Why Patients are Ditching Their Breast Implants

Oct 21, 2022

Plastic Surgery Practice Co-Chief Editor Keri Stephens sits down with New York-based board-certified plastic surgeon and microsurgical breast reconstruction guru Constance Chen, MD, FACS, to discuss the breast implant explantation process. The podcast, which follows Chen’s article about the topic, delves into why patients are increasingly removing their breast implants and what factors affect the appearance of their breasts post-explanation. Pregnancy, she says, is a key determinant.

Click HERE to listen.

What Young Adults Need to Know About Breast Cancer

By Alyssa Hui, Oct 19, 2022

Constance Chen, MD, FACS, a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist, told Verywell that while the number of cases of breast cancer in younger adults is low compared to in other age groups, there is an increased incidence of breast cancer in premenopausal women. In part, Chen said that rising cases of breast cancer in young people could be related to factors like “increased alcohol consumption or having fewer children and having children later in life, which can affect hormones and breast cancer incidence.”

Click HERE for the full article.

Psychosocial Aspects of Breast Implant Removal

There are approximately 400,000 breast implant surgeries performed every year in the United States. 75% of breast implants are placed for cosmetic reasons, and 25% of breast implants are placed for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Despite this, over 70,000 explantation surgeries for breast implant removal were performed in 2021. There are a myriad of reasons why patients with breast implants choose to have their implants removed. “The psychosocial aspects of implant removal aren’t always talked about enough. They’re definitely manageable, but being prepared to deal with them in advance can make it a lot easier,” says Dr. Constance M. Chen. According to Dr. Chen, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specializes in breast and body restoration, it is important that patients be educated about breast implants so they can make the best decisions for their own bodies.

Click HERE for the full article.

The 411 on preventive mastectomy

By Constance M. Chen, M.D., Oct 3, 2022

While all women are at risk for breast cancer, particularly those over 50, there are particular factors that considerably raise the risk for women at any age. Understanding and becoming aware of these factors allow those at high risk to explore their options. The most common risk factor is an inherited genetic mutation that significantly increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer. In some cases, inherited genetic mutations can increase the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer to more than 86%. Many of the women who have seen multiple family members die after battling breast cancer have decided that the best way they can reduce this risk is with a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy – the preventive removal of both breasts.  

Click HERE for the full article.

Recovering from Surgery

By Constance M. Chen, MD, MPH, Oct 2022

Getting patients moving and up and around as soon as possible after surgery is crucial to the healing process. The first goal is usually just walking, which offers terrific benefits including reducing the risk of blood clots and expanding the lungs. The most common cause of a fever after surgery is atelectasis. Here, shallow breaths cause the alveoli in the lungs to collapse. The risk of getting atelectasis is reduced by simple movement. The body gets weakened very quickly and needs to move. Any movement is helpful. Gentle stretching can stimulate the muscle fibers and reduce stiffness. Once the initial healing has occurred, ongoing and regular exercise increases the heart rate such that the blood moves more quickly and the lungs fill with oxygen. All of these processes help with health.

Click HERE for the full article.

Is It OK to Wear a Bra to Sleep? Experts Weigh In

By Gabrielle Kassel, Sept 27, 2022

Likewise, if you prefer to sleep in a sports bra, wear that. Many people want to know if it’s bad to sleep in a sports bra, said Constance M. Chen, board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist. “It’s not,” she assured. “It won’t stunt breast growth the way some people believe.”

Click HERE for the full article.

What To Expect After Breast Implant Removal

By Constance M. Chen, MD, MPH, Sept 26, 2022

Patients thinking about removing their breast implants will likely have a few questions. For many people, one of the primary concerns is what their breasts will look like after explantation. The answer depends on many factors, and it’s important to understand how these details can affect breast appearance once the implants are removed.

The good news is that no matter how a patient’s breasts look immediately after surgery, they will almost always recover and look better in the long term—even if it takes several weeks or months for their breasts to snap back.

Click HERE for the full article.

