Numb
Not Silent
More than 100,000 women face mastectomy each year.¹² For most of these women, the shock comes after—the numbness that never fades. No feeling. No warning. No conversation. It’s time to break the silence surrounding chest numbness after mastectomy.
What does chest numbness after mastectomy feel like? Women face hidden challenges every day.
What no one talks about after mastectomy:
SENSATION
LOSS
- Sensation loss is real3
- Chest numbness has a
- severe impact on quality of life3
- Few were told what to expect3
What does chest numbness after mastectomy feel like?
Women face hidden challenges
every day.
LIFE AFTER MASTECTOMY
Unsaid truths from real women
I was severely sunburned because I didn’t feel the burning sensation or temperature of the hot sun. I felt so stupid for even trying to do something normal.
25% experienced an injury or close call related to chest numbness
It doesn’t feel like my body. I can barely feel anything; most days are numb. It makes me want to cry.
58% experienced sadness or depression3 72% said numbness negatively impacted their sex lifeWhat does chest numbness after mastectomy feel like?
Women face hidden challenges every day.
Women are prepared for surgery
but not for what comes next4-6
Even if sensory loss is mentioned, it’s rarely explained in a way that helps patients understand how much it can change their daily life.3
After a mastectomy, I was just told that I would experience some discomfort, a little tingling that will eventually go away. But it hasn’t.
20% of women said they were not warned about sensation loss
I feel like I should be grateful to be alive. Other people have expected me to move on already.
67% admit it’s difficult to express their feelings around sensation loss
All I feel is pain and the sensation of my foot falling asleep, but instead of it being my feet, it’s my entire chest.
57% do not feel like the woman they used to beWhy does a mastectomy cause chest numbness?
The nerves in the breast help the brain and body talk to each other.7,8 They let you feel touch, keep you safe from harm, and help you stay connected to your body.9,10 These nerves are critical to:
Sensation
Feeling touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and pleasure10,11
Protection
Alerting you to potential harm, such as burns or injuries10,11
Body Awareness
Knowing where your body is in space and how it moves9,12
A mastectomy isn’t just the removal of breast tissue; it’s the loss of a body part, much like an amputation. The surgery severs nerves and leaves more than just physical scars. It changes how the chest feels. The numbness and emotional pain that follow can stay with you long after the scars have faded.7,9,11
IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT NUMBNESS
Our sense of touch protects, informs, and connects us. When it’s gone, so much is lost. It’s time for patients, caregivers, and doctors to talk about the impact sensation loss after a mastectomy has on daily life.
This research report brings to life the real experiences of millions of women who have lost sensation after mastectomy.
References:
1. United States Census Bureau. Sex by age. 2013. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://data.census.gov/table?q=B