There are so many different things we hear repeated time and again about breast reconstruction. We hear about long procedures, the pain, the recovery, the cost, and we hear about all the things that can go wrong. Most of what we hear is absolute rubbish! The saddest part is that this information has often been passed on from woman to woman, patient to patient, through peer groups and forums, from breast care and clinic nurses, and from well-meaning friends and family. Misinformation is so easy to propagate. Misinformation feeds on fears and anxieties, so it finds fertile ground to grow when it relates to breast cancer. So, let’s talk about the common breast reconstruction myths we hear, and take a few minutes to debunk these dubious claims! Breast reconstruction Myth Number 1: Breast Reconstruction often fails. BUSTED: Breast reconstruction is very safe. No matter how a breast is reconstructed, the outcomes are reliable and reproducible. DIEP flap breast reconstruction, which I consider the gold-standard, has a success rate for experienced surgical teams like mine of about 99%! Interestingly, implant-based breast reconstruction has a much higher failure rate than autologous reconstruction. I say “interestingly” because many patients see me having been … Continue reading Breast Reconstruction Myths