Over 46 thousand women will get breast cancer this year. There are over 1.7 million women alive with a history of breast cancer. Being a survivor is in itself a source of pride, but these women may still face significant questions relating not only to their physical health, but their sense of emotional well-being. Among the most pressing issues for women who have had mastectomies is breast reconstruction. Right or wrong, the female breast can have a serious impact on a woman's self-esteem.
Mastectomy involves emotional loss as well as physical loss.
The goal of breast reconstruction, either at the time of the mastectomy or delayed, is to replace not just the breast but any self-esteem or sense of femininity the patient may feel she has lost. There are different approaches to reconstruction that vary depending on the type of mastectomy, the condition of the breast skin, and the patient's preferences. When there is enough skin and it is loose and thick enough, an implant can be placed beneath the muscle. This stretched skin can then accommodate an implant. When there is not enough skin, or when a patient prefers her own soft and supple tissue, a flap is used.