sensitive skin/sizes?

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seltzer
seltzer Member Posts: 68
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

I am just coming today from a meeting with a plastic surgeon that pretty much confirmed my plan to forego reconstruction.  I a planning a PBM in late April. 

These are my worries:  I have had a lot of contact dermatitis and hives in the last year.  I especially have trouble around my panty line (had 3 c sections).  So one of the things worrying me most about the PBM is that now my chest will be itching and sensitive, too.

I am a 36DD but thought I would just wear much much smaller, minimal prostheses.  But I do like to swim and jog and play tennis.  With breasts, I have terrible problems with wearing two bras, getting skin rashes in my cleavage, etc.  So I am hoping for an easier exercise life after the PBM.

Is this realistic?  The plastic surgeon seemed to assume if I had implants i would want them huge. I just want to look normal enough not to attract attention or embarrass my kids (13, 17, 21) But I am just considering this a fresh start and looking forward to a life (relatively) free from biopsies and imaging....

Any advice would be so appreciated, incuding how I could research this more pre-surgery.

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited March 2009

    seltzer, I smiled at this:  "The plastic surgeon seemed to assume if I had implants i would want them huge."

    My normal size is/was 34B/36A.  I declined recon after my mast/SNB, even though I had a thorough, compassionate consult with a skilled PS who worked regularly with my breast/onco surgeon.  I never even imagined that it might be difficult to "match" a 34/36A breast, until I read the stories on this site.

    I didn't have a bilateral mast.  If I had, I doubt I'd have gone with recon then, either.  How we feel about our breasts is such a personal thing.  My BC dx was a total surprise, and I wanted to heal quickly and get on with my life.

    As for the allergies:  Could you be allergic to latex?  Sometimes there's latex in the waistbands of underwear.  My skin is really sensitive to adhesives, so I get red blotches at the contact points from surgical tape and band-aids.  Some people are sensitive to betadine or chlorhexidine skin disinfectants, and they break out when scrubbed with those products.

    I think some of the women here don't even wear a prosthesis or bra when doing things like playing tennis.  Many of the women who play professional tennis are small-breasted, or look that way after putting on a tight sports bra.  I'll bet you'll like the feeling of "less" on your chest.  Just IMHO, of course.

    otter 

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  • anianiau
    anianiau Member Posts: 182
    edited March 2009

    There's a great little saying about why not to assume --"To ASSUME makes an ASS out of U and ME." Be very clear with your plastic surgeon about what YOU want, and why.

    It's useful to write down your concerns and questions before the appointment--and bring out that list at the start of your appointment. I have found it helpful to start the conversation by saying something like, "Here's what I think I want. Now tell me the up- and the down-side of doing it that way." That gets me the benefit of the person's professional knowledge while making it clear that I will be doing the decision-making.

    Otter's right. It's worth doing a lot of research. In the end, you are the one who must live with the physical consequences of whatever decisions you make.

    About those rashes: Have you seen a dermatologist? One thing it's good to rule out is yeast infection--C. albicans. If that's the cause, it would be good to clear it up before your surgery.

    Good luck to you.

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