Having an honest conversation with your plastic surgeon is imperative to ensure you select an option that’s uniquely you and best fits your lifestyle and goals
From the LifeMinute.tv Team
October 13, 2026
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 321,000+ women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026.1 As Breast Cancer Awareness month kicks off, it serves as a platform for breast health education and promoting early detection, but it is also a reminder that for many women, the breast cancer journey continues beyond diagnosis and treatment.
For those who undergo a mastectomy, one of the decisions they may consider is whether breast reconstruction is right for them. Breast reconstruction provides patients with the opportunity to restore the shape and size of one or both breasts.
While a plastic surgeon can’t give patients the same breasts they had prior to mastectomy, advancements in technology and surgical techniques have helped women achieve a reasonable likeness of their pre-mastectomy breast. That’s why an open, informed conversation with qualified healthcare professionals is a critical part of the journey.
Preparing for the Conversation with Your Care Team
Board-Certified Breast Surgical Oncologist, Dr. Vivian J. Bea, explains, “A multidisciplinary care team, including an oncologist and qualified plastic surgeon, can help each patient understand their unique options, help set realistic expectations for their desired outcome, and discuss recovery and long-term considerations.”
Dr. Bea encourages patients to ask any questions they may have – big or small – during the consultation to help feel empowered and educated during the decision-making process. To prepare for the conversation, she notes it can be helpful to bring a list of questions.
Sample Questions to Consider:
- When is breast reconstruction surgery done?
- What is a nipple sparing mastectomy?
- Can you discuss immediate and delayed reconstruction surgery?
- What are the differences between over the muscle (pre-pectoral) and under the muscle (sub-pectoral) techniques?
- Can you explain two-stage vs one-stage breast reconstruction?
- What factors determine the size of the an implant?
- What type of implant would you recommend based on my aesthetic goals?
- What can I expect from a recovery standpoint?
- What are the risks of implants?
Breast Reconstruction is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Decision
Having an honest conversation with your plastic surgeon is imperative to ensure you select an option that’s uniquely you and best fits your lifestyle and goals.
“Today, there is a wide range of implant options that allow breast surgeons to tailor reconstruction to each patient’s anatomy and goals – from size and shape to profile and projection,” explains Dr. Elise Min, board-certified Breast Surgeon. “Natrelle® has helped advance that personalization by offering one of the most comprehensive implant portfolio the US market.2”
Natrelle® recognizes every woman’s journey is different and offers more than 300 implant options2 to help each patient and surgeon align on a customized outcome. Natrelle INSPIRA® Collection alone offers five different profile options and three different gummy gels for different levels of softness.2
The brand aims to help women feel supported throughout the reconstruction journey, and they’ve created the Natrelle® Cares Kit* – a thoughtfully curated collection of educational resources and products developed with input from breast cancer survivors and partners to support patients.
Moreover, the brand continues to celebrate patient stories through Faces of Natrelle®, a campaign featuring women who openly share their breast augmentation and reconstruction experiences. From post-cancer reconstruction to restoring volume after motherhood, these stories encourage open conversations and remind women that no two journeys are the same.
Natrelle® is the #1 breast implant brand selected by U.S. physicians and plastic surgeons2,† . To learn more, visit www.natrelle.com/reconstruction.
*Healthcare professionals and recipients of Medicare, Medicaid, or any federal or state government assistance program benefits are not eligible to receive the Natrelle® Cares Package.
†Based on surgeon survey data, March 2025 (n=487)
Intended for US Audiences Only.
Natrelle® Breast Implants IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND APPROVED USES
Breast implants are not considered lifetime devices. The longer people have them, the greater the chances are that they will develop complications, some of which will require more surgery.
Breast implants have been associated with the development of a cancer of the immune system called breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This cancer occurs more commonly in patients with textured breast implants than smooth implants, although rates are not well defined. Some patients have died from BIA-ALCL.
