You're facing a decision: After your mastectomy, do you want to have surgery to rebuild your breast?

This surgery is called breast reconstruction.

Or, would you rather not have reconstruction?

It really is your choice.

And it's important to think about both the medical facts and your own feelings.

Now, reconstruction may not be the best choice for some women, including those who smoke or have health problems like diabetes or heart disease.

Most women are able to have breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

Your doctor can tell you if you can have it done at the same time as your breast cancer surgery.

This video will give you some information that can help you compare your choices, so you can make a decision that's right for you.

Okay, let's look at your choices.

You can choose to have your breast reconstructed after your mastectomy.

Reconstruction is done by a plastic surgeon and there are a few different ways to do it.

A surgeon can help you understand your options for reconstruction and help you decide which type might be best for you.

A reconstructed breast won't look or feel the same as your breast did, but most women are happy with the results.

Many say that having reconstruction helped them feel better about their body and makes their body feel more balanced.

But reconstruction can be a long process.

It may take several months for your breast to heal and up to a year before you can really tell how the breast will look.

Plus, you may need follow-up surgery, and surgery always has risks, including infection, bleeding, and problems from anesthesia.

Your other choice is not to have reconstruction after your mastectomy.

Some women choose this path because they don't want more surgery.

Also, if you don't have reconstruction, your recovery will be faster and the risk of infection will be lower.

But some women are not happy with the way they look after their breast is removed.

And some women don't like using a breast insert--a prosthesis-- but if they don't wear one, clothes may not fit well.

This may be a hard decision.

The good thing is that reconstruction can be done months or even years after mastectomy.

So you don't have to feel rushed to make a decision.

So, do you want to have reconstruction, either now or later?

Or would you rather not have reconstruction?

When you've answered those questions, your next step is to tell your doctor which way you're leaning.

Now, it can be hard sometimes to talk to doctors, especially if you're not used to it.

But your thoughts and feelings are important and your doctor wants to hear them, so that by working together, you can decide which choice is best for you.