For Women Only

Breast cancer is a disease that affects more than 200,000 American women each year. The good news is that the outcomes are much better than ever. Today, early detection and new therapies offer women better chances at long-term survival and less invasive surgeries with fewer complications.

For women who choose not to have reconstructive surgery, the need for quality post-mastectomy products is strong. The challenge to the HME industry is to ensure women have the choices they need.

Listening and Responding

Consumer demand, advancing technology and competition among manufacturers drives product improvement in the women's health sector, according to market experts. The shift in surgical procedures to include more lumpectomies also has had a significant impact.

“We have definitely seen an increase in need for partial products,” says Nikki Giamarino, breast care product manager for Camp Healthcare. “There is a change in surgery trends where there seems to be an increase in partial lumpectomy surgery versus full mastectomy surgery.”

That doesn't mean there is no longer a need for full-size prostheses. “The ladies who had their surgeries in the past still need to replace their products annually or every two years,” Giamarino notes.

Capital Marketing Technologies President Judi Simon says there are several reasons why consumers also have taken an interest in lightweight forms, explaining their shape has improved over older models — there is less material to accommodate the less radical surgeries. She adds the combination of materials results in a breast form that more closely mimics aging skin and muscle tone, which is appealing for older customers.

“Technology has now allowed us to do different things with silicone that make the breast forms feel more like a 65- or 70-year-old breast,” explains Simon. “Because these lighter-weight forms tend to mimic older breasts, they are very soft and pliable.” She adds that the original form styles are still available, and that requests vary among customers. The company will introduce a new adaptable form at Medtrade this month.

Christine Voet, product manager for Airway, a division of Surgical Appliance Industries, says today's lightweight forms are significantly lighter than previous products, and that these improvements are in line with what women want. “Customers are becoming more selective, more discriminating and more discerning because they're learning about the features and benefits themselves,” she says.