The likelihood of breast cancer deforming a survivor’s breasts is high, leaving women to rebuild once they reach remission.
Dr. Heather King at Seton Medical Center Hays performs lumpectomies, mastectomies and surgeries to reconstruct breasts. King specializes in Hidden Scar Surgery which makes scars less visible or completely invisible once healed.
“Women are attached to their breasts. They’re a part of how they look in clothes, they’ve always been a part of their bodies and they’re a part of her sexuality.”
–Dr. Heather King, Seton Medical Center Hays
Women who have their tumors removed can also have their breasts and parts of their affected breast tissue removed, leaving them different than they were before. King said losing one’s breasts is difficult for many and traumatizing for some, but the scars after serve as a constant reminder of this pain.
“It’s an emotional time for women,” King said. “Their bodies have changed, and they may have gone through radiation treatments. I want to make sure they get back to normal or better, but without a scar to remind them of their cancer.”
According to breast cancer researchers, 72 percent of women report feeling negatively about their surgery scars. Women who opt to have their breasts completely removed report feeling even more unhappy with their bodies.
“Women are attached to their breasts,” King said. “They’re a part of how they look in clothes, they’ve always been a part of their bodies and they’re a part of her sexuality.”
King is able to hide scars under a woman’s breast or around her nipple area during reconstructive surgery. Patients are often happier with their results and have a difficult time locating their own scars after healing, King said.
Breast cancer researchers advise women seeking surgeries to consider finding doctors interested in the cosmetic outcome as well as the patient’s health, as the aftermath can affect a woman mentally and emotionally.
Of the seven to 10 surgeries a week, three or four of Dr. King’s surgeries are hidden scar surgeries. The procedure is common throughout the United State and patients are likely to find a doctor in their area.
“I want to see them happy,” King said. “They go through so much during recovery that I want to help them feel better about their journey.”
Eligibility for the scar surgery depends the size and location the tumor and a patient’s breast shape and breast size, according to the Texas Breast Center.
