Partners only want real breasts?
Meet the Experts
Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D. is a renowned psychologist with a special interest in helping people resolve or manage their sexual problems, especially those problems connected with a chronic illness such as cancer.
Kara Nakisbendi, M.D. is a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Question from Marvel: I feel like I'm never going to have the same physical appeal I once had now that I've had a mastectomy - even with reconstruction, it just isn't the same. I want to believe potential partners won't judge me based on this, but people are only human and some of them want real boobs on their partners. Do you have any insights on this issue?
- Answer —Leslie Schover, Ph.D.: I think that what's important is finding a partner who cares about you, the whole person. There might be somebody who wants someone with real boobs, but is he the person you really want to spend a lot of time with? Because there's lots of men out there who are very loving and caring when somebody that they date has had a mastectomy and isn't quite the same. Sometimes it may help to think about whether you demand such perfection in your male partners.
On Wednesday, February 20, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Sex, Intimacy, and Breast Cancer. Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D. and Kara Nakisbendi, M.D. answered your questions about sexual side effects of breast cancer and breast cancer treatment, and what you can do about them.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
A production of LiveWorld, Inc.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.