Keeping incisions small for implant removal

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new communication this month alerting patients and healthcare professionals about reports of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and various lymphomas associated with breast implants. This is separate from what the World Health Organization (WHO) classified as breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) in 2016. While the FDA does not currently recommend preventative implant removal for patients who don’t have any symptoms or complications, some women with breast implants may want to have their implants removed anyway. “According to studies conducted by implant manufacturers, about 50% of breast implants need another surgery within 7 years,” says plastic surgeon Dr. Constance M. Chen.

Click HERE for the full article.

Breast Reconstruction: Clearing Up Common Misconceptions

By Constance M. Chen, MD, MPH, Sept 2022

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 287,850 new cases of invasive breast cancer and about 51,400 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ will be diagnosed in 2022. Less than half of women who undergo mastectomy are offered breast reconstruction, however, and less than 20 percent of women who undergo mastectomy elect to undergo immediate reconstruction.

Click HERE for the full article.

5 Things to Expect After a Mastectomy

By Constance M. Chen, MD, MPH, Sept 2022

Whether performed by itself or combined with immediate breast reconstruction using implants or natural tissue flaps, mastectomy surgery can surprise women in both its complexity and what its recovery involves. The length of your hospital stay, the amount and duration of your pain, and how long you require surgical tubes called drains to collect post-surgery fluids all depend on your individual situation. Your expectations should also take into account whether you had one or both breasts removed, whether lymph nodes were also removed, and whether reconstruction is performed and if so, what type. Given that every woman’s experience after a mastectomy may differ for these reasons, Dr. Chen offers 5 tips on what most women can expect.

Click HERE for the full article.

Plastic Surgeon and Breast Reconstruction Specialist Dr. Constance M. Chen with Tips for Recovering from Surgery

Each individual’s experience and reactions to surgery is different and related to a number of variables, such as the reaction and aftereffects of anesthesia, the type and location of the surgery, and the patient’s general overall physical and mental health. With that said, Plastic Surgeon and Breast Reconstruction specialist Dr. Constance M. Chen offers that all surgery is trauma to the whole body and as a result, there is inevitably impact from surgery beyond the immediate surgical site.
“Surgery brings a stress response to the body that produces metabolic changes,” says Dr. Chen. “The body responds to surgery using all its energies to repair and heal the injury at the surgical site. This leaves the rest of the body to protect for itself with its limited resources. It’s no surprise then that, for example, areas like the skin, hair, and nails may become thin, dry, and brittle after a surgery, as they lose the body’s energy and resources that normally support their good and ongoing health and replenishment.”

Click HERE for the full article.

FDA Warns About New Cancer Risks Linked to Breast Implants

By Julia Ries, Sept 12, 2022

“The link between breast implants and cancer in general is very rare – fewer than 20 cases of the carcinoma and fewer than 30 cases of the unexpected lymphomas [have been reported] – and it involves the capsule or scar tissue around the breast implant,” says Dr. Constance M. Chen, a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist in New York.

Click HERE for the full article.

Getting Breast Reconstruction Better the Second Time Around

For many women, post-mastectomy breast reconstruction is a process. Although some may expect a one-and-done procedure, their bodies may not cooperate. Some experience complications, particularly with breast implants, that require additional surgery. And others are just unhappy with the results of their breast reconstruction, the breast doesn’t feel natural, they have pain, there are symmetry issues. According to breast reconstruction specialist Dr. Constance M. Chen, “the objective of breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is to create a natural breast with the shape, softness, warmth and symmetry of the original breast.” Dr. Chen adds that sometimes follow-up adjustments are needed to achieve that goal, and in some cases, corrective surgery is needed to reverse an unsuccessful reconstruction. However, women should know that with advanced surgical techniques and a custom plan with an experienced breast reconstruction physician that improvements can be realized in size, shape, and symmetry after an initial breast reconstruction, to make the breasts look more normal again and to restore a sense of completeness.”

Click HERE for the full article.

Am I Too Young or Too Old to Change My Breast Size?

