Restoring Sensation After Mastectomy: How Resensation Surgery Helps
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For many women, breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is an important part of healing, but the restored shape doesn't always come with restored sensation. This change can leave you feeling disconnected from your body and less like yourself.
At Mesbahi Plastic Surgery in McLean, VA, and Washington, D.C., board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Alex Mesbahi offers an innovative solution called Resensation surgery to help you regain breast sensation and feel more complete after your procedure. If you have questions about how to regain feeling after a mastectomy, book a consultation today. Learn more about this life-changing nerve reconstruction breast surgery.
The impact of losing sensation after a mastectomy
Mastectomy often leads to a loss of breast sensation. This happens because the nerves that provide feeling are frequently cut or damaged when breast tissue is removed. Unfortunately, the numbness is more than just a physical issue. Many women report a sense of loss and disconnection from their own bodies.
A lack of sensation after a mastectomy can affect everything from intimacy to the simple comfort of a hug. Restoring this connection through breast reconstruction is a key part of a mastectomy recovery. It allows you to not just look, but also feel, like yourself again.
What is Resensation surgery?
So, what is Resensation surgery? It's an advanced nerve reconstruction breast procedure performed at the same time as breast reconstruction. During surgery, Dr. Mesbahi uses a special piece of donated nerve tissue (an allograft) to reconnect and bridge the gap between the nerves in your chest wall and the reconstructed breast tissue. This allows the nerve fibers in your body to regenerate and grow over time. This breast nerve repair technique gives patients the chance to regain a level of sensation that was previously not possible.
Ideal candidates for Resensation
Resensation surgery is an option for many women undergoing breast reconstruction. You may be a good candidate for breast nerve repair if you:
- Are planning to have a mastectomy and breast reconstruction
- Are in good overall health
- Want to restore sensation in addition to appearance
- Have realistic expectations about the outcomes of the procedure
Resensation can be performed during your initial reconstruction surgery, making it a convenient and effective option. During a consultation in McLean, VA, or Washington, D.C., Dr. Mesbahi will evaluate your case and help determine if this nerve reconstruction breast surgery is the right choice for you.
Can you feel your breasts after reconstruction?
So, can you feel your breasts after reconstruction? Mastectomy recovery is a gradual process, and so is nerve regeneration. Feeling after a mastectomy won't return overnight. Most patients begin to notice the return of sensation within 6 –12 months after their procedure, with continued improvements over the next two years.
The sensations in your breasts may start as tingling or warmth before developing into more defined feelings of touch and pressure. This gradual return of feeling is a powerful part of the healing process.
Take the next step in your journey
You don't have to accept a loss of sensation after a mastectomy. With Resensation surgery, you have the opportunity to restore feeling and reclaim a part of yourself. At Mesbahi Plastic Surgery, Dr. Alex Mesbahi is dedicated to providing compassionate, state-of-the-art care for patients in McLean, VA, and Washington, D.C.
If you're exploring how to regain feeling after a mastectomy and want to learn if breast nerve repair is right for you, we are here to help. Call now and take the next step toward a more complete mastectomy recovery.