So many women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. The American Cancer Society claims that, “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. Breast cancer death rates have been going down.”
Breast cancer is not something that is rare, it is being diagnosed all the time. Not only is it troubling enough so find out you have been diagnosed with cancer, having to go through all of the chemotherapy and all the treatments makes it difficult enough to deal with. Women’s self-esteem can be demolished through these different stages, there may be a change of feelings. So not only is it devastating to deal with breast cancer itself, just imagine having to wake up every morning reminded of the struggles you had to go through with breast cancer. Many women do not want to walk around having breast of different size so they undergo breast reconstruction after mastectomy which is often confused with cosmetic surgery.
In order to make the best choice, you have to be well-informed and educated about your options. For instance according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, “Breast reconstruction is a surgical option to rebuild and restore the appearance of a natural breast. It can help a woman gain back her sense of femininity and sexuality that may have been lost after a mastectomy and reduce feelings of self-consciousness.” They also state that there are two main types of reconstruction: implants or tissue flap procedures. Implants are generally done by inserting either a saline or silicone gel filled form to reshape the breast. While tissue flaps procedures often include the use of your own muscle and tissue to reconstruct the breast to what it looked like before. You just have to be well-informed about all of the options because every procedure is unique to every patients needs and condition.
Many women undergo the treatment for a variety of reasons, the common theme that I have heard is regaining confidence. I asked my aunt, why she went through with the procedure and she said, “As I went through all the chemotherapy and the radiation treatments, I started to lose hair which was something that everyone could see. I don’t like to appear weak to people, and when they looked at me, they knew that my health was not in its best condition. So after I had to go through with the mastectomy, I decided that I did not want to be looked at with sympathy any longer. I wanted people to look at me and not think anything negative. I wanted to feel like a women again and regain my self-esteem.”
After speaking to my aunt on her reasons for undergoing breast reconstruction I realized that there is a difference between breast reconstruction and cosmetic surgery. Although the intentions may be similar they are not. When a women undergoes breast reconstruction, it is more to regain what they already had. They do not want larger breast they simply want to look the same again. While cosmetic surgery on the other hand is more about self fulfillment, want more than what you already have.
In a study conducted by USA Today, they state, “Some choose not to go forward,” she said, with some women citing their desire to avoid more surgery. However, she thinks some women may not be aware of the option or they may not be aware of insurance coverage for it. Some who must pay a co-pay may decline for financial reasons, she said.”
At the end of the day, the choice is yours because the only person that it is really affecting is you. We as women just need to be well-informed and take the opportunity to educate ourselves on all of our options. There are many things that take into account when a woman is planning to go through with breast reconstruction even cosmetic surgery. So before we begin to categorize and criticize lets take a step back and try to understand the reasons behind it, you might be surprised. Every woman has their own story because every woman is unique in their own way.