Flat Closure

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Before surgery with incision lines marked, the surgical approach with the pectoral muscle left in place, and the flat chest afterwards

Also called aesthetic flat closure. The breast tissue is removed, then excess skin and fat are taken away and what remains is tightened and contoured so the chest wall lies smooth and flat. It is an operation in its own right: simply declining reconstruction after a mastectomy does not produce a flat closure, which is worth asking about directly. It is also an option for people having implants removed. A deliberate choice, not an absence of one.

Sources: National Cancer Institute; American Cancer Society.