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I have silcone implants...they look great, feel natural and have had no problems to date. One was reconstructed and is a little harder to the touch since I didn't have the breast tissue to help soften it. The other I had augmented to match the reconstructed breast. I am also thin and didn't have much tissue to work with for other types of recontruction and I wanted to limit my scarring as much as possible. He used the original mastectomy cut to implant the expander, then for the placement of the implant he went in where the crease line is for my "new" breast. I truly have virtually no noticable scarring. I also had a piece of my only nipple grafted on the "new" breast and skin taken from my bikini line (very tiny scar) to make the areola. I won't need tatooing since this skin is naturally darker. The removal of part of my nipple was the most painful for me! I couldn't go crazy since my radiated skin would only stretch so far ~ I am now a nice full sized B.
I finished radiation almost 2 years before I attempted it. It is a difficult decision to make and very personal. I had originally planned to not have reconstuction...just make it through treatment and hopefully make it to age 40! Last year my daughter Emma, who was 3, was so interested in the fact that I was missing a breast. She questioned me over and over about it. I was nursing her when diagnosed. I may have been worried for nothing but still concerned she would think one day that she had something to do with me losing the breast. My final decision came when I was on the beach last summer in the Outer Banks and worried that I would lose my waterproof gel prostesis....I love riding and diving through huge waves. And I got out of the water and said to myself that's it. I knew it was a big risk going for implants since I had radiation but it worked out so far. I haven't had them for long but I love them! My wonderful boyfriend loves the massaging part too....it's his weekly chore! LOL!
Hope this helps a little ~ Ruth
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