Silicone prosthetics,
questions answered
Process, timelines, materials and aftercare — straight answers from Silobionic's clinical and fabrication team in Seoul.
Latest articles
How is a custom silicone prosthesis made? From consultation to delivery in three visits
Casting and skin-tone measurement, a check-socket fitting, then delivery — the three standard visits and timelines at a glance.
Silicone finger prosthesis vs 3D titanium functional finger: what is the difference?
Silicone restores how your hand looks; titanium restores how it grips. Purpose, material, mechanism and fit compared in one table.
Lost your feet to diabetes: can a better-fitting prosthesis bring back long walks? A customer story
A customer who had made do with a torn, faded foot prosthesis for years. A new one with a firmer sole changed how the ground felt underfoot.
What prostheses does Silobionic make?
From fingertips to hands, forearms, feet, ears and leg covers — what Silobionic makes, and how.
Does a silicone prosthesis fade if you keep it in storage?
Friction and dyes matter far more than time. How to look after a silicone prosthesis in storage and in daily use.
Is it too late for a finger prosthesis years after an accident? A customer story
About ten years after an accident, our customer wanted one thing most: a natural look. Why a settled affected area helped.
Lost a finger at work in Korea? Industrial accident insurance and your finger prosthesis, step by step
Treatment, your insurance claim, then your prosthesis: what to do, in what order, if you lose a finger at work in Korea.
How do I protect my skin from sweat with a below-knee prosthesis?
Sweat and moisture increase friction. Daily skin checks, cleaning and drying the socket and liner, and the signs that mean you should see a doctor or have the fit checked.
Can a short thumb (brachydactyly) be improved without surgery?
If bone-lengthening surgery feels like too much, a custom silicone finger prosthesis is worth considering. How the two differ, and how it is made.
Diabetic foot amputation: what should I look after before and after?
Daily foot checks, protecting your remaining foot, rehab that starts with standing, and skin checks once you wear a prosthesis.
When can you get a finger prosthesis after an amputation? A work-injury story from Korea
From what to do right after the injury to the right time for a prosthesis, through the story of a customer injured at work in Korea.
Unhappy with a previous hand prosthesis? What to look for next time
Shape, weight and texture, skin tone: three reasons a prosthesis can look unnatural, and what to check before your next one.
Can a silicone ear help a baby with microtia before surgery?
What you can do for a baby with microtia before surgery: the checks to do first, and how a custom silicone ear is made and worn.
What can a silicone foot prosthesis do for a congenital foot with only a heel?
A silicone foot prosthesis for a foot that formed with only a heel — how we designed for both appearance and balance.
Can a silicone finger prosthesis even out a short little finger (brachydactyly)?
A short little finger brought into proportion for a customer who dances — before and after in the same pose.
Can I still get a finger prosthesis years after amputation?
The date of your injury matters less than you might think. The three things we look at before anything else, and how a finger prosthesis is made.
Can I travel and play sport with a below-knee prosthesis?
With the knee preserved, how far can travel and sport go? What to check before you set off, and how everyday and sports prostheses differ.
When should I get a prosthetic leg after amputation?
Why a prosthetic leg is rarely made straight after surgery, how the timing is judged, what to do while you wait, and why putting it off too long has drawbacks too.
Can I swim with a finger prosthesis?
Getting wet is fine; long swims can loosen the fit. How each type of finger prosthesis copes with water, plus sauna and aftercare tips.
What is a forearm (transradial) amputation, and which prosthesis can I choose?
Upper-limb amputation levels, the two things a forearm prosthesis must get right, and how silicone and functional prostheses differ.
My finger prosthesis is uncomfortable and I rarely wear it. What should I check?
An unworn prosthesis usually has a reason. Four things to check, and how a remake changed things for one of our customers.
What is a prosthetic liner, and which type is right for me?
The cushioning layer between your leg and the socket. How liner materials and locking styles differ, and what to consider when choosing one.
Microtia or ear loss after an accident: what are the options?
Surgical reconstruction and silicone ear prostheses compared, and how a custom silicone ear is made.
Lost a finger and reattachment was not possible? What are your options?
Five cases, from a single fingertip to part of a hand, and the three standard visits it takes to make a silicone finger prosthesis.
My foot prosthesis has hurt for years — what should be checked? A customer story
A customer who had put up with pain for decades. We started again from gait and alignment, tested a check socket in daily life, then made a new silicone foot prosthesis.
