Second to Nature

Tag: prosthesis

  • All About American Breast Care Prosthetics

    All About American Breast Care Prosthetics

    All About American Breast Care Prosthetics

    The Best Non-Surgical Reconstruction Option Following a Mastectomy

    For our second to final 2022 blog, we’re talking all about how the American Breast Care Prosthetics company works. When you come to Second To Nature for a breast prosthesis, we work to personalize and meet your needs. One of the ways in which we do that is offering ABC Prosthetics. Since 2003, they’ve provided breast care prosthesis to women worldwide by customizing the products from start to finish.

    ABC Prosthetics Starts Things Off with a Pre-Scanning Consultation

    When contemplating a custom prosthesis, you’ll start off with a pre-scanning consultation to review the options offered by ABC Prosthetics. At your pre-scanning consultation, a fitter will present and review everyone’s expectations about the prosthesis. You’ll discuss your color choices and payment options, plus receive details about the 3D scanning process during your pre-scanning consultation.

    At the 3D Scanning & Fitting, ABC Prosthetics Prepares Your Prosthesis

    After completing your pre-scanning consultation, you’ll schedule your 3D scanning appointment and a fitting session. Prior to undergoing the 3D scanning, your fitter will review the 3D scanning and fitting process with you. During the actual 3D scanning appointment, the fitter takes scans of your torso with a state-of-the-art, iPad-based instrument.

    What Happens After the 3D Scanning?

    After your 3D scanning, the Custom Design team of ABC Prosthetics in Marietta, GA, receives your files via a secure transmission. The ABC Prosthetics breast form designers use their CAD-based engineering system to create a custom breast prosthesis with exact specifications. When Second To Nature receives the ABC prosthetic, your fitter will set up a fitting appointment. You’ll be able to see and feel the finished ABC prosthetic for yourself at your fitting session. At the fitting, an Open Back, Closed Back, or (ACT) prosthesis goes in the bra you wore during 3D scanning.

    Choose from an Open Back, a Closed Back, or an ACT Custom Prosthesis

    The customized prosthesis options ABC Prosthetics offers include Open Back, Closed Back, and Advanced Cooling Technology (ACT.) Open Back options have a porous-silicone back and fit closely to torso’s contours. A Closed Back prosthesis has a completely sealed construction, allowing for easy maintenance. According to ABC’s website, ACT uses materials “that transfers energy from body heat into a cooler sensation against the skin.”

    Call Second To Nature at (540) 366-2711 for information about our services. We specialize in custom breast prosthesis and mastectomy education. Follow us on Facebook for updates. We are happy to share all about American Breast Care Prosthetics.

  • Why Should I Do a Pre-Surgery Consultation?

    Why Should I Do a Pre-Surgery Consultation?

    Why Should I Do a Pre-Surgery Consultation?

    It’s Vital to Know All of Your Surgical Options and Your Post-Op Choices

    If you’re wondering “why should I do a pre-surgery consultation,” that’s what we’re blogging about this month. After the initial shock that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis, the next step usually leads to treatment and after-care. Sometimes you can treat and eliminate breast cancer without surgical options, but that’s not usually the case. When diagnosed with breast cancer, a few reasons it’s important to have a pre-surgery consultation include:

    • Understanding each type of surgery
    • Weighing the pros and cons between a lumpectomy and mastectomy
    • Deciding if you want breast reconstruction or a prosthesis

    Having a Consultation Helps You Understand Every Type of Surgery

    Obviously, choosing to have a pre-surgery consultation means you’re considering surgery. When you have a pre-surgery consultation, the surgeon usually outlines the different types of surgery available to you. Three common surgical options involved with treating breast cancer include getting a lumpectomy, mastectomy, and an axillary lymph node dissection.

    Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

    An axillary lymph node dissection involves the surgeon removing lymph nodes from under the arm. Once removed, they’re given to a pathologist, who examines the lymph nodes for cancer cells. Cancer found in the sentinel lymph node could lead to another lymph node dissection surgery. How many lymph nodes get removed varies from patient to patient. If you have a tumor less than five centimeters, usually two or less sentinel lymph nodes with cancer get dissected. Often this includes getting a lumpectomy and radiation, Moreover, if you need to get a mastectomy, you might avoid an axillary lymph node dissection all together.

