DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction has many advantages over Implant Breast Reconstruction.  DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction (and all Perforator Flap Breast Reconstruction) is 100% natural and permanent.  DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction is performed with the patients’ own body tissue (Autologous), and therefore it looks, feels and behaves like a normal breast.  New blood vessels grow into autologous tissue so that it becomes warmer and develops more sensation over time. 

  • Implants can never develop warmth or sensation. 
  • Implants also do NOT last forever. 
  • Implants have a limited lifespan, and they frequently need to be changed and require repeat operations.  DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction will only get better with time as your body accepts and incorporates its own tissue in a new location

Natural Look and Feel of Natural Breast Reconstruction

There are also big differences in the ways these different reconstructions feel.  Implants never feel natural.  In fact many women complain that even in the best circumstances, they are always aware of their implants.  Implants can also feel stiff or hard, and they do not “jiggle” like a normal breast.  Women complain that implants do not warm up quickly, after being cold, and that hugging and sleeping on your belly may be uncomfortable or even impossible.  DEIP and other natural Breast Reconstruction options are the opposite.  They “jiggle” and warm just like normal breasts because they are made of normal, natural tissue.  Most women report that after a few years, their autologous tissue breast reconstructions become so incorporated into their body that they don’t think of them as reconstructions, but rather, they think of them as breasts.

Implants can be filled with saline or silicone.  Neither type is as soft and natural as a patient’s own body tissue.

DIEP Flap Surgery Length

The time it take to perform DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction has drastically decreased as we have gained more experience.  We are now performing DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction several times every week, and sometimes every day.  This vase experience over 10 years has meant that operative times are comparable to that of any other type of breast reconstruction.  Hospital stays and recovery times are also not significantly different between DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction and other types of breast reconstruction.

It’s never too late to get the breast reconstruction of your choice. Please contact our office for more information or to set up a phone, video, or in-person consultation.

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