Breast Reconstruction - General Cosmetic Surgery Matters

There are few things in the world scarier for a woman than hearing that she is ill with breast cancer. While the disease touches so many, most women think that it cannot happen to them. Fortunately, the survival rates of the disease have been on the rise, in large part to earlier diagnoses due to self-breast exams and mammograms, and better methods of treatment. Since more women are surviving the disease, there are more women who are going to need to deal with the aftermath of having one or more breast surgically removed as a result of the cancer.

One typical treatment for breast cancer is a mastectomy, or removal of the breast tissue. Commonly, after a woman has recovered from her breast cancer and is in remission, her doctor may talk to her about breast reconstruction. This procedure can take many forms, but all have one thing in common: trying to return the woman to how she looked before her mastectomy, at least as much as possible.

It is important to realize that breast reconstruction will not give a woman back her breasts and it will not return breast tissue that has been removed. The reason for the mastectomy is to remove the breast tissue that is cancerous and returning tissue is too risky. The woman also will not have the sensation in her breast like she did before the surgery. The reconstruction instead will form a breast mound using either an implant or tissue from the belly or buttocks. Because it is not breast tissue, there is not the risk of cancer recurring.

Often more than one plastic surgery procedure will be necessary. After it has been reconstructed, subsequent surgeries may be needed to add a nipple, change the shape or size of the breast, or make the breasts match a bit better. Some women are happy after just one surgery, however, and do not opt for additional painful procedures that are essentially just for cosmetic purposes.

Although the missing breasts can never truly be replaced, this surgery can help women get some of their self-confidence back and have a sense of self that they had before their diagnosis. Since the breasts are a big part of what defines a woman, it can really make a woman feel whole again.