A reconstructed breast will not look exactly the same as a natural breast, but the difference should not be noticeable when you are wearing clothes. The new breast may look flatter or more youthful than your natural breast.

Breast implants are designed to feel like a natural breast, being soft and pliable. They are similar in weight and density to breast tissue, so you should feel a balance between the reconstructed breast and your remaining breast. The implant may move slightly, so the reconstructed breast may have some 'bounce'. The skin over your reconstructed breast will feel normal if you touch it, because it is your own skin. However, sensation in the breast is usually very different from before and the breast may feel numb or overly sensitive.

Surgeons make every possible effort to match the remaining breast, but a reconstructed breast is unlikely to be an exact duplicate in size, shape or outline. The same is true for a reconstructed nipple. If you feel that the match is not good enough, your surgeon may suggest that you have an operation on your natural breast to give a more balanced appearance. The most common procedures carried out are reduction, enlargement or lifting of the natural breast.

Your satisfaction with breast reconstruction will depend mainly on what you expect before the surgery. Make sure that you discuss your expectations with your surgeon before you decide to go ahead. It is important to wait for several months after reconstruction for the skin and muscle to stretch, and for the reconstructed breast to settle into its final shape, before deciding how happy you are with the result. If you then have concerns, discuss them with your surgeon or breast care nurse. You can also ask your surgeon to refer you to another surgeon for a second opinion, if you wish.

Immediate reconstruction will not make radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatments less effective. Occasionally, treatment may be delayed to allow full healing of the reconstruction.

Specialists consider that there is little or no difficulty in detecting a recurrence of cancer either beneath or around an implant, using examination by hand or mammography (x-rays of the breast). If cancer comes back, it is most likely to be just under the skin and so should be easy to detect.

Yes. If you have had, or are going to have, a mastectomy as a cancer treatment, you are entitled to free breast reconstruction on the NHS. Alternatively, some surgeons will carry out reconstruction surgery privately, if you prefer.