It's an extremely personal decision. But more women are choosing breast reconstruction after breast cancer.
Breast cancer can change your life and your body.
But, for women wondering what to do after treatment is over, there are options to get you back to feeling like yourself again.
For many women diagnosed, breast cancer can mean loosing a breast, or even both. 20 years ago very few women underwent breast reconstruction after treatment. But now, perceptions are different and so are the options.
"We really see breast reconstruction as the completion of your breast cancer treatment," says Dr. Kelly Gallego, a board certified plastic surgeon in Sioux City.
He says over the years, techniques for reconstruction have improved. And so have the results. But, it can still be a scary and overwhelming process for women at first.
"A lot of women, at the time they get the diagnosis of breast cancer, they don't even want to think about breast reconstruction – they just feel like, I wanna survive this disease, I wanna get through my mastectomy, my chemotherapy, my radiation...," says Dr. Gallego.
But, if you find out reconstruction is for you, it can start as early as your initial breast surgery.
"The first stage involves taking a temporary device called a tissue expander, says Dr. Gallego. "That expander is inflated in the office, on a weekly basis, until we reach the appropriate size."
In other cases, tissue is taken from the woman's own body, usually the back or stomach.
Either way, information is power, when it comes to your health... your life... your choices.
Again, reconstruction is a very personal decision, and it's not for everyone. But, if you are interested, talk to your doctor about your options. Or you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Gallego. In most cases, breast reconstruction is covered by insurance.
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