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Important Questions to Ask Before Going for Breast Reconstruction

By: Sarah E. Young Click author's name for more of his/her articles

When diagnosed with breast cancer, the initial concern for most women is preventing the cancer from spreading to other parts of their body. There are times when it is necessary to completely remove the breast in order to prevent surrounding tissues from becoming infected.

While this could possibly be a life-saving procedure, breast removal does introduce a completely new issue for women, which mostly involves the rebuilding of self-worth. For a lot of women, undergoing a mastectomy feels like a part of their womanhood is taken away. Fortunately, there have been significant advances in the field of breast reconstruction that allow breast cancer survivors to look no different than they did before succumbing to cancer.

Breast reconstruction has helped thousands upon thousands of women regain their self-esteem after undergoing mastectomy and surviving breast cancer. But going through the procedure is not always an easy choice. In fact, there are also a large number of women who willingly choose to not have the reconstruction done at all. One has to realize that even though breast reconstruction will give a woman the appearance of an actual breast, the natural feelings of breasts will not be there. Also, the entire process usually takes a series of operations to complete.

Breast Reconstruction: The Process

First, breast reconstruction doctors would have to recreate the mound of your breast using silicone gel or natural tissues from other parts of your body. Then the nipple is added and the breast is remolded to make sure it is balanced with your existing one. It is also to note that not all women are qualified for breast reconstruction surgery. For instance, severely overweight women would have to slim down first before being admitted into the operating room. Similarly, women with heart conditions or high blood pressure should take steps to improve their health first.

Just like with any other surgery, breast reconstruction comes with a number of risks such as the loss of blood, scarring, complications with anesthesia and the accumulation of bodily fluids. According to doctors, it is preferable to undergo breast reconstruction only when it has been made certain that the cancer cells have been destroyed.

There are many cases of second occurrences of cancer. Being certain ensures the safety of a patient undergoing treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

If you are thinking about undergoing breast reconstruction, we suggest that you start by seeking a breast cancer support group before making your decision.