If you have had or are scheduled for a mastectomy and want reconstructive breast surgery, you can choose to have the surgery immediately or delay it. Immediate breast reconstruction allows you to have your mastectomy and breast reconstruction at the same time. Delayed reconstructive surgery is multi-step – your mastectomy is performed, and then at a later date, you have an additional surgery to reconstruct your breasts. There are advantages to having immediate breast reconstruction:
Maintain your feminine figure
It’s understandable that many women who are told by their oncologists that they need a mastectomy are concerned about how the surgery will affect their feminine aesthetics. A breast cancer diagnosis is difficult enough – finding out that you need a mastectomy can cause additional emotional stress.
When your reconstructive breast surgery is performed at the same time as your mastectomy, you will wake up from your surgery with breasts in place – either using your body’s natural tissue or breast implants. This can be a much easier transition vs. waking up with part of your feminine figure removed.
Eliminate the multiple surgeries and hospitalizations
When you are diagnosed with breast cancer, the decisions that follow can be overwhelming. Some women chose to delay decisions about breast reconstruction until after they finish their cancer treatment. For other women, choosing to have immediate reconstruction allows them to avoid multiple surgeries and less down time, while eliminating additional decisions in the future.
Better aesthetic results
Immediate breast reconstruction is often associated with better cosmetic results for a women and often less scarring on the breasts.
Ultimately, breast reconstruction is a very personal decision, including the timing of when to have it done. The many benefits of having the reconstruction performed at the same time as your mastectomy, can help make your decision easier. We recommend you schedule a consultation with Dr. Comizio to discuss your options – she will provide you open and honest guidance and discuss the pros and cons of both options so you can make the most informed decision for yourself and your body. Dr. Comizio encourages questions and strives to help make your decisions a little bit easier.
To schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Comizio, contact her today at (973) 775-9248.
