Breast Cancer in men
Effect of mastectomy on men's body image
Most men who develop breast cancer need to have a mastectomy to remove their tumour, and it is less common for them to have reconstructive surgery or other cosmetic procedures afterwards than it is for women. (see ‘Reconstruction’). Some men will also need either radiotherapy or chemotherapy which can also alter their appearance, even if only for a short time (e.g. through the loss of head, facial, chest or other body hair) (see ‘Radiotherapy’ and ‘Chemotherapy’).
BT has a big scar but is still happy to do sport and strip off. Rugby people are used to scars. If people ask about it he simply explains what happened.
BT has a big scar but is still happy to do sport and strip off. Rugby people are used to scars. If people ask about it he simply explains what happened.
Has it stopped you doing anything I mean would you…?
David found no-one seemed to notice his scar when he took his shirt off at the beach. He had shown his scar on a television programme for deaf people.
David found no-one seemed to notice his scar when he took his shirt off at the beach. He had shown his scar on a television programme for deaf people.
Bernard didn't like to take his top off. He didn't want to cause any embarrassment or make people wonder what was the matter with him, but he had never taken his top off much before.
Bernard didn't like to take his top off. He didn't want to cause any embarrassment or make people wonder what was the matter with him, but he had never taken his top off much before.
How, how do you feel having your mastectomy? You’ve got a bit of your chest away.
Bob thinks his scar is not very nice to look at. It needed to be restitched after the first set of stitches was taken out. He prefers to keep his chest covered in public.
Bob thinks his scar is not very nice to look at. It needed to be restitched after the first set of stitches was taken out. He prefers to keep his chest covered in public.
How does it feel, having had the mastectomy? I mean, you said that you didn’t like to take your top off. How do you feel as a man, having had that?
RG thinks that he looks 'lop-sided' and wouldn't want to bare his chest at the gym or swimming pool. He thinks women perhaps get more support with this issue than men.
RG thinks that he looks 'lop-sided' and wouldn't want to bare his chest at the gym or swimming pool. He thinks women perhaps get more support with this issue than men.
I’m very aware of this side. And I don’t feel, you know I used to go the gym, but I- well I’d stopped going to the gym before all this happened, but you know, I wouldn’t want to go back to the gym cause I’d feel- you know say you’re going for a swim, I wouldn’t feel that I could strip off, and you know sort of just be natural about it. So, you know, you know that’s- you see I think that, from what I understand, women are possibly supported better than men, in this whole, in this whole thing.
Eric feels self-conscious about his scar and wouldn't want to walk around with nothing on. It stops him going swimming, although he thinks he might go in the future.
Eric feels self-conscious about his scar and wouldn't want to walk around with nothing on. It stops him going swimming, although he thinks he might go in the future.
And… in Fiji, I mean, it’s nice and warm and there are nice pools. I wouldn’t take me shirt, I don’t take me shirt off anyway, being fair-skinned, I get burnt very easily. But I wouldn’t go in the pool. My wife swims now, although she’s a bit older than I am, she swims twice a week. She said “oh, come with me, good exercise.” I’m like this, “I don’t know whether I want to go”. Sometimes I want to go swimming, but I don’t want to walk about with nothing on. I’m self-conscious about it. I’ll have to finish, I think we shall have to make a go, cos I go to the gym now once a week. My wife comes to the gym and she goes swimming twice a week, and she says “oh, come swimming with me, that’s the best exercise out.” But I haven’t got round to it yet. Yes, I am self-conscious about it.
Mike still feels a bit self-conscious about his scar but is getting over it. It is red and not quite straight. He has also wondered if people think he has a 'typical cancer look'.
Mike still feels a bit self-conscious about his scar but is getting over it. It is red and not quite straight. He has also wondered if people think he has a 'typical cancer look'.
