Questions to ask your breast reconstruction surgeon

The answers to these questions may help you decide whether you would like to have breast reconstruction, and which type you'd prefer. Here are a few questions you might like to ask:

• What experience do you have in this type of surgery and how many of these operations do you do each year?
• Will you be carrying out the operation yourself?
• What types of reconstruction would be suitable for me?
• Should I see a plastic surgeon?
• What are the risks or complications of the different types of surgery and what are the chances of them happening?
• What can I expect my reconstructed breasts to look and feel like: immediately after surgery, six months after surgery, a year after surgery?
• Can I have a reconstruction operation in my local hospital?
• How long will the operation take?
• How long will I be in hospital?
• Where will my scars be and what will they look like?
• Do I need to lose my nipple and what are my options for nipple reconstruction?
• Are there any ‘before and after’ pictures that I can see?
• How long will it take before I can go back to normal everyday activities?
• How long would I have to wait before I could have the surgery?

You may find the answers to some of these questions on this site, but it’s still advisable to check them with your surgeon as there may be slight differences.