath, but if it's an allergy do you have any ideas how to treat it ? or what do you do ?

[sandra-leigh]

Silicone allergy exists, but that isn't necessarily your problem.

Most silicone breast forms are a semi-gel encased in an outer layer of plastic. The plastic can be the problem.

There are some silicone breast forms that have no outer layer of plastic.

There are non-silicone breast forms, such as PALS.

Have you tried using a "pocket bra", in which the forms are inside material rather than touching the chest itself?

Are you using any kind of adhesive?

A variety of rash when wearing forms for longer times is not uncommon, due to the forms holding sweat in tight against the chest. "Professional" forms are designed for long wear, with either a gap under much of the form or channels to allow air circulation.

[Matia]

Silicone allergy exists, but that isn't necessarily your problem.

Most silicone breast forms are a semi-gel encased in an outer layer of plastic. The plastic can be the problem.

There are some silicone breast forms that have no outer layer of plastic.

There are non-silicone breast forms, such as PALS.

Have you tried using a "pocket bra", in which the forms are inside material rather than touching the chest itself?

Are you using any kind of adhesive?

A variety of rash when wearing forms for longer times is not uncommon, due to the forms holding sweat in tight against the chest. "Professional" forms are designed for long wear, with either a gap under much of the form or channels to allow air circulation.

yeah you are right, it's more likely the plastic, it was glued by the tape
so hopefully it just needs time to heal and less time wearing in future - or more pro forms

[sandra-leigh]

yeah you are right, it's more likely the plastic, it was glued by the tape

Can you determine from the distribution of the skin problem whether the problem is the plastic or the tape? Reactions to the adhesive in tape are a problem, especially if it is not a medical tape or specifically designed for use with forms (and even some of those are not so good.)

[Matia]

I think it's the plastic, it caused some reaction before, but ofcourse glued it is in much tighter contact than it was before when I just inserted it to the bra,
it's nothing really serious, I'm just curious, it's not even visible atm, but when I took a hot shower the area revealed itself again and it was irritated,
this would be a bit awkward to explain to the skin doctor :)

[sandra-leigh]

Tape to some extent, but glue (e.g., Hollisters) much more so, tend to cause little sub-surface spots on longer wearings. These are the same thing as a "hickey": the breaking of tiny little blood vessels just under the surface of the skin.

But if you are getting a reaction even just with contact, then it is either a sweat reaction or a reaction to the plastic of your forms.

Have you tried using a "pocket bra", or wearing something like a cami between your skin and the forms?

[Karren H]

Cut a piece of material you don't react to and adhere it to the back of your forms.

[busker]

I have had irritation from the silicone strips in thigh highs if i wear them too long. I get welts and it takes days to heal. There are some special glues for breast forms but at the moment I can't find the paper I wrote the names on.