Sometimes women that have had a breast augmentation discover that they have breast cancer and may require a mastectomy. As a Tampa area plastic surgeon I encounter this frequently. Women that have had cosmetic breast surgery almost always have the same options available to them for reconstruction as other women with no prior cosmetic breast surgery. Sometimes the prior cosmetic surgery with implants allows for an easier reconstruction because a pocket has already been formed with a cosmetic implant. If there has been a prior mastopexy (breast lift) then the more incisions that one has on her breasts means there are areas of scar and less than ideal blood flow. This may impact the healing of a reconstruction but usually does not.