Breast Reconstruction: Life After Breast Cancer Survival and Mastectomy

Breast cancer can cause various damages to the body and when one survives it, it would definitely leave deformities to the breasts. Some breasts are even required to be totally taken out of the body to remove cancer cells. This procedure is called mastectomy. Breast reconstruction is different from breast lift or breast augmentation because the aforementioned procedure is solely conducted to cancer survivors or those who have gone through mastectomy. However, there are instances where breast lift and breast augmentation are also conducted on the patient as a combination to breast reconstruction.

Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure that is geared towards the restoration or reshaping the breasts back to its normal appearance, shape and size after mastectomy is conducted. Breast reconstruction is a medical and surgical procedure that typically involves several sessions and procedures that are divided into different phases.

There are different types of approaches or techniques for this surgical procedure but your surgeon will determine which of these techniques is best suitable for you and your health condition. Your surgeon will also determine if breast reconstruction will be conducted together with mastectomy or if breast reconstruction will be performed after a period of time. In some cases, the surgeon advices for the patient to wait until she has fully recovered from mastectomy prior to performing breast reconstruction or when it is necessary for cancer treatments to be completed first before doing the reconstruction procedure.

Full breasts are part of a woman’s body. It reinforces femininity, confidence and even adds to an attractive and desirable physical appearance and having the breasts removed can be painful as well as depressing for a woman. This is the reason why, a lot of cancer survivors opt for breast reconstruction after having their breasts removed whether partially or fully. Breast reconstruction results for the patient to feel physically whole again as the surgeon will place breasts that will match to the patient’s body size and her total appearance. This will also make a woman confident again to mingle and interact with other people with confidence and without getting unnecessary attention due to the absence of breasts. This will also help save a woman from the painful explanation why she doesn’t have breasts and go through the pain and horror of what she had been through with the disease. Breast reconstruction will help give a woman her life back.