Traveling with your Silicone Breast Form

Many women write in to ask us if they can travel the “friendly skies” while wearing their silicone breast forms. The answer is a resounding “yes,” but there are some things you might want to know ahead of time. 

• Airport security technology will not harm a silicone breast form 
• Newer airport security body scanners detect all objects between the scanner and the skin, and while they are able to recognize clothing, they are unable to identify silicone breast forms. If you are wearing a prosthesis it could therefore trigger an alarm. If this happens, a female security officer will ask you a few questions and perform a manual body check.
• You can request that this be done in a private screening area.
• Airport security staff have been trained to handle sensitive issues around surgery and treat passengers respectfully, so simply inform them before you enter the body scanner that you are wearing a breast form. You could also use this TSA Notification Card, and visit the TSA website for more information (note that use of the card does not exempt a traveler from the normal security process). 
• According to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, you should neither be asked, nor agree to lift or remove any article of clothing to reveal your breast prosthesis, and you should not be asked to remove the form itself.
• If you choose to carry your prosthesis or mastectomy bra in your accessible property rather than wearing it, it will be allowed through the checkpoint after it is screened. The prosthesis or the mastectomy bra is not subject to the 3-1-1 rules that normally applicable to liquids, gels, and aerosols because it is considered to be medically necessary. 

Every country has its own security procedures and policies; it is wise to ask your travel agent or do preliminary research online if you are traveling outside your home country.

Black dots on a prosthesis after a flight

One other item that we must address: The change in air pressure. It is not uncommon for lightweight silicone breast forms to develop temporary air bubbles if they are in higher elevations where the air pressure changes. If you are a frequent flyer, you may have seen what appear to be small, black dots inside your breast form, due to the change in elevation. This is not a defect, nor will it harm the form. In fact, the air bubbles typically disappear within about two weeks of travelling or climbing. So don’t worry, travel happy! 

Read more: Get more tips on travelling after cancer, written by Karen, a breast cancer survivor, after her recent world adventure: How to Travel (The World!) After Breast Cancer