Patients receiving breast implants have reported a variety of systemic symptoms, such as joint pain, muscle aches, confusion, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, and others. Individual patient risk for developing these symptoms has not been well established. Some patients report complete resolution of symptoms when the implants are removed without replacement.
Who can get breast implants?
Natrelle® Breast Implants are approved for the following:
- Breast augmentation for women at least 22 years old for silicone-filled implants and for women at least 18 years old for saline-filled implants. Breast augmentation includes primary breast augmentation to increase the breast size and revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast augmentation
- Breast reconstruction. This includes primary breast reconstruction to replace breast tissue that has been removed due to cancer or trauma or that has failed to develop properly due to a severe breast abnormality. This also includes revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast reconstruction
Who should NOT get breast implants?
Breast implant surgery should NOT be performed in:
- Women with active infection anywhere in their body
- Women with existing cancer or precancer of their breast who have not received adequate treatment for those conditions
- Women who are currently pregnant or nursing
What should I tell my doctor?
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions, as the risks of breast implant surgery may be higher:
- Autoimmune diseases (eg, lupus and scleroderma)
- A weakened immune system (eg, taking medications to decrease the body’s immune response)
- Planned chemotherapy or radiation therapy following breast implant placement
- Conditions or medications that interfere with wound healing and blood clotting
- Reduced blood supply to breast tissue
- Clinical diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders
- Those with a diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders should wait for resolution or stabilization of these conditions prior to undergoing breast implantation surgery
What else should I consider?
- There is a Boxed Warning for breast implants. Please see bold text at beginning
- Many changes to your breasts following implantation are irreversible. If you later choose to have your implants removed and not replaced, you may experience dimpling, puckering, wrinkling, or other cosmetic changes, which may be permanent
- Breast implantation is likely not a one-time surgery. The longer implants are in place, the greater the potential risk for complications. You will likely need additional surgeries on your breasts due to complications or unacceptable cosmetic results. Thus, you should also consider the complication rates for later (revision) surgery since you may experience these risks in the future
- Cancer treatments and surgery will affect the outcome and timing of breast reconstruction
- Breast implants may affect your ability to breastfeed, either by reducing or eliminating milk production
- Rupture of a silicone-filled breast implant is most often silent. Even if you have no symptoms, you should have your first ultrasound or MRI at 5 to 6 years after your initial implant surgery and then every 2 to 3 years thereafter regardless of whether your implants are for augmentation or reconstruction. If you have symptoms of or uncertain ultrasound results for breast implant rupture, an MRI is recommended. Additional imaging may be required depending on your medical history and status. The health consequences of a ruptured silicone gel-filled breast implant have not been fully established
- Routine screening mammography for breast cancer will be more difficult, and implants may rupture during the procedure. Perform self-examination every month for cancer screening and ask your surgeon to help you distinguish the implant from your breast tissue. Lumps, persistent pain, swelling, hardening, or changes in implant shape should be reported to your surgeon and possibly evaluated with imaging
What are key complications with breast implants?
Key complications include reoperation, implant removal with or without replacement, implant rupture with silicone-filled implants, implant deflation with saline-filled implants, and capsular contracture (severe scar tissue around the implant). Other complications include breast pain, swelling, asymmetry, wrinkling/rippling, implant malposition nipple complications, hypertrophic scarring, and implant palpability/visibility.
Talk to your doctor about other complications.
For more information, see the patient brochures at https://www.rxabbvie.com.
To report a problem with Natrelle® Breast Implants, please call Allergan® at 1-800-624-4261.
The sale and distribution of Natrelle® Breast Implants is restricted to licensed physicians who provide information to patients about the risks and benefits of breast implant surgery.
References:
- American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Breast Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/key-statistics.html. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- Natrelle® Data on file 2023 – 2024. Accessed September 25, 2026.
© 2026 AbbVie. All rights reserved. NATRELLE and its design are trademarks of Allergan, Inc., an AbbVie company.