What Is a Goldilocks Mastectomy?
The Goldilocks Mastectomy is a breast cancer treatment option that serves to remove unhealthy breast gland tissue while preserving healthy fatty tissue and skin that’s then arranged to have the appearance of a smaller breast.
Simply put, the Goldilocks mastectomy surgeon removes any cancerous tissue and skillfully reforms a smaller breast using the residual healthy tissue.
Considered most similar to a breast reduction, the procedure leaves one with a smaller breast instead of a lack of one after a mastectomy, giving you the best possible immediate outcome with the least amount of downtime and without the need of multiple procedures.
Goldilocks Mastectomy in Beverly Hills Before & After
It is most often offered to our patients who plan to have mastectomy surgery but do not want or cannot have formal reconstruction of their breast or breasts.
A Goldilocks mastectomy can be considered for women who have cancer or who are healthy, but have a concern for possible future disease because of increased risk of breast cancer.
It utilizes a skin-sparing mastectomy technique, which is then combined with a breast reduction reconfiguration that leaves one with a smaller breast where there would normally be none.
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What’s the Difference Between a Goldilocks Mastectomy and a Traditional Mastectomy?
The most notable difference in the Goldilocks mastectomy and the traditional approach of mastectomy with breast reconstruction is the Goldilocks mastectomy does not require the use of implanted devices or surgical tissue transfer techniques to create the fullness of a breast after removal of the underlying glandular tissue.
Another difference of the two approaches is that the Goldilocks mastectomy, as it utilizes healthy tissue left after the affected tissue is removed, will leave one with smaller breasts than when you had before the procedure.
Though it is typically not a problem for most patients who received a Goldilocks mastectomy, it is still best to discuss what to expect with the doctors during your consultation with your doctor.
Goldilocks Mastectomy Before & After
Goldilocks Mastectomy Benefits
There are several advantages to this mastectomy procedure, which include:
- Can be performed on one or both breasts
- Can be performed for prophylactic mastectomy method
- No additional surgeries are required
- No implants or artificial devices are used
- Decreased pain and shorter recovery time compared to formal breast reconstruction
- Excellent option for patients who don’t want or are poor candidates for traditional breast reconstruction
- Patients with extremely large breasts or sagging breasts have the best results from this procedure
Surgical removal of breast gland under the skin means:
- No screening mammograms required
- Depending on breast cancer status, most patients do not require radiation
What Is Goldilocks Mastectomy Recovery Like?
Following a Goldilocks mastectomy, we recommend patients spend 1 to 2 nights in an aftercare facility. Patients can generally expect tenderness, discomfort, and bruising after surgery. Drains are placed to collect excess fluid, and compression garments should be worn for the first few weeks to help reduce swelling.
Most patients can return to work and resume regular routines, including light exercise, within 1 to 2 weeks. Heavy lifting, strenuous activity, and anything that involves pushing through the chest should be avoided for the first 6 weeks.
Our staff will provide detailed post-operative instructions, and our post-operative nursing team is in close contact with patients, helping to ensure a smooth and seamless recovery.
Schedule A Consultation With a Mastectomy Surgeon in Beverly Hills
If your physician has recommended that you get a mastectomy and are interested in the Goldilocks mastectomy, it’s best to consult with the experts at Bedford Breast Center in Beverly Hills to see if you are a candidate for the procedure.
Dr. Richardson, who developed the Goldilocks procedure with Dr. Grace Ma, is considered among the top mastectomy surgeons in Los Angeles. In this consultation, the doctor will determine if you can receive the procedure based on various conditions, including the current size of your breasts.
If you believe that you are a candidate for this procedure, or have someone you love who is considering mastectomy, please contact or call the Bedford Breast Center at (310) 878-0999 for more information about this revolutionary procedure.
– Bedford Breast Center
Leslie F. Memsic, MD, FACS