    Lumpectomy

    A lumpectomy dissects the tumor itself and a small margin of cancer-free tissue around it, leaving most of the breast. If you’re diagnosed with invasive cancer, oncologists generally recommend radiation therapy to the remaining breast tissue after surgery.  A lumpectomy is also known as breast-conserving surgery, a partial mastectomy, quadrantectomy, or a segmental mastectomy lumpectomy.

    Mastectomy

    A mastectomy is the surgical option that removes the entire breast. Often only one breast needs removed, however many women opt for double-mastectomies to stave off reoccurrence in their other breast.  Among the various styles include a skin-sparing mastectomy and a nipple-sparing mastectomy.

    Weigh Pros and Cons of a Lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy at a Consultation

    So, between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy, which is better for you? That’s another reason to have a pre-surgery consultation. Your surgeon can help you weigh the pros and cons of each surgical option.

    Lumpectomy Pros and Cons

    A lumpectomy especially benefits younger patients and patients with larger tumors. If you’re newly diagnosed and have BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, or ATM gene mutations, a lumpectomy might be the better surgery.  While these pros could tip the scales in favor of a lumpectomy, this surgical option has a few disadvantages. At a minimum, lumpectomy patients usually go through five weeks of radiation. There’s also a slightly higher risk of developing a local cancer recurrence after a lumpectomy.

    Mastectomy Pros and Cons

    Though more invasive than a lumpectomy surgery, a mastectomy surgery definitely eliminates breast cancer, because of the complete breast dissection. Usually, mastectomy patients don’t need radiation after surgery. If there’s a cancer recurrence, mastectomy patients generally only have radiation to the affected area without further surgery. Furthermore, if you have the BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, or ATM gene mutations, you still have the option of a nipple-sparing mastectomy. The major disadvantage of this surgical option is losing your breast completely. In the case of a mastectomy surgery, you can opt for breast reconstruction or a prosthesis.

    Decide Between Breast Reconstruction or Prosthesis Post Consultation

    During your pre-surgery consultation, you might also discuss post-surgery decisions. Will you need radiation, chemotherapy, or both? What about recovery—should you go to a rehabilitation facility after surgery or can you get in-home care? If you conclude getting a mastectomy as your surgical option, a post-surgery decision could include choosing breast reconstruction or prosthesis.

    Things You Should Know If You Need a Breast Reconstruction

    If breast construction seems the best option for you, you should discuss with the surgeon both the benefits and disadvantages. Ultimately, the most significant advantage of breast reconstruction is you permanently regain your breast shape. That said, a reconstructed breast is not a perfect match or substitute for a natural breast. Usually, tissue used in the reconstruction comes from another area of the body and often looks different after surgery.

    If You Don’t Need or Want Reconstruction, Consider a Custom Breast Prosthesis

    So, you’ve weighed the post-surgery options and decided you don’t want breast reconstruction, but do want symmetry on your torso. There’s another way to achieve that … a custom breast prosthesis. At Second to Nature, we offer a wide variety of products that create a natural silhouette for women with breast asymmetry. We have the largest selection of post-breast surgery fashions, accessories, and products in the greater Roanoke, VA, area. Give us a call to schedule a consultation today!

    Call Second To Nature at (540) 366-2711 for information about our services. We specialize in custom breast prosthesis and mastectomy education. Follow us on Facebook for updates. We’d also be happy to further answer the question, “Why should I do a pre-surgery consultation?”

  • What If You’re Unhappy with Your Reconstruction?

    What If You’re Unhappy with Your Reconstruction?

    What If You’re Unhappy with Your Reconstruction?

    Second To Nature Offers Some Alternatives That Could Make You Happy

    This month, our blog answers the question: What if you’re unhappy with your reconstruction? In November 2020, we blogged about choosing the surgery that’s right for you. We recommended taking time to research your options and consulting a plastic surgeon. You should also discuss your treatment plan with loved ones. It’s important that you also find out your family history, to provide insight into previously successful treatment outcomes.

