The aim of this surgery is to improve
the shape or size of the breasts in order for medical, reconstructive
and cosmetic purposes. This procedure is the main solution
presented to women with breast cancer, who have been forced
to undertake a mastectomy (breast removal). This condition
can be devastating for women and can be the cause for severe
depression and self-consciousness.
However,
scientific research has found a way to help women in this
situation by improving the techniques for breast reconstruction.
Today, this surgery recreates the natural contours of the
patient’s breast, renewing her sense of femininity and
beauty. It can be performed immediately after a mastectomy
and thus, the patient can wake up with a breast mound already
in place, without having to suffer from the experience of
seeing herself with no breast at all.
But you must keep in mind that this
procedure is not simple and there are many factors which need
to be considered. Therefore, we present the following information
to serve as a guideline in aiding you take decisions.
Whenever you come to the decision
of submitting yourself to any type of plastic
surgery, you always need to keep in mind that no procedure
will be able to provide a ‘perfect’ aspect to
your body. The objective of a cosmetic treatment is to achieve
an enhancement in your features, not to provide an ‘ideal’.
This can help your boost your self-confidence and assurance,
making you feel better with the way you look while at the
same time keeping realistic and down-to-earth expectations.
This is one of the core values we have here at Better Looks;
we want our clients to be completely satisfied with the results
of their surgery and to heighten their self-esteem.
Many factors play an important role
when it comes to being a candidate for breast reconstruction.
Aspects such as age, smoking/medical history, changes in weight
and your physical health will have to be taken into consideration
and discussed with your doctor.
By
offering one of the best teams of doctors in the industry,
Better Looks is aware of the different types of needs our
diverse patients may have. Therefore, we will provide the
best service possible for you, not matter what you are looking
for, and we will aid you in every possible way in your pursuit
to enhance your appearance.
At Better Looks, it is protocol
for our clients to have an initial consultation with their
plastic surgeon before
any procedure is performed. This way, both the patient and
the doctor have an equal opportunity to contribute in the
whole process and by doing so, the satisfaction of the client
increases tenfold. During this initial discussion, you must
not hesitate to talk about your expectation with your surgeon
openly, since he/she will help you determine what is and what
isn’t possible to achieve. One point Better Looks always
pinpoints on is the need for patients to be aware of all the
different aspects of the surgery you are willing to undertake
(the cost and recovery process); everything must be made extremely
clear for you and we will always go out of our way to accomplish
this.
Also, you can feel free to ask your
doctor concerning any questions or doubts you may have concerning
the procedure. He/she will always inform you about all the
different details; for example, you should know if you should
stop taking certain medications or if you will need to refrain
from drinking or eating for a certain time period before your
surgery.
Make
sure you have good communication with your surgeon at all
times since this will help increase your level of satisfaction.
Therefore, please do not hesitate to contact BetterLooks since
we will be more than happy to help you with anything you need.
The whole operation is performed
under general anesthesia and can take from 2 to 6 hours, depending
on the extent of the reconstruction. There are basically three
procedures, which are chosen depending on the amount of skin
replacement needed, the size, shape and position of the breast
the patient desires and the amount of skin the patient has
available for reconstruction.
When it comes to ‘total’
mastectomy, your surgeon will remove your entire breast, but
will leave the axillary lymph nodes (located in the underarm
area) as well as the muscles located underneath your breast.
This way, when the time of breast reconstruction comes, an
implant can be placed over the remaining muscle, creating
a mound that resembles a normal breast. This technique is
used when the opposite breast is not too large.
However, some surgeons prefer to
use another approach which implies the use of tissue from
your abdomen, thigh or back to reconstruct the breast (usually
applied when the overlying skin of the breast is too thin).
The blood supply which nourishes the chest muscles is kept
intact (allows good tissue survival) and the needed tissue
is moved to its new locating, but may leave scarring at the
donor site. Once it is in place, an implant is inserted underneath
the muscle, recreating the natural contours of a breast mound.
