October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

This month is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a month to show your support for a woman in your life with the disease, a reminder for women to take care of themselves and do all they can to educate themselves about staying healthy, and a time to celebrate survival. If you have had a mastectomy or a lumpectomy, you may be trying to decide what to do next – you should know that breast reconstruction surgery is an option.

What is breast reconstruction?

Every woman is different, as far as how cancer has affected them and what results they would like to see from breast reconstruction. Your doctor will be able to go over your options and the pros and cons of each. Here are some things to think about:

1. You don’t have to decide right away. Cancer and its treatment are overwhelming enough as it is, and you may not want to think about reconstruction right now. But that’s OK. While some women do opt for reconstruction at the time of mastectomy, others wait to decide what (if anything) they want done. It is a procedure that can wait for months or even years.

2. Insurance companies are legally required to pay for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy or a partial mastectomy/lumpectomy.

3. If you are having trouble deciding what to do, it might help to speak with other women who have been in the same situation. Look for a support group in your area or even online.

4. Many women who have had one breast affected opt for plastic surgery on both breasts, so that they will be the same size and shape.

5. Research has shown that breast reconstruction does not make it harder to check for cancer in the future, and it does not increase the odds of getting cancer again.

Dr. Weinstein and the staff at the Weinstein Plastic Surgery Center want to be there for you at this stressful time, to answer your questions and address your concerns and to help you decide if breast reconstruction is the right choice for you. Call the office in Chester, New Jersey, for a breast reconstruction consultation, at (908) 879-2222.

Posted in breast reconstruction on October 15th, 2022

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