Ask a Surgeon - Breast Augmentation - When I was 16 I had a benign tumor removed from my left breast. I now have two...

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When I was 16 I had a benign tumor removed from my left breast. I now have two large...

Q:

When I was 16 I had a benign tumor removed from my left breast. I now have two large benign tumors, one in each breast. Presently I am a size 36B. If I have them removed, I feel I will be left almost completely flat-chested. With my history of breast tumors, would a plastic surgeon consider me a candidate for breast implants?

A:

Before specifically answering this, I need to know how old you are. If you are still a minor, I would not recommend augmentation/implants unless you had some obvious deformities.

Assuming you are older than 18, and that your breasts have essentially developed as much as they are, you will have to decide whether you want to have the procedure or not. Benign tumors alone are not a contraindication to breast implants. However, breast augmentation can make mammography and biopsies more difficult in the future. If you have a very strong history of breast cancer, it would seem more prudent not to have a procedure (augmentation) that will make screening exams (mammography) more difficult. Nevertheless, the ultimate decision rests with you.

If your tumors are so large as to be causing visible deformities, you will have to deal with them first. Also, if your tumors have a known history of continued growth, this will also have to be resolved before considering breast augmentation.