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Can Losing Breast Sensation After Mastectomy Affect Me Emotionally?


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Posted October 16, 2021 in Mastectomy, ReSensation® | 3 minute read

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As a woman, your breasts are an essential part of both who you are and how you feel. After a mastectomy, you might be left with not only no breast definition but also limited or no breast sensation. This can impact many aspects of your life, from your intimate relationships to your personal well-being. At Ellsworth Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Ellsworth helps patients in West Houston and Katy, TX regain sensation and avoid unwanted physical and emotional impacts using breast Resensation.

What are the emotional impacts of a mastectomy?

Despite the benefits of a mastectomy for removing cancer, it’s normal for women to feel a wide range of emotions after their procedure. Whether due to inference in daily life, physical changes, or the process of the surgery itself, emotions can range from sadness to frustration to even depression.

Adding to that, mastectomies can lead to a loss or change in a feeling that is very central to a woman’s physical and emotional wellness – their breast sensation.

During a mastectomy, the breast nerves that are in charge of breast sensation can be severed.

Unfortunately, this reduced or lost sensation can lead to a loss of sense of self and diminished feelings of femininity. It can also cause unwanted changes in sexual function, which can negatively impact relationships, sexual health, and overall well-being.

How can Resensation relieve the emotional impacts of a mastectomy?

Previously, not only was the loss of breast sensation not often discussed, there was not a solution. At Ellsworth Plastic Surgery, Dr. Ellsworth helps patients restore breast sensation during breast reconstruction or revision to look and feel like themselves again.

Resensationcan be performed in conjunction with a mastectomy, during immediate reconstruction, or with delayed reconstruction. During Resensation, Dr. Ellsworth uses allograft (or donated) nerve tissue to connect breast nerves from the transferred tissue to the nerves in your breasts.

The result is not just a restored sensation to your breasts but also a renewed ability to look and feel your best. This can enhance your self-confidence, body image, emotional health, sexual health, and overall quality of life. In fact, many women in West Houston and Katy, TX who have had Resensation report an increased sense of well-being and a return to feeling like themselves again.

What can I expect after Resensation?

While Resensatation does not require any additional recovery time compared to a mastectomy or breast reconstruction, it may take a few months to a year for full sensation to return. However, the chances of regaining more of the natural sensation in your breasts are much greater with Resentation compared to a mastectomy.

While you will need follow-up visits and additional checkups to monitor your healing and ensure you experience optimal recovery, you will be provided with detailed instructions about aftercare to ensure you promote healing at home.

Regain breast Resensation and your emotional well-being with Resentation in West Houston, TX

Battling cancer is emotionally challenging on its own. You shouldn’t have to lose your sense of self by losing sensation in your breasts from a mastectomy on top of that. At Ellsworth Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Ellsworth will create a customized plan for patients in West Houston and Katy, TX to incorporate Resensation into their surgical plans. As a result, you can look and feel like yourself after your mastectomy. Contact our office in Houston, TX to schedule your consultation.

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