    If, ultimately, your breast reconstruction leaves you less than satisfied, you can pursue alternatives. Depending on the kind of reconstructive surgery you had, other surgeries may prove more satisfactory. Of course, there’s always opting for a customized breast prosthesis by Second To Nature!

    The ABC Custom Breast Prosthesis Offered by Second To Nature

    At Second To Nature, we offer the ABC Custom Breast Prosthesis. This state-of-the-art technology uses 3D scanning to give designers clear images of your shape. We specifically create the prosthesis for every customer’s body size and skin pigmentation. We replicate the prosthesis shape based on your remaining breast and lifted in a bra. For a bilateral mastectomy, we create a breast form. The prosthesis covers and replaces the areas specific to what’s missing. It’s worn directly against the wall of your torso area.

    How The Process Works, Step-by-Step

    1. First, a fitter will discuss the benefits of custom breast prosthesis with you at a pre-scanning consultation. The fitter will take the time to help you decide whether or not it’s something to pursue. This fitter will work with you from beginning to end. By the end of this first meeting, you should fully understand what to expect. Your fitter will also go over your color choices, payment options, and the scanning process.
    2. When you come in for your personal scan session, your fitter will re-explain the process, then begin. The fitter will start out by taking reference images, then scan your chest with an iPad-based, 3D scanner. This technology is designed with accuracy to ensure a perfectly customized prosthesis.
    3. Next, after your scan session, the American Breast Care Custom Design team, in Marietta, GA, will electronically receive your files. With your information and their CAD-based engineering technology, they’ll start creating your customized prosthesis.
    4. Finally, upon receiving your completed ABC Custom Breast Prosthesis, we’ll schedule your personal fit appointment. Your first fit be in the bra you wore when scanned. The customized prosthesis should fit to your personal shape. You’re not limited to that bra, though! We’d love it if you’d try different styles to go with your new prosthesis.

    Clients Use Custom Breast Prosthesis for Various Reasons

    A prosthesis isn’t solely beneficial after complete breast reconstruction. Even if you had a lumpectomy or other breast-conserving surgery, you could get a custom prosthesis. The extent and place of the removed tissue varies quite a bit. Regardless of the type of surgery, a custom breast prosthesis is worth considering. It works for partial, simple, and radical mastectomies, plus other kinds of breast-conserving procedures.

    Try Out Custom Breast Prosthesis for Yourself

    Many women choose our custom prosthesis over reconstructive surgery. Sometimes, they use them as way to try out reconstruction. Other times, they use it in place of surgery. Even ladies who’ve had reconstruction may simply want to look more symmetrical. So, they often choose custom breast prosthesis.

    Reconstructive Surgery Options

    If you’re not completely satisfied with your breast reconstruction, you could talk to the members of your medical team about it. With your surgeon and other team members, you can discuss what steps you might take to improve how you look and feel about the reconstruction. According to http://cancer.org, lumpectomy reconstruction may include lipofilling or dermal matrix products. Total breast reconstruction options include using implants, as well as your own body tissues (flap procedures.)

    Breast Implants, Flap Procedures, or Both?

    Breast implants include flexible silicone shells filled with saline or silicone gel. A tissue flap procedure takes tissue from other body parts like the belly, back, legs, or posterior to reconstruct the shape of the breast. If your reconstructive surgery was one or the other, you could combine implants with flap breast reconstruction. When you’re happy with the breast shape, you can reconstruct the nipple and areola post-surgery with tattooing and fat grafting.

    What Might Happen After Getting Your Breast Implant or Flap Procedure

    After getting breast implants, it’s possible you might change your mind about their size. If you do, a breast implant exchange might be a viable option. Also, even if you didn’t get a flap procedure done, you might end up requiring that, as well. Any post-op procedure might also require fat grafting, breast reshaping, or scar revision. Whatever your concerns or questions after your breast reconstruction, talk to your medical team. If the conversation you have with your team doesn’t satisfy you, you’re entitled to a second opinion. A second opinion from another, qualified surgeon could help ensure that you understand all of your viable options.

    Call Second To Nature at (540) 366-2711 to find out about our custom breast prosthesis. Our services also include mastectomy education. Like and follow us on Facebook for updates. We can help answer the question, “What if you’re unhappy with your reconstruction?”