Frequently Asked Questions
What does "going flat" mean?
“Going flat” means choosing an aesthetic flat closure after a single or double mastectomy, a preventative or prophylactic mastectomy, or after an explant.
How many breast cancer patients have flat closure?
Nearly 25 percent of breast cancer patients in the United States who undergo bilateral (double) mastectomy choose not to reconstruct as do roughly 50 percent of those who undergo unilateral (single) mastectomy.
Why would someone choose an aesthetic flat closure instead of breast mound reconstruction?
The decision for aesthetic flat closure made by patients is always a very personal decision. Some patients are motivated by the desire to minimize the amount of surgeries, risk of complications and the length of recovery. Other patients know immediately what their personal choice is for their body. There are many patients that medically cannot pursue any further reconstruction or require an explant and there are those that are waiting to decide how they will pursue any type of reconstruction during these uncertain times.
I hear you about the number of surgeries, but I’m considering implant-based reconstruction and it’s just two surgeries right? One to place the expanders and another to exchange the expanders for implants?
Implant-based reconstruction is the most common reconstructive choice and ideally can be done in two surgeries, but complications can easily lead to more trips to the operating room and the potential for other serious medical issues and complications. Radiation also increases risk of complications. PLEASE review our resources and do your own research on issues related to radiation and reconstruction, Breast Implant Illness and Capsular Contracture.
Will my insurance pay for me to go flat after breast cancer?
Yes, it should. The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act, passed in 1998, requires insurance companies in the United States to provide coverage for all stages of reconstruction, procedures on the contralateral breast to achieve symmetry, and treatment of complications. Aesthethic flat closure (going flat), including removing the unaffected breast if symmetry is desired, is covered under this Act in the United States.
Will my insurance pay for my explant?
Can my body go flat?
Absolutely. Your body is as unique and beautiful as every other mastectomy patient. What is most important to know and ask your surgeon is:
• Will I possibly have to have further outpatient procedures and why?
• Do you feel professionally that I should have a consultation with a plastic surgeon?
• If I explant, will I need an additional outpatient procedure/s?
• Will radiation effect my outcome?
Everybody is a beautiful body. Every body can have an Aesthetic Flat Closure.
I want to feel beautiful with the skin I’m in, but I am unsure that I will if I don’t have breasts.
Something that crosses each of our minds when we face mastectomy, or an explant is , "what am I going to look like?"
When the founders of FCN went searching for real life photos of unilateral and bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction - we came up short. At that time, there just wasn’t enough visual representation anywhere for anyone facing mastectomy or explant. Can you guess what each of us at FCN eventually found?
... each other!
THIS is one of the main reasons Flat Closure NOW came together. We wanted to see representation of others living flat just like us! Flat Closure NOW, with the incredible suppport, love and encouragement from the flat communites that we individually built or discovered, created a gallery of beautiful and ever changing images which you can view
here.
Every beautiful, awesome, sexy, happy and flat-loving image on this site has been graciously shared with us in the hope that it will help people understand and accept that flat is beautiful - but most importantly - support others in making the best mastectomy choices
for themselves.
