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 BOCA RATON, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Right now, more than 2 million women in the United States are living with breast cancer. Many of these women have had major surgery to remove parts or all of their breasts. Now, a new twist on breast implants can have them looking and feeling better than ever.
Janet Horn gambles for fun with her family, but when she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, this mother of two didn't take any chances. "I opted to have a skin-sparing bilateral mastectomy," she says.
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And when the surgery was over, Horn wanted to feel like herself again. You know at 38 years old, I wanted my life back, and not even for the vanity, but just to feel like a woman."
 So she opted for an adjustable breast implant. Plastic surgeon Hilton Becker, M.D., invented the procedure.
"They can look at their breast and say, 'Yes, this is fine,' or they can do an adjustment," Dr. Becker, who practices in Boca Raton, Fla., tells Ivanhoe.
A deflated implant is placed in the breast and attached to a port. After surgery, the doctor can add saline through the port to make the implant bigger -- then take some away to make it smaller -- all without another procedure!
Dr. Becker says, "When we tell the patient, 'You're done, you don't need any more surgery,' they're totally delighted."
 Once the patient is satisfied, the port is removed. Women who've had a mastectomy are the best candidates because the implants let the skin stretch slowly -- allowing for better healing. But they can also be used for cosmetic purposes.
The port can stay in the breast for up to a year. Typically, insurance companies will cover the procedure for breast reconstruction but not for cosmetic purposes. Dr. Becker travels all over the world to teach this technique to surgeons.
Horn's happy with her results. "It was the best part of the worst experience of someone's life, to just feel whole again," she says. And now, she can focus on what she does best -- being a mom.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Hilton Becker, M.D., F.A.C.S.
5458 Town Center Road
Suite 101
Boca Raton FL 33486 1009
(561) 394-6656
http://www.beckermd.com
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