Posted: October 23, 2017
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a time to raise awareness about the disease that affects so many women in our lives. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It is estimated that more than 250,000 women will be diagnosed by the end of this year alone according to breastcancer.org.
The First Step Toward Recovery
With an increasing emphasis on early detection and treatment, more and more women are winning the battle against breast cancer. For many breast cancer survivors an important part of their recovery is breast reconstruction after mastectomy or lumpectomy.
As you begin your journey, you will want to begin to understand your options for reconstruction. At Piedmont Plastic Surgery, we can help you every step of the way. Each woman’s journey through breast cancer and recovery is unique, so the recommendations that Dr. Vaughn makes for your reconstruction will be specifically tailored to your individual needs. However, a great place to begin is learning the basic options available to you.
Your Options for Breast Reconstruction
In general, you will have options regarding the timing of your reconstructions and the components used.
The timing of your reconstruction surgery can coincide with your mastectomy. This is usually referred to as “single stage” or “direct to implant” reconstruction. Single stage surgery may not be your best choice, however, if chemo and radiation therapy are part of your treatment plan or if you need tissue expansion for larger breasts.
Multiple stage reconstruction is performed, just like it sounds, in multiple steps. Generally, tissue expanders will be placed to stretch the skin sufficiently for your implants or autologous reconstruction. Then, after you are healed from chemo and radiation treatments and your tissue is sufficiently expanded, you will undergo reconstruction.
Along with timing your reconstruction, you also have many choices in how your breasts are reconstructed. You can choose between getting breast implants and using your own body’s tissues for reconstruction.
With breast implants, you have many choices in size, shape, and style. Many women like the ability to specifically select the size and shape of their breasts and will choose to go slightly larger or smaller than their previous size.
With autologous tissue reconstruction, many women feel that the results are more natural looking and feeling than breast implants, but recovery can take longer because you will have a second surgical site, generally in the abdomen, to provide donor tissue from your own body for reconstruction.
At Piedmont Plastic Surgery, we are dedicated to helping you understand your options throughout your journey and helping you achieve the breast reconstruction results that allow you to move forward with confidence in your body.
Call for a Consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Have you been recently diagnosed with breast cancer? Are you ready to begin to understand your options for breast reconstruction. During your consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ted Vaughn, you can learn which options are best for your unique situation.
With more than two decades of experience helping breast cancer survivors, Dr. Vaughn has the compassion, the knowledge, and the skill to help restore symmetry and balance to your figure as you begin your recovery.
Please contact Piedmont Plastic Surgery online or by calling 864-223-0505 today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Ted Vaughn. We welcome patients from Greenville, Columbia, and all surrounding areas of South Carolina and Georgia.