Keep in mind that this procedure, (known as a ‘flap’)
is not recommended when you have been submitted to strong
doses of radiation, since this treatment can leave severe
scarring.
Most surgeons use an expander as
their preferred implant
type. This basically consists in placing a ‘balloon’
beneath the skin and muscle, injecting it with a saline solution
over a few weeks (until an appropriate shape and size of the
reconstructed breast is achieved) in your doctor’s office.
After a few months have, this expander will be replaced by
a permanent implant.
Depending
on the extent of your surgery, you will be allowed to leave
the hospital/clinic around 2 to 5 days after the operation.
This is because this type of procedure usually requires a
surgical drain to be placed, so that any excess fluids from
the surgical site are removed and do not accumulate, which
could lead to complications.
It is natural for you to feel tired
and sore for the first couple of weeks after the surgery.
However, your discomfort will be greatly controlled by medications
prescribed by your doctor. Your stitches will most likely
be removed in around 10 days.
You should expect to be up and about
in approximately 6 to 8 weeks; if your surgeon did not use
flap reconstruction, your recovery time should be much less.
You must always keep in mind that this procedure does not
return normal sensation to our breast, even though some feeling
may be restored. Also, it can take up to 2 years for the tissues
to heal completely and for the scars to fade slightly, even
though they will never disappear entirely. Therefore, a great
deal of patience is recommended when it comes to healing after
this procedure.
It is recommended for you to begin
some stretching exercises and light activities whenever your
feel up to it and it doesn’t cause too much discomfort.
However, you should refrain from doing any overhead lifting
or have any sexual activity for at least 4 to 6 weeks after
your surgery.
Most
women have a period of emotional readjustment as they get
used to their ‘new breast’. As it is difficult
to accept the results of a mastectomy, it is also difficult
to accept your new reconstructed breast as your ‘own’.
Give yourself time to heal physically and emotionally and
take things little by little. Better Looks actually recommends
that you talk to other women who have gone through the same
surgery as well visiting a psychologist; he/she will be able
to help you deal with your feelings in a positive and constructive
manner.
As with any type of cosmetic
surgery, complications are unusual, but they sometimes
do happen. However, they are usually minor and can be reduced
by precisely following your doctor’s directions before
and after the procedure.
After breast reconstruction, patients,
in rare cases, have been known to suffer from bleeding, fluid
collection leading to swelling and pain, excessive scar tissue,
infection (treated with antibiotics or depending on the case,
implant removal), changes in nipple and breast sensations.
Sometimes, a secondary surgery is needed to correct any problems
which arise after the initial operation.
Make sure to ask your Better Looks
surgeon concerning any risks you might have to face when undertaking
this surgery. However, you must keep in mind that our certified
group of doctors works full-time to prevent such scenarios
from happening, since we value the health of our patients
above anything else.
In
order to keep the risks at a bare minimum, please make sure
that you follow your surgeons instructions at all times.
The
information given in this website should be considered as
an introduction to a breast reconstruction surgery. Before
deciding on submitting yourself to the procedure described
above, we highly recommend you contact Better Looks directly,
so we can answer any specific question you might have.
Related Keywords:
Breast removal, mastectomy, breast implants,
breast surgery, cancer operation, breast cancer, tattoo nipple
area,nipple reconstruction,
rebuilding of a breast, natural-looking areola, nipple,
reconstructive surgery, saline breast implants, muscle flap reconstruction, muscle flap operations.
At Better Looks, it is protocol
for our clients to have an initial consultation with their
When it comes to ‘total’
mastectomy, your surgeon will remove your entire breast, but
will leave the axillary lymph nodes (located in the underarm
area) as well as the muscles located underneath your breast.
This way, when the time of breast reconstruction comes, an
implant can be placed over the remaining muscle, creating
a mound that resembles a normal breast. This technique is
used when the opposite breast is not too large. 
It is natural for you to feel tired
and sore for the first couple of weeks after the surgery.
However, your discomfort will be greatly controlled by medications
prescribed by your doctor. Your stitches will most likely
be removed in around 10 days. 
