Experiences with Aesthetic Flat Closure vs. Breast Reconstruction

I felt the same way about reconstruction and I’m happy I didn’t have it. But my chemo was after bilateral mastectomy surgery and it seems to cause puffiness around the surgery area so I’m not sure how I will look in the long run. I’m 69 so I wasn’t really concerned with having new breasts. I feel like I asked my surgeon to make sure that it was flat and I don’t feel like I got really flat and smooth. But my daughter who had mastectomies did. Her surgeon was not a plastic surgeon but was extra careful. And she is very flat and smooth. Not concave. But my other daughter was a bit concave on the tumor side, but she did get reconstructed. So I would say to really check with the surgeon to make sure they know what you want and that they can and will do it. Or have a plastic surgeon. I’m not sure you can control if you are concave. It’s kind of how you are built. Good luck to you!

I had stage 3a with 12 lymph nodes removed , 16 chemos , 29 radiations . First , I opted only for one mastectomy with a prosthesis ( saline implant ). I wore expander for almost a year before that. Implant was easier than expander , but still hurt my back at the end of the day. Two years later, I decided to do preventive mastectomy with deep flat reconstruction ( Tommy tucked in plastic surgery jargon, while your own tissue is used as your new breasts ) . Great decision. My breast are made out of my belly , they look great and they are natural looking. I highly recommended it. I want to add that I was 55 at the time and surgery took almost 8 hours. However, my girlfriend was 66 while doing the same procedure and everything went fine.

Thank you. Is there a name to this procedure?

Jen, it’s called a DIEP flap reconstruction. You will need a good amount of belly fat to do a bilateral reconstruction.

Both aesthetic flat closure and reconstruction have their own benefits and considerations, and each person's decision depends on their individual priorities and circumstances. Many community members have shared valuable experiences with both paths, including insights about recovery time, activity levels, and overall satisfaction. Consider discussing your athletic goals and concerns about healing time with your surgical team, as they can provide personalized guidance based on your specific situation and help you weigh the options that align best with your lifestyle and preferences.