Do you know "bathing clothes"?
October 27, 11:29
"I don't like to see myself in the mirror."
"I realize my lack of breasts."
It is said that one in nine women now has breast cancer, but women who are concerned about the scars of surgery. Is not a few.
Bathing suits made for women who have lost their breasts.
Do you guys know
(Nara Broadcasting Station reporter Yuko Oikawa)
I'm scared of myself
Yuriko Matsuda, who raises two children, found a lump on her left chest two years ago while taking a bath at home.
When I hurriedly examined it at the hospital, the result was stage 1 breast cancer.
I continued treatment with anti-cancer drugs for a while, but half a year later, in January last year, I had my left chest completely removed by surgery.
Although the operation was successful, Mr. Matsuda struggled to accept himself.
Of course, I was hesitant to be seen around me.
Yuriko Matsuda
"I was very scared to see myself after removing my breasts. I hate seeing myself in the mirror. It's a pretty big wound, so what do you think if other people see it? I couldn't go to the hot springs because of the fact that it was a mirror. "
1 in 9 people get breast cancer
According to statistics from the National Cancer Center, more than 90,000 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer during the year 2018.
The number of new patients, which was about 50,000 in 2005, is increasing year by year due to changes in lifestyle such as eating habits and an increase in the detection rate in cancer screening.
It is now said that one in nine people will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
It is no exception, even for healthcare professionals.
The scars should have been familiar
Eri Nakanishi, who was a nurse, has witnessed many times during surgery and treatment of breast cancer patients.
The scars from the surgery should have been "familiar" as well.
However, 12 years ago, when I was 36 years old, when I came home after night shift and reached out to take a shower, I saw it in the mirror and noticed a lump on my left chest.
The stage is 2B.
The following month, I had to remove the entire left chest.
It is said that the appearance that was supposed to be "familiar" was difficult to accept when he became a party.
It was more shocking than I had imagined to lose what was once there.
Would you like to develop a "bathing suit" together?
I have heard from patients that they hesitate to take a bath in hot springs, but as a party, I have come to understand such feelings painfully.
In fact, there are "bathing clothes" that can hide scars when using hot springs for such people.
Mr. Nakanishi left the clinical setting and moved to Kio University.
Since I came to the research and development site, I wanted to develop something that was close to the patient's worries, and six years ago, I spoke to Professor Hiroko Murata, who specializes in clothing research.
Eri Nakanishi
"Why don't you join us in developing something that allows you to take a bath without worrying about the wounds after breast cancer surgery?"
What kind of fabric do you use?
How to hide scars?
How can I make it easier to put on and take off?
Making bathing clothes is a start from scratch.
When I used a fabric like rain gappa to emphasize water repellency, the fabric floated on the water when I took a bath, which made it uncomfortable to wear.
When the front was designed to be open so that it could be easily put on and taken off, there was an opinion that it would be difficult to wear it easily because it would be complicated to fasten the fabric with Velcro.
In addition, while trying on commercially available bathing clothes and repeatedly considering them, Mr. Nakanishi had a feeling of strangeness.
Eri Nakanishi
"We are very hurt by the fact that the breasts we used to have are gone. Some bathing suits have a solid structure like a pad, but when you wear them, you have your own breasts. I realized that there was no such thing. On the contrary, the difference in my chest became noticeable, which made it harder for me. "
Problems are emerging one after another, and research is not easy to proceed.
Professor Hiroko Murata of Kiou University
"I made many prototypes, and each time I found something that didn't work, I couldn't quite reach the finished product. Moreover, I often didn't notice the problem until I actually wore it. 1 It took a couple of months each time for one prototype to take shape and come to a conclusion. "
Encounter with "that material"
The biggest problem was the fabric.
But last summer.
The encounter with a certain material has greatly advanced my research.
The material that I happened to pick up at a store that handles fabrics.
In addition to water repellency, it also has elasticity, making it ideal for easy attachment and detachment.
The material is "nonwoven fabric".
It is used for masks, etc., but it is not often used for clothing, so it is said that it was not considered as a candidate in the first place.
Professor Hiroko Murata, Kiou University
"At first, I thought that if I made a fabric using excellent threads, I could make a good bathing suit. But it didn't work. I thought that this might be the performance that has both. "
Finally completed new bathing clothes.
A combination of 4 non-woven fabrics.
It is a simple design with no pads, and the design incorporates folds in the chest so that the lines of the body are difficult to see.
Because it dries quickly, it doesn't stick to your body even after it gets wet, and the difference between your left and right breasts, which Mr. Nakanishi was concerned about, has become less noticeable.
Considering hygiene, we made the product disposable and kept the price at around 500 yen.
Mr. Matsuda, a breast cancer patient who cooperated in trying on clothes, was also pleased with the completion.
Yuriko Matsuda
"When I was sent a bathing suit, my first voice was" cute! ". I remember being very happy because I thought it would look cute even if I didn't have a chest. Then, I want to go out with the children to the hot springs, and I hope the bathing clothes will take root. "
Mr. Nakanishi, who called for development, also feels that he has created something that responds to the voices of the parties concerned.
Eri Nakanishi
"I've been trying on myself as a medical professional and as a person involved in breast cancer, but from the patient's point of view, I've been told various selfishness. I'm most concerned about the difference between the left and right breasts. I'm supposed to be able to cover a lot of the parts, so I would like everyone to pick it up, and I feel very relieved when I wear it myself. "
Know more about "bathing clothes"
However, the current situation is that bathing clothes are still unknown.
According to a questionnaire survey conducted by Murata's research group in Nara Prefecture in 2020, 57% of women with breast cancer answered that they did not know or did not know much about bathing clothes.
At bathing facilities, it was 81%.
"I don't know the bathing clothes in the first place."
"While telling customers not to bring in towels, if they allow them to wear bathing clothes, other customers may say something."
In fact, less than 20% of bathing facilities answered that they are allowed to wear bathing clothes.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is calling for understanding that there is no problem in hygiene management when entering while wearing "bathing clothes" at public baths.
In March, Nara Prefecture made and distributed a poster "Ask for understanding of bathing in bathing clothes" at all facilities in the prefecture.
Some facilities have agreed, and the hot spring facility in Tenri City began selling disposable bathing clothes at the shop from October 12th.
The response was great, and it was said that they started selling online in a hurry.
Kazuyuki Minato, Manager, Nara Kenko Land
"If you don't take a bath because you are worried about scars, you and your family will not be able to enjoy it together. We would like to continue working to create an environment as a facility so that people can enjoy bathing without having to worry about it. "
Take a bath even if you're not naked
"
Is
it profitable to introduce bathing clothes as a facility?"
"How will other customers accept products that focus on a few people?"
Mr. Murata, who developed disposable bathing clothes, once said It is said that there were harsh voices from the facility side.
Nevertheless, Mr. Murata will not be widely used not only by people after breast cancer surgery but also by people in various positions if the understanding of bathing clothes becomes widespread and easier to pick up. I'm thinking.
Professor Hiroko Murata of Kiou University
"I feel that it may be worn not only by people after breast cancer surgery, but also by people who are injured or have wounds that they do not want to see. That is why society understands bathing clothes. I want it to spread further. "
You don't have to take a bath naked.
Toward a society where everyone can enjoy hot springs and public baths without hesitation.
I can't help but hope that my understanding of bathing clothes will deepen.