Obviously a mastectomy in a woman is far greater than a mastectomy in a man. It’s much more traumatic. I mean, I am a bit self-conscious when I have a shower… and I said to my wife, “I don’t know whether I want to go swimming anymore.” “Oh, you can wear a vest.” I said, “Look, a grown man, you know, 59, 60, going in the swimming pool wearing a vest?” You know… “Well, you can wear a wet suit.” Where am I gonna buy a wet suit, you know? Don’t be silly, you know? So… I am a little bit self-conscious of that, I think that’s the only thing I’m a little bit self-conscious cos I’ve got quite a big scar across, across my chest there and it does look… and sometimes it’ll just remind me of somebody who’s had a stroke because it’s not quite a straight one, it just gives you that kind of impression, but… I’m slowly getting over that. I’m slowly trying to, you know… but whether I, you know, if I ever go sunbathing but I shouldn't think I’ll ever take my top off. I don’t know why, maybe.
Do you, does your wife see it all the time? You don’t hide it from her?
No, no, I never hide it. If I’m in the bathroom when I wash in the evening I’m always stripped to the waist. No, she often looks at it, sometimes looks at… hmm, seems a bit more redder today. I thought well, I’ve had radiotherapy, I mean, you know… you’re lying sitting underneath the sun for 24 hours, you know?
Eddie used to be self-conscious about his scar but now thinks that no-one seems bothered by it. He has felt self-conscious about wearing a compression sleeve.
Eddie used to be self-conscious about his scar but now thinks that no-one seems bothered by it. He has felt self-conscious about wearing a compression sleeve.
So, just before I went- we went on holiday, they fitted me up with a compression sleeve.
John no longer worries about showing his body on holiday, but he had had to get his confidence back.
John no longer worries about showing his body on holiday, but he had had to get his confidence back.
But it must be horrific for a woman to have breast cancer, it must be terrible. I don't think it's as bad for a man, you can cope with it. As I said I went on holiday last year and that's the first time I've actually shown my body walking along kind of thing you know because it was a nice hot day but that's the first, I've had to get my confidence back in that respect. But I don't worry now.
John had a shock when he first saw his scar and still feels a bit different at times because he only has one nipple, but he thinks it must be devastating for a woman to lose a breast.
John had a shock when he first saw his scar and still feels a bit different at times because he only has one nipple, but he thinks it must be devastating for a woman to lose a breast.
We touched on the subject once about reconstruction and I think the nurse said, “I’m not sure whether they do much for men John anyway” she said, “I’m sure if you ask they probably could”. But I wouldn’t bother Kate. To me that’s more surgery. And it’s not as though I’m a young fella you know, I’m not running round on a beach six months out of the year, you know. I certainly wouldn’t bother with that you know.
David no longer takes his shirt off because he is conscious of the sun, but he does think that it is easier for women to cover a mastectomy scar with specially-made clothes.
David no longer takes his shirt off because he is conscious of the sun, but he does think that it is easier for women to cover a mastectomy scar with specially-made clothes.
I’m not bothered now. Maybe at the time or maybe if I were younger, I don’t take me shirt off or owt like that, you know, cos you realise what that big sun can do to you. So I’m just very aware now. You know, so no, I’m not that bothered, no.
Derek feels he would be far more self-conscious of his changed body image if he was a younger man.
Derek feels he would be far more self-conscious of his changed body image if he was a younger man.
And to a certain extent, I mean I know it’s totally different for a woman, but my next door neighbour actually had it five years ago, so, you know I can sort of relate and talk to her about it you know, and she doesn’t mind talking about it. She’s just going through reconstruction, and I made the comment with the surgeon and said, I said about you know, “It looks odd”. So he said “We don’t do reconstruction for men” (laugh). So I said, “No, I’m sure you don’t, but I said, it would be nice to lose enough weight so that it wasn’t obvious”, but, when, when you are on the big side, then, you know, as a man you’ve still got a bit of a bust, so (laugh). But yeah that’s just one of these things and it’s a bit of vanity I suppose really.
Only one of the men had had any cosmetic surgery (see also ‘Reconstruction’). Having new nipples tattooed onto his chest had made a real difference to how he felt about himself. He now felt reborn as a man because he now looked the same as he used to before he was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Last reviewed June 2017.
Last updated October 2013.
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