| If you have had your breasts removed, you likely look | | | | reconstruction is that you have extra fat and tissue |
| forward to getting them back eventually. Most women | | | | that can be taken. While most methods take it from |
| want as natural a look as possible, and there is nothing | | | | the abdomen, if you have more fat in other areas, |
| more natural than breast DIEP flap reconstruction, | | | | such as the buttocks, you can ask your surgeon about |
| which uses your own tissue and fat. | | | | taking it from there instead of the abdominals. Just |
| If you have had a mastectomy, whether due to | | | | make sure you are okay with losing excess flab from |
| cancer or a severe injury, there is hope for regaining | | | | those areas before you proceed. |
| what you lost. For many women, breasts are a factor | | | | Some surgeons will work with your oncologist to |
| in their femininity, and the loss of them can be | | | | reconstruct your chest directly following the |
| life-changing. There is a surgery that is specially made | | | | mastectomy. In fact, your oncologist can make the |
| for women who want their breasts back after trauma. | | | | process go smoothly for you by making sure to |
| It is called breast DIEP flap reconstruction. | | | | preserve extra skin in your chest area so that your |
| This type of surgery is more natural than getting | | | | new breasts will look as natural as possible. Simply talk |
| implants inserted in the chest, as it uses excess skin, | | | | to your doctor before the mastectomy, especially |
| tissue, and fat from other parts of the body. Typically, | | | | since many doctors can refer surgeons to do the |
| the fat comes from the abdominal region, so this type | | | | breast DIEP flap reconstruction. |
| of breast DIEP flap reconstruction also involves a | | | | Though the bad news is that it might be difficult to find |
| tummy tuck. That can be a perk or a disadvantage, | | | | a surgeon who can confidently perform this type of |
| depending on whether you want to lose fat from that | | | | surgery, the good news is that it is covered by |
| area or not. | | | | insurance, unlike regular breast implants. |
| The term DIEP is an acronym for Deep Inferior | | | | Any time you have to have a mastectomy due to |
| Epigastric Perforator, which is the vessel that holds the | | | | cancer or other trauma, you must also be able to get |
| fat and tissue to be transferred to the breasts. The | | | | back what you lost as a result. As far as finding |
| term flap is the actual tissue that will be relocated to | | | | surgeons to perform the procedure, asking other |
| the chest. Once there, the fat will be shaped into | | | | doctors and cancer survivors for recommendations |
| breasts. | | | | can be very helpful. |
| One of the requirements of the breast DIEP flap | | | | |