Hi. I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer on 2 January 2025. Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery (single mastectomy, no reconstruction as not possible at the time to urgency of surgery), further chemotherapy and radiotherapy mixed up with sepsis and Covid - 2025 and start of 2026 were not the best. Finally got the NED / all clear on 15 June 2026.
Since September 2025 I have used (tolerated) a silicon prosthesis but am now beginning to hate it. A breast care nurse has suggested I consider a contralateral symmetrising mastectomy on the healthy breast. I am 38F so very unbalanced when I put the heavy prosthesis in its box. Would be happy to go flat. Has anyone had experience of the process involved to get this surgery?
Hi @cathy4 i had a risk reducing second mastectomy as had already had bc twice and a high family history of bc. I wanted the second mastectomy despite no diagnosis in that side. They still made me jump through hoops for it. The surgeon agreed to do it providing I had a psychological assessment first. Once that was done though, it was pretty straight forward.
I had a recurrence, I think in 2023, so I had a mastectomy on the affected side and an autologous reconstruction using tissue from my belly. Unfortunately, the reconstruction failed, and the strange thing on my chest that looked rather like a bruised potato had to go.
I wasn’t happy having only one breast. To be fair, I wasn’t particularly happy about having cancer either, but there we are. I asked to go flat on the other side as well. There was no clinical reason to remove the healthy breast, but psychologically I just couldn’t cope with the imbalance. Even with a prosthesis, I felt strange, and because I needed prostheses on both sides to make everything look balanced, it all became rather complicated. I am quite small-chested anyway, so after seeing a psychologist, like Kazaroo, to prove that I was of sound mind and not simply having a dramatic afternoon, I had the other breast removed too.
The scar on that side is not completely symmetrical because I still have a little tissue left, but I went flat and I don’t regret the decision. The psychological impact matters too, in my humble and exceptionally wise opinion.
I do have prostheses, but, to be honest, I rarely wear them. They feel very warm, especially in summer, and sometimes I simply cannot be bothered. I must admit that I had this rather crazy idea, although most of my ideas are at least mildly unhinged, of using them as shoulder pads, a fake male bulge and headphones. I would absolutely love someone to take photographs of me wearing them in all their new and completely unintended roles. So far, however, I have yet to find a friend willing to participate in this important artistic project.
Even now, I wear tops with a bit of a neckline and don’t feel uncomfortable. I haven’t yet been in a public place where my scars would be fully on display, though, so I don’t really know how I would feel about that. I suppose I’ll find out one day when, in a fit of exhibitionism, I decide to share this work of art which is my body with the world.
Having said that, about a year ago my mother was showing me photographs from a trip we had taken to Rome. There was a picture of me wearing a top, with my two beautiful, magnificent, absolutely glorious breasts, and my heart sank a little.
Your plans for your unused prosthetics made me laugh. I would totally help you take photos if you were my friend. I only have softies that I don’t use, but I did lend them to a male colleague when we were dressing up for Comic Relief
Love the ideas for spare boob use. Perhaps we should all get together with as many ideas as possible .
I have my preliminary appointment with my surgeon on 4th August to discuss the symmetry mastectomy. Will be interesting to hear his point of view. Quite excited to get the appointment so quickly.
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