Lost the front of your foot? How a silicone foot prosthesis supports balance
A silicone foot prosthesis for a foot with only part of the heel remaining — designed for appearance and balance together.
Microtia: what are the options besides surgery? Reconstruction, silicone ear prostheses and hearing support
Reconstruction surgery, a silicone ear prosthesis or hearing support: what each option involves and who it tends to suit.
Short little finger (brachydactyly): can you even out the length without surgery?
Lengthening surgery or a silicone prosthesis worn over the short finger: how the two differ, with a real case.
Lost your middle and ring fingers? How a finger prosthesis is made for two fingers
Two neighbouring fingers, two different prosthesis types — and how we worked around a curved residual finger.
What is a hydraulic ankle prosthetic foot, and who is it for?
A prosthetic ankle that moves with slopes and stairs. How it differs from a standard foot, who it suits, and why the socket matters just as much.
Short below-knee residual limb: can a below-knee prosthesis still be comfortable? A customer story
A short residual limb and lingering pain made this below-knee prosthesis a challenge. We kept the socket type and changed the foot, and walking became less tiring.
What does a microprocessor knee do in an above-knee prosthesis?
A prosthetic knee whose sensors adjust resistance as you move. How it compares with a mechanical knee, why the ankle matters too, and who it suits.
Lost the tip of your thumb? Can a finger prosthesis be ready before your wedding?
A thumb-tip prosthesis made in time for a wedding, and a simple way to hide the edge in close-up photos.
Below-knee prosthesis hurting after years of use? Repair may help before a remake — a customer story
A customer who had put up with a painful prosthesis and relied on a walking stick. With repair alone, and no new prosthesis, the stick was no longer needed.
Can a hand prosthesis match skin where the palm and back are different tones?
Two glove-type hand prostheses painted in two tones — how we matched skin colour, palm lines and fit for customers with darker skin.
Lost just the nail area of your thumb? Why we made a full-finger prosthesis
Even when less than one joint is lost, a naturally short thumb may suit a full-finger design. How we set a slightly shorter length, over three visits.
Below-knee socket gone loose as your limb changed? What a new socket did — a customer story
Over several years our customer's residual limb shrank and the socket became loose. A new socket, then alignment adjusted while walking on ramps, stairs and flat floors.
Stopped toe-lengthening surgery? How a silicone toe prosthesis can help
After stopping lengthening surgery and living with the scars, our customer chose silicone prostheses for both big toes — and started wearing sandals.
Can a silicone skin cover hide burn scars or sunken skin?
A custom silicone cover worn over scars or sunken skin. Real cases by body area, and how a skin cover is made.
What changes when you lose a big toe, and how can a silicone prosthesis help?
What changes after losing a big toe, and a case where a trial check socket was worn in daily life before the silicone prosthesis was finished.
Can you write, or play golf, wearing a natural-looking finger prosthesis?
What makes a finger prosthesis look natural when your hands are on show? A secure fit, the right shape and matched skin tone, through one customer’s experience.
PVC or silicone: which foot prosthesis suits you?
They look alike when new, but differ after a few months. How PVC and silicone foot prostheses compare, and who each suits.
Can you play the piano with a finger prosthesis?
One set for playing, one for everyday life: a customer who wanted to learn the piano, and how the instrument shaped the prosthesis.
A short fourth toe from brachydactyly: is a silicone toe prosthesis an alternative to surgery?
A short fourth toe: surgery or a silicone toe prosthesis? How the two compare, and how a custom toe prosthesis is made and cared for.
From an old conventional above-knee prosthesis to a hydraulic knee: how do you adapt? A customer story
An above-knee prosthesis that began with a leg angled outwards. We reset the alignment, then adapted and fine-tuned through a check socket before making the final prosthesis.
How long until you walk unaided on a below-knee prosthesis? Nine months after a diabetes-related amputation
From preparing the limb with a liner to a nine-month check-up on slopes and stairs: one customer’s path to walking without a frame after a diabetes-related amputation.
Back to farm work after losing a hand: which prosthesis suits the job?
For a customer who needed to carry fruit crates and handle farm pipes, we proposed a water-tolerant titanium semi-automatic hand with a pipe-sized silicone pad.
How often does a silicone hand prosthesis need to be remade?
There is no fixed schedule for remaking a silicone prosthesis. Signs it may be time, repair versus remake, and how to make it last.
