HOW IT WORKS
A Soubra™ (\soo-bra\, from French, meaning under bra) is a very thin flexible strip of reinforced silicone overlaid on the outer surface with smooth nylon fabric. It is attachable at one end to the back of a breast prosthesis. The main portion lies over the shoulder, beneath the bra strap, and clings to the skin to allow the Soubra™ to assist the bra in supporting the prosthesis.

The silicone undersurface of the Soubra™ prevents it from slipping. The gentle pressure of the bra shoulder strap keeps the Soubra™ in place. The smooth fabric on the upper surface of the Soubra™ prevents the bra strap from pulling on it. For further explanation of how it works, see below.


The Soubra™ works for two simple physical reasons.

1) It supports the prosthesis from a remote location (the shoulder and upper back). This allows the weight to be oriented parallel to the surface of the skin, unlike other attachment techniques which take the weight primarily perpendicular or away from the surface of the skin (the chest area). It takes much less adhesive strength to support a load directed parallel to a surface than one directed away from a surface. This principle works so well that the Soubra™ does not require adhesive at all.

2) It involves a region of the body where the skin is usually tight and closely attached to the underlying tissues. This allows the weight on the Soubra™ to be distributed over a much larger area of the shoulder and upper back than it actually contacts. As a result, there is very little sensation of weight and the prosthesis feels as light as a natural breast does.