The Preventive Double Mastectomy

As Breast Cancer has become such a big part of life nowadays, many women have started looking into the preventive double mastectomy.

But the question is, Would You Do It? 

With tests now being able to show if you are a carrier of the faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene, many women are choosing this path.

Back at the beginning of the year, we all marveled over the bravery of Angelina Jolie taking her health into her own hands and opting for the preventative double mastectomy.

Jolie's first public appearance after surgery

Due to her mum passing away in 2007 at the age of 56, to ovarian cancer, Jolie was going to take no risks. As a mother of six, Angelina didn't want her children to grow up with out a mum.

There are many pros to having the preventative double mastectomy, with the main being that it can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer down to 2%.

With the disease showing patterns of running in the family gene pool, it offers peace of mind to many that they won't be affected.

However, it's not without its down sides.

Don't be fooled, the double mastectomy is a lengthy invasive procedure. You must be prepared to take plenty of rest, and leave everything to everyone else. It takes some time to recover, and you must plan your day according to your pain medication. Even the simplest of tasks can become nearly impossible during recovery.

Then, of course, you have to decide whether to incorporate reconstructive surgery into the mastectomy, or whether you plan to live bra-less and flat chested. Although, if this is the case, it is quite simple to get a prosthesis fitted.

There are many bras out there which cater for this. Brands such as Royce and Amoena have created a range of bras with discreet pockets in the cups to slip the prosthesis into.

So all this considered, would you take the plunge to have a preventative double mastectomy?