My above-knee socket has become too small to put on — how is it refitted? A customer story
Putting the prosthesis on had become a struggle. We remade our customer’s above-knee socket, aligned to the other leg and lined with soft silicone where it meets the limb.
Can I walk comfortably as soon as my below-knee prosthesis is made?
Your leg keeps changing for months after amputation. One customer’s six-month follow-up shows what shifts while you adapt to a below-knee prosthesis.
Partial hand loss on both hands: how are the prostheses planned?
A customer with partial loss on both hands, and why each hand needed a different type of silicone prosthesis.
Can a silicone prosthesis restore the shoulder line after shoulder disarticulation?
A cosmetic silicone prosthesis after loss of the shoulder joint, and the extra fitting steps it took to match the other shoulder.
How can I prevent joint contracture after amputation?
A stiff joint can make a prosthesis harder to wear. Positions to avoid, and the exercises commonly used in rehabilitation.
Can a silicone prosthesis cover a finger shortened by contracture?
A finger that is still there but shortened by contracture can be covered with silicone. What that achieves, its limits and how it is made.
Why is every prosthetic leg built differently, and why does alignment matter?
From partial foot to above the knee, each amputation level calls for a different prosthesis. What changes by level, and the steps every good fit goes through.
Can a torn or stretched silicone prosthesis be repaired?
Tears are patched and stretching is filled from inside. Repair methods by type of damage, and when a remake is needed.
How do I care for a silicone prosthesis so it lasts?
Never force it and keep friction low. A five-step care routine, from putting it on to storing it.
What should I look after following finger amputation surgery?
Swelling, pain and wellbeing: three things to look after following finger amputation surgery, and what to check with your doctor.
Phantom limb pain and the mirror box: how does it work?
Why a lost limb can still be felt, and the idea behind the mirror box used in rehabilitation.
Why add a titanium semi-automatic finger after years with a cosmetic one?
Silicone for how the hand looks, titanium for holding and supporting things: how a customer with index-finger loss added a functional prosthesis.
After a leg amputation, how should I look after my limb before a prosthesis?
A comfortable prosthesis starts with a well-healed limb. Wound, swelling and posture care after surgery, and when casting can begin.
How does the level of leg amputation change the prosthesis you need?
From partial foot to above the knee: the five levels of leg amputation and how the prosthesis changes at each one.
Facing a leg amputation: how might you feel, and what are the stages of rehab?
The emotions around leg amputation, and the six stages after surgery — from wound healing to getting used to everyday life with a prosthesis.
Why does the socket matter so much, and how can I tell if it fits?
Before worrying about the foot, look at the socket. The signs of a poorly fitting socket and three things a good one gets right.
What does a silicone waterproof cover do for a below-knee prosthesis?
A custom silicone cover that shields your prosthesis from water and dirt, made to look natural beside your other leg.
Pin lock or suction: which suspension suits a below-knee prosthesis?
Lock it with a pin, or hold it with suction? The two main ways to keep a below-knee prosthesis on, and how to choose between them.
Choosing a prosthetic foot for a below-knee prosthesis later in life — what matters?
A light, smooth-rolling carbon-fibre foot for an older customer who was not very active — and an explanation of the activity levels used to choose a prosthetic foot.
Amputation above both knees: how are above-knee prostheses fitted? A customer story
Two above-knee prostheses for a customer with amputations above both knees: why a hydraulic knee and a seal-in liner were chosen, and how the early walking test went.
Amputated just above the ankle with a long residual limb — how is a below-knee socket made?
A long limb with a wide end made a standard socket hard to get into. How we fitted an open-front, foam-lined double socket and a low-profile carbon-fibre foot.
Can I wear heels or dress shoes with a prosthetic leg?
Want to switch between trainers and dress shoes? Why a prosthetic foot is sensitive to heel height, and how an adjustable ankle lets you set it yourself.
How do I choose a prosthetic arm, hand or leg? A step-by-step guide for first-timers
Budget, the functions you need, funding, comparing prosthetists and adapting afterwards — five steps for choosing your first prosthesis.
Lost an ear to a burn? Wearing a silicone ear with a mask and glasses
A silicone ear shaped around the remaining tragus after a burn injury — and how it looks with a mask and glasses on.
Tell us about your case.
Send a photo of your affected area and what you would like to do again. We will reply in English with honest guidance, an estimated timeline and a personalised quotation.