What Bra Insert Manufacturers Don't Know
At first I was thrilled with my new silicone enhancers. They gave my breasts shape and form for the first time. I'd not only gained one full cup size but, more importantly, I'd gained confidence. My own perception of myself had improved and the benefits affected my entire life. However, over time, some problems did raise their ugly head in relation to my new bust boosters. While not crucial or impossible to live with, it's not easy to ignore these issues.
The silicone-filled inserts themselves are quite good but no one, except long-time users, would realise the questions and problems they could raise. During the last year, I've been affected by the following issues:
- Not secure enough - On the benefits page I was saying how humidity and perspiration helps liquid-filled enhancers stay in place by acting as temporary glue. Unfortunately, excess perspiration (like during hot summer days or during workout) causes too much humidity and may make your silicone bra inserts slip. It never happened for an insert to slip out too much but its rim did become visible when looking down my cleavage. Bending and generally exercising under these conditions became restrictive as I'd always worry they'd slip out entirely.
- Uncomfortable when hot - I don't know any woman who would feel comfortable during hot weather. Having a silicone-filled plastic pad against your skin prevents that part of the body to breathe properly. Your bigger bust may still look as attractive as before but it won't feel as attractive.
- Smell - One of the first issues to come up is that of smell. The bra inserts prevent the skin from ventilation. Humidity is trapped underneath the breast enhancer for as long as you're wearing them. The moment you take them off, you notice the unpleasant smell of perspiration on yourself as well as on the silicone enhancers.
- Cleaning enhancers - Closely related to the issue of perspiration is that of ensuring your bra enhancement pads are always clean and fresh. Provided you wash them immediately and generously with soap, the perspiration smell should go away completely. However, if you leave them for a couple of hours (on several occasions I've been too exhausted to clean them immediately), you find that no matter how thoroughly you wash them or how nice the soap fragrance is, the perspiration smell embeds in the plastic and will always be noticeable to the discerning nose.
- Degrading - Over time, any product given fair use starts degrading. I've used my two breast inserts for a whole year now and they're still going strong minus some small air pockets. The outermost plastic layer of one of the enhancers developed a fault, letting air in between it and the main plastic layer protecting the silicone within. While not a problem as such, I do worry that in time more air will enter and eventually they will need to be replaced.
- Inserts feel hard - Not having fully developed breasts means I don't know what normal breasts feel like to touch. Silicone breast enhancement products warm and soften at body temperature but I never thought they felt like real breasts. Case in point. When my unaware boyfriend hugs me I can feel the bra inserts pushing against him in an unnatural way. I'm too embarrassed to ask him what they feel like for him but the thought of him noticing something makes me pull away instinctively.
- Vulnerable without them - The trouble with getting used to fake breasts is that once you stop wearing them you feel naked and vulnerable. You begin to wonder if people notice the difference in bust size. The first time your boyfriend sleeps over, does he realise that you had been wearing bust increase products, and if yes, what does he think? Does he care? Will it affect how he sees you?
- Kills spontaneity - Imagine a hot evening with your sweetheart, passionate kissing, clothes flying off, "Hang on honey, let me get these out, they're quite fragile". What do you do, do you put him on hold while you take them out in the bathroom, do you let him take them out? What about the humidity and perspiration? In my book, silicone enhancers can affect spontaneity in a relationship.
Before Buying
- No Return or Exchange - Due to hygiene reasons, silicone pads cannot be returned once worn. Insertion of these pads in your bra puts them in direct contact with your skin, making them impossible of being resold.
However comfortable silicone breast enhancers are made, they will never stop being fake, nor are you likely to ever forget that they are fake. The boost in confidence when socializing is tremendous for small busted women but use of fake bra inserts can raise up a whole new range of issues, especially when you are in a new relationship. Whether these issues affect you or not is entirely up to you but just thought I'd let you know since these don't come on the label.