After a lumpectomy, or breast-sparing surgery, your breast may look much like it did before the operation. But if the tumor was large, your breast may look different or smaller. You will likely develop a scar at the site of the lumpectomy. You may also likely develop numbness along the scar.
If lymph nodes in the underarm area are removed during surgery, you may experience some numbness in your arm. As your body continues to adjust to the effects of surgery, you may develop phantom sensations or phantom pain in the breast that has been removed. Those pains are more likely to develop if you experienced breast pain before your mastectomy.
After reconstructive surgery, you will have a breast-like shape, but your breast will likely not look or feel like it did before your mastectomy. You will have scars where the surgeon attached skin to make the new breast-like shape. If you have tissue flap reconstruction, you will have scars around the new breast and the area where the surgeon removed the muscle, fat and skin transferred for the reconstruction.
Although surgery leaves scars, some may fade somewhat over time.