What is the Best Option for Me, Breast Implants or a Tissue Flap?

The options for the flap breast reconstruction are not limited to the tissue from the abdomen. You may be a good candidate for the flap from inner thigh without using the abdominal tissue. I offer this for the patients with previous tummy tuck.

At your age of 21, I'm guessing that your likely have the breast cancer gene? BRCA positive? If this is the case and you are planning to have kids in the near future, you may want to hold off on your DIEP flap procedure and consider implant reconstruction for now. You can always opt for using your tissue in the future. However, DIEP flap reconstruction (using your own tissue from your lower belly) is an outstanding option for many women for mastectomy reconstruction. Hope... more

At age 21 we have to consider why you are having a bilateral mastectomy. If you are a genetic carrier (BRCA1 BRCA2) you might consider a delay until after you have completed your family. Given your young age, a DIEP flap type reconstruction might give a long term solution which is less of a burden with maintainence, and stays warm and soft over a lifetime. The surgery takes undersanding, and of course an implant is a good solution as well, and might be changed to a 'flap' later after... more