Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstructions are commonly sought out by people (usually women) who had to have a mastectomy as a means of eliminating and treating breast cancer. A mastectomy can remove anywhere from a small portion to nearly the entire breast. While this may seem extreme, it is often a doctor recommended option to prevent the spread or worsening of the cancer present.

 

After this trying experience, many are ready to start over and get back to living their life as it was before breast cancer. The mastectomy can often leave people feeling like they are missing a part of themselves, and they feel uncomfortable with this appearance. For women in these cases, they can either wear a breast form or padding inside their bra, or they can opt for breast reconstruction surgery.

 

Breast reconstruction can be done during the same surgery as the mastectomy, given that the doctor feels that it is the right time after or during treatment. If radiation treatment is still ongoing, the doctor may recommend that reconstruction is done at a later time.

 

There are many different ways to reconstruct the breasts, and those depend really on the patient’s preferences and the doctor’s recommendations based on their specific case. There are options where the surgeon may use silicone breast implants as part of the reconstruction, and others where they use tissue, like skin, fat, and muscle, from your body to do the reconstruction. (That would usually be from your back, buttocks or stomach.)

 

For this important decision, make sure that you consult a plastic and reconstructive surgeon with experience and expertise when it comes to these operations.