“Age is definitely a factor in breast surgery. Our breasts change throughout our lives, as a result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause, for example, so age should be taken into consideration in order to optimize the timing of surgery and maximize outcome.” Regardless of where you fall on the age spectrum, Dr. Chen breaks down relevant factors guiding the choice to seek breast reduction or breast augmentation.

Click HERE for the full article.

Considerations for Having a Preventive Mastectomy

By Constance M. Chen, MD, MPH, Aug 5, 2022

While all women are at risk for breast cancer, particularly those over 50 years old, there are particular factors that considerably raise the risk for women at any age. Understanding and becoming aware of these factors allows those at high risk to explore their options for reducing their risk. The most common risk factor is an inherited genetic mutation that significantly increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer. In some cases, inherited genetic mutations can increase the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer to more than 86%. For women who have seen multiple family members die after battling breast cancer, many decide that the best way they can reduce this risk is with a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy – the preventive removal of both breasts.

Click HERE for the full article.

Whether these swollen, pimple-like bumps show up out of the blue or a recurrent problem for you, here’s expert help for finding relief.

By Lisa M. Basile, Aug 3, 2022

“The best treatment is to keep the area as cool and dry as possible, and wash with a hexachlorophene-based antibacterial soap,” says Constance M. Chen, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon with special expertise in breast reconstruction in New York City.Meanwhile, take the pain down a notch: “Warm, moist compresses (made with warm water and a washcloth) can help reduce swelling, and anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can help to treat pain,” Dr. Chen says.

Click HERE for the full article.

Here’s What Happens When You Stop Wearing a Bra

By Jessica Migala, July 27, 2022

It depends on your cup size, but if you have very large breasts, “not wearing a bra could affect back or neck pain,” says Constance M. Chen, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist in New York City. In fact, a study published in The Journal of Orthopaedics found a correlation between a large cup size and shoulder and neck pain, as the heaviness of breasts continually pull on the trapezius muscle which runs from the back of the neck to the shoulders and down the upper back. On the other hand, a good, well-fitting bra should help support the weight of the breasts, offloading the work your body has to do.

Click HERE for the full article.

Considerations for Having a Preventive Mastectomy

While all women are at risk for breast cancer, particularly those over 50 years old, there are particular factors that considerably raise the risk for women at any age. Understanding and becoming aware of these factors allows those at high risk to explore their options for reducing their risk. The most common risk factor is an inherited genetic mutation that significantly increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer. In some cases, inherited genetic mutations can increase the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer to more than 86%. For women who have seen multiple family members die after battling breast cancer, many decide that the best way they can reduce this risk is with a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy – the preventive removal of both breasts.

Click HERE for the full article.

Trouble Breastfeeding? Insufficient Glandular Tissue May Be to Blame

By Jennifer Sizeland, July 20, 2022

While diagnosing IGT before birth is uncommon, there are some ways to look for physical signs of insufficient tissue in the breasts, said Constance M. Chen, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist in New York City. One indicator can be a large space that is more than 4 centimeters between breasts. Other signs include breast asymmetry, narrow tubular breasts, very large and bulbous areolae, and lack of breast changes in pregnancy or after childbirth, Chen said. But she stressed that these symptoms don't inherently mean a person can't produce a full milk supply.

Click HERE for the full article.

5 Things to Expect After a Mastectomy

There is no way around it: Mastectomy surgery—the surgical removal of one or both breasts—is a big deal. This major procedure is performed on *more than 100,000 women in the United States each year. Despite its prevalence, however, many women do not know what to expect in the days and weeks afterward, according to plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist Dr. Constance M. Chen.

Whether performed by itself or combined with immediate breast reconstruction using implants or natural tissue flaps, mastectomy surgery can surprise women in both its complexity and what its recovery involves, says Dr. Chen, a board-certified plastic surgeon with special expertise in the use of innovative techniques to optimize medical and cosmetic outcomes for women undergoing breast reconstruction.

Click HERE for the full article.