ABSTRACT
Breast-prostheses production and distribution in the United States is a small but growing segment of the multimillion-dollar prostheses industry. As advertisements for breast forms and mastectomy bras reveal, the product is closely aligned with contemporary notions of an ideal female beauty. A quick review of marketing strategies, the material culture of “mastectomy boutiques,” and the inclusion of this product in lingerie departments and on Web sites that sell the forms suggests the deliberate association between notions of beauty and this prosthetic part. Pastel images surround images associated with the product, flowers appear next to the breast forms, and many companies emphasize the vital role of the artificial breast in restoring a woman’s sense of beauty after a mastectomy. Obviously these sources also feature pictures of smiling, full-figured women, presumably comfortable wearing a prosthetic breast. These sources gloss over any discussion of the medical and surgical nature of the product and instead constantly stress attractiveness. They echo the messages ubiquitous in women’s magazines that place the center of women’s value in her physical and feminine appearance. When and how did a “surgical appliance” that catered to a narrow and specific consumer base evolve into a beauty product?
