Faced with the prospect of having a mastectomy, women often worry about the impact it will have on their appearance. Feeling this way is completely normal, and everyone has different ways of handling it.
Reactions to losing a breast vary from woman to woman. Some women want to restore their breast shape and appearance through reconstruction, others prefer a breast prosthesis, and others prefer to leave their body as it is. Every woman is different.
While lots of women choose to have breast reconstruction, some women have shown that this isn’t for them and are choosing other options instead.
A small, but growing number of women are opting to have tattoos over or around their mastectomy scars. Some of these women say their main reason was the chance to reclaim their bodies. The tattoo designs often have some symbolic or emotional meaning for the person as well. Other women say they feel reconstruction would be denying the effects – positive or negative – that breast cancer has had on them. There are lots of photographs of women with mastectomy tattoos on Pinterest, for example this board about mastectomy scar tattoos.
There is also an increasing drive for acceptance of people being able to present themselves scars and all, if that’s what they want. A collaboration of Finnish fashion designers such as Elina Halttunen, a woman with only one breast herself, resulted in the Monokini 2.0 swimsuit range. These swimsuits are specifically designed for women who’ve had a mastectomy with the aim of showing that women are beautiful, whether they have two breasts or not.
How people feel about their body after a mastectomy is a very personal thing. And while ways of dealing with it differ, all responses are equally valid. We want to hear how you feel about your experience. Whether you’ve gone for reconstruction, tattoos, scars, or simply haven’t decided yet, tell us what you think. Here at Macmillan, we think people should feel free to present themselves to the world exactly as they choose.
If you’re still working out how you feel, or just want to find out more about this, our booklet Body image and cancer has more information on dealing with changed perceptions of yourself after cancer. You can order a free copy now:
The Macmillan team is here to help. Our cancer support specialists can answer your questions, offer support, or simply listen if you need a chat. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00.
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