Breast Reconstruction
If you are a woman who has had to have a full or partial mastectomy, whether due to breast cancer or for other reasons, then you know how much these procedures can affect a woman's body image. Women who have had to have all or part of their breasts removed sometimes have difficulty adjusting to their new bodies. Some feel like a part of them is missing, and some have a hard time feeling feminine and attractive, or even like a woman at all. This can lead to feelings of isolation and depression, even cause them to withdraw from their loved ones just at the time they need that support group the most.
For many of these women, breast reconstruction is the answer. Although reconstructions can't fully restore what was lost, they can help a woman regain her feelings of worth and femininity, and make it possible for her to go out in public without feeling self-conscious or afraid. After the recovery period and a little time to get used to the changes, some women may even feel their new body is an improvement, as reconstruction offers a chance for a woman to regain lost pertness or fullness, or even add in a little breast augmentation while they're at it.
In order to get the most out of your breast reconstruction, make sure you spend some time studying the options available to you. There are many ways to go about reconstruction, and each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Implants are used for more than breast augmentation; they are also used for breast reconstruction. In fact, about half of all breast reconstructions are done with implants. These are available in saline and silicone, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures.
If you are nervous about implants because of the possibility they may develop a leak at some point or camouflage a recurrence of cancer, or if you are concerned about the feel, another thing you may consider is a fat transfer reconstruction. New advances in the field of liposuction have made it possible for doctors to remove healthy, living fat cells from one area on your body and graft it into another. One fringe benefit of this option is that you have the opportunity to slim down a problem area such as your stomach, buttocks, or thighs while rebuilding breast tissue. If you are healthy enough to be a candidate for this procedure, you just might end up looking better than ever, and you may even get your insurance company to pay for it.
If your nipple and areola were removed in your mastectomy, there are techniques for nipple reconstruction, and tattooing for a new areola. Talk to your plastic surgeon about which method will work best and be most durable for you.
Nearly all plastic surgeons offer free initial consultations, so call a few in your area and set up some appointments with them. They can help explain the process to you and should be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. You can also ask to see some before and after pictures of previous reconstructions and breast augmentations they have performed, to see if their aesthetic agrees with yours and to check the quality of their work.
Your regular physician should also be involved in any and all reconstruction. Because he/she knows you and your specific circumstances, he can help you assess how invasive a surgery your body can handle right now, as well as advise you about ways to minimize your future cancer risk. If you are still recuperating from your mastectomy, or if you are in a high risk category for developing more tumors in the future, he may advise you to try the fat transfer procedure described above rather than get traditional implants, because of the potential they may interfere with future screenings.
You may also benefit from talking to other women you know who have had full or partial mastectomies and then opted for reconstruction. Ask them about their experiences, if they can recommend any specific surgeon, and if they would do anything differently.
Finally, be sure you have a plan to pay for everything. Reconstruction can be pricey, but if you have a good insurance policy, it may cover reconstruction in full. Make sure you get approval from your company ahead of time, and get everything in writing to avoid disputes in the future. If you will be responsible for part or all of the pricing, talk with the plastic surgeons in your area about the financing options they offer.
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