Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Choosing to Go Flat: My Journey After a Double Mastectomy
As I sat with the surgeon, 2 days after being diagnosed with DCIS, listening to her explain my options, I already knew what I was going to do. A single mastectomy and taking Tamoxifen didn’t resonate with me, as I did not want to deal with the negative and long lasting effects, so I was left with one clear choice: a double mastectomy. When she began discussing reconstructive surgery, I gently interrupted her. "I’m going to go flat," I said—a term I had only recently learned.
She asked why, and I explained my health concerns, many of which I had encountered firsthand in my own practice, treating women who had symptoms related to implant illness syndrome. To my relief, she agreed with me and shared that it’s common for her to perform explant surgery due to these very reasons. She assured me she was 100% supportive of my decision and would ensure an aesthetic flat closure. However, she asked me to take the weekend to sit with my decision and to call her on Monday with my final answer. I knew I didn’t need the weekend, but I agreed to reflect on it for a few days. On Monday morning, I called to schedule my surgery for three weeks later.
In the days that followed, I found myself googling "going flat" and quickly discovered that women who choose not to undergo reconstructive surgery are known as “flatties.” While I was pleased to find articles and websites where women shared their stories, I was also struck by how underrepresented this group is online. At 41 years old, I was just beginning to understand how our culture often fails to support or even acknowledge women who choose to go flat. I was disheartened to learn that many women are not even offered this option by their surgeons—so many don’t know it’s a possibility. I began to question why this is. I also discovered that in some states and countries, women are required to undergo a psychological evaluation to go flat. This only deepened my concern.
After my surgery and recovery, and through connecting with other women who have made the same choice, I became determined to spread awareness about going flat. For me, it was the best decision, and I share this option without judgment—simply to ensure that other women know it exists. Choosing to go flat does not diminish our femininity. I’ve been living flat for almost two years now, and I love my body even more. I’m filled with daily gratitude for what my body allows me to do. I cherish my scars; they are a constant reminder of the warrior within me and the second chance at life that I’ve been given. I realize how fortunate I am, and I’m mindful that many women are not as lucky.
My goal is to remove the stigma surrounding going flat and help normalize it. With 1 in 8 women being diagnosed with breast cancer, why is this option not more widely known? Why is it so often hushed, left unspoken?
As a community, we need to ask ourselves how we can better support the women currently undergoing breast cancer treatment and how we can honor those who have lost their lives to the disease, as well as those who have fought it. I honor these women by proudly showing my scars, by going topless whenever I can to bring awareness, by educating anyone who is willing to listen and offer free compassion calls to anyone who needs support or guidance as they navigate their own breast cancer journey.
