Impants/Expanders After Radiation

Yes and no. I did do delayed recon about a year after finishing rads. Not nearly as long as you, but that could work in your favor. My skin held up fine, I have prepectoral salines with alloderm. But radiated skin doesn’t stretch well! And I had a partial skin sparing mastectomy! (Surgeon had to take some skin to get clean margins) Didn’t matter, rads tightened it up hard and flat and smooth. Expansion was brutal near the end.

The final result 5 months after exchange is what I call a Barbie boob. Sits too high, hard, nippleless, doesn’t move. Doesn’t hurt, and I don’t think it’s contracture since it’s been like this since surgery. I think the skin just reached its limit and the ps had to sort of “make” the implant fit. I’m currently a full b cup, so we’re not talking large either.

It looks good in a bra that lifts my good side up to match. I can wear a bathing suit. Would I do it again? Probably.

My ps actually prefers doing delayed recon on rads patients because it gives the skin time to settle and he knows what he’s working with.

Hope this helps!