I had a single mastectomy last August and immediate reconstruction with a silicon implant.
It looks fine when I am dressed, but I absolutely hate the way it looks! And it’s really getting me down and destroying my confidence.
I am quite skinny so can see the edges all the way round really clearly so it in now way looks like a natural breast if I am wearing lower cut tops.
It also wrinkles badly when I lean forward, and has two very visible bumps near the bottom which were used to posiiton the implant but now look like a sort of boil!
Finally, I lost my nipple and had to have the stitching “debrided” (where they remove infected tissue) and restitched so the scar is now quite dark and wide.
I talked to teh surgeon about these issues when I saw her a couple of months ago - but she seemed a bit dismissive and didn’t suggest any solutions.
I am left feeling a mix of upset, and also guilty for not liking it after all the work that went into it!
Has anyone had anything done to improve the appearance of a silicon implant - especially around the edges?
Has anyone had anything down to improve the appearance of the scar?
And, has anyone found that a nipple tattoo helped them?
Definitely recommend a nipple tattoo. It really does make a difference. I would also suggest looking into fat grafting. That is routinely done here in the states but I’m not sure about the UK. Anyway it just softens the edges and can give a more natural look if done correctly.
Maybe try to focus on why you had to have a mastectomy and the fact that it has probably saved your life. That does not mean you can’t look at making improvements but rather that it might be an idea to try to think of the positives. The other option is to see a private plastic surgeon who specialises in this area. You can google the problem and quite a lot of options come up offering no-fee consultations. You could then re-assess how you feel and then perhaps fund further surgery a little further down the road?
Thanks so much Kay0987. Have you had a nipple tattoo? It sounds like you’ve had a positive experience.
When I asked my surgeon, she seemed a bit dissmissive and said the skin is very thin - as I had the scar opened and restitched … so I guess I would have to ask a medical tattooist if it is possible in my case.
I don’t think fat grafting is possible in my case as I am quite skinny!
thanks so much Teddy271. That’s very wise advice. I had DCIS rather than invasive cancer, so struggling to feel that the mastectomy saved my life - but can at least think it possibly saved me from something progressing that could have risked my life …!
I am not sure what options there are to improve the appearance other than fat grafting. I am quite skinny, so don’t think that’s an option for me.
So I think your advice is probably the best to follow - of adjusting my thoughts to a more positive attitude rather than hoping to adjust the breast!
So pleased you have come to the forum, to express how you feel about your reconstruction, this will help so many others in the same position.
I was also left not feeling great about the way I looked, unfortunately I did have lots of problems after speaking with my GP she suggested a referral to a plastic surgeon which turn things around very quickly, she was so kind and understanding making me feel so much better about myself…maybe this could be the way forward for you.
I do hope you will, start to feel better and be able to move forward.
Have you talked to your BCN about your feelings? They may be able to suggest something.
Some hospitals offer nipple tattoo services, which can be helpful. Also you can get silicon nioples that you stick on the skin - ask your BCN as they may supply these too, they come in lots of sizes and colours and shapes and your BCN can advice how to match to your other one.
Also have you looked at counselling options ? You have gone through a lot and it may help. Your hospital may have these available, or contact Macmillan and they should be able to advise. So much we have to deal with emotionally and physically.
I do have nipple tattoos and love them. I’m not sure why the skin being thin would matter to be honest. It’s not like they’re going that deep with the ink.
Thats a good idea to talk to teh BCN. I had an amazing one around the surgery who has been trained in nipple tattooing. However, I have then switched to another one who just wasn’t as good at suggesting solutions so left me feeling very stuck and not sure what options are on offer via the NHS. My surgeon was also a bit dismissive and gave me the impression “nothing can be done, so just get on with it.”
I know a lot of this is in my head as I was anxious about going swimming, but when I screwed up my courage to do it on holiday, of course nobody gave a monkeyts what I looked like and everything actually looked OK in my swim suit!
so the counselling idea is a good one as I want to find a positive attitude to where I now find myself in life!
That’s really good to hear! I have been looking online at nipple tattoos and they do look amazing and make the whole boob look so much better and less “blind”.
Did you have yours on top of your scar and has it helped disguise it?
I guess it wouldn’t hurt much, unless you’ve managed to get feeling back in your boob? I still don’t have feeling across most of mine.
Your post really struck a cord for a few reasons. Before my single mastectomy and implant reconstruction 6 weeks ago the thing that was my personal top priority (beyond staying alive, we all want that) was being able to look in the mirror and feel happy with my body. Everyone kept talking about how I’d look ok in clothes which TBH left me dreading how I’d look without them for my own confidence. So, firstly I’d say it’s ok to feel the way you feel. Your confidence in yourself is important. You aren’t being ungrateful or making a fuss. I’m really sad you haven’t ended up with a result you’re happy with and that you’ve received such a dismissive response. I don’t think my surgeon would be like this and therefore I would ask for a second opinion. I would definitely concur with @Tili to speak to a good GP and explore a referral to someone who can help you properly explore your options. As you’re 12 months post-surgery I think you’re in a good position to say, “I’ve given it adequate time to settle and heal to see if some of the issues will resolve themselves and they haven’t”.
Have you also had any counselling support? Even with the best reconstruction in the world, it is never going to look and feel like a natural breast and psychologically that is really challenging to adjust to and I think the support we need in this area (alongside post-op adjustments like lipofilling) can be overlooked by those primarily focused on the surgical side of the treatment.
You’ve been really courageous to raise this topic and to have a mastectomy for DCIS. I had a lumpectomy for DCIS and two years later I had an invasive cancer and ended up having a mastectomy. There’s a good chance you saved yourself from an invasive cancer by having this op and now you deserve to feel good about yourself so I really hope you get the best care going forward. X
Cosmos, this did require surgery again unfortunately, however well worth all what goes with it. I had some fat taken from my tummy through my belly button together with a small implant I was also lucky enough to get up life on the other side.
So all very do able with excellent results,
Make some note, what you would really like your outcome to be, and please don’t think you are being a nuisance.
Take good care, wishing you lots of happy days, please come back and let us know how your getting on
Mine aren’t on my scars but the scar outlines them. In the mirror they look real enough and that’s all I care about. I will say though they hurt quite a bit but then I’ve got a lot of feeling still in my breasts.
Hi @cosmos2
Read your story and felt sad , I had skin sparring mastectomy with implant I did feel the implant looked strange wrinkled as you say and did feel it was stuck on my chest as I was getting used to it a ulcer appeared and had leakage so had to have it removed and chest debridement was heartbroken as am flat one side now , with large 38DD other side I have got used to being flat and using prosthesis , some days I hate the way I look but the moral of my story is I’m cancer free and remind my self why I’m in this situation x
Hi, I just wanted to say that I am fairly skinny & have been told I am a candidate for autologous reconstruction (using fat tissue from elsewhere on the body) in the UK. Unless you are severely underweight with humungous boobs they will find the tissue from somewhere.
That’s so interesting! Have they worked out where they will harvest the fat from on your body? My boobs are not humungous - far from it! I just need something to plump over the edge of the implant so it doesnt look like I have a lump of memorfoam stapled to my chest!
and remind my self why I’m in this situation x