Sammanfattning
Background: Many women are each year diagnosed with breast cancer, and as a result their breast is completely or partly surgically removed. Around half of the women choose to have their breast reconstructed, but earlier research gives an unclear picture of the women’s experiences with their new breast. Aim: To describe how women experience living with a reconstructed breast. Method: Interviews were conducted with six women. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Results showed three themes: «Aesthetic changes», «Body awareness» and «Relation to the surroundings». Conclusion: The study illuminated a complex picture, where the breast was not a part of the rest of the body. To get a feeling of normality depended of the surroundings’ acceptance of the new body.