Development of a Prototype Shirt for Post Double Mastectomy Women Without Breast Reconstruction

Breast cancer is a common cancer among women in the United States, with thousands of fatalities and hundreds of thousands of diagnoses every year. A common course of treatment for breast cancer is the surgical removal of all or some of the breast tissue; this is known as mastectomy. Mastectomy is invasive in nature and results in noticeable physical changes to the body and psychological effects in regard to self-image. However, it is becoming more common for breast cancer survivors to embrace their now flat chests following mastectomy, instead of opting for reconstructive surgery. This has become a lifestyle choice for many women and is referred to as “living flat” or “going flat”. The purpose of this study was to identify the apparel needs of women who are “living flat” and address these needs by creating a prototype garment using a one dart bust block. The prototype garment was evaluated and modified, in order to ensure that garment fit, and comfortability are suitable for women who are post double mastectomy