Can You Get Breast Implants After Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a serious disease that is common in women. The risk is higher in people with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, people who have taken female hormones for a long time, and people with certain habits that add to the risk.
Warning Signs of Breast Cancer You May Notice
- a lump in the breast or under the arm
- a change in the size or shape of the breast
- dimpling of the skin on the breast
- fluid or discharge from the nipple
- breast pain, with red, inflamed skin around it and a lump you can feel
- an itchy rash on the nipple or breast (starting as a red, burning, itchy rash) that does not go away with treatment
How Breast Cancer Is Treated
- surgery, either breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy (removing the breast)
- radiotherapy to destroy cancer cells
- chemotherapy or hormone therapy
Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, and your doctor assesses your treatment closely.
Breast reconstruction surgery for people with cancer who have had a mastectomy rebuilds the breast, helping them feel confident in daily life.
Can You Get Breast Implants After Breast Cancer Treatment?
It can be possible, but you need a detailed assessment by a plastic surgeon together with your oncologist (cancer doctor).
First, the breast augmentation surgeon considers how long it has been since your treatment finished and how your body has recovered, which is at least 2 to 5 years, to make sure there are no signs of cancer in your body and no other health problems. Most people who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and have finished treatment with no cancer found have a better chance of having breast surgery. For other stages, a physical examination and a detailed assessment are needed to lower the risk of infection or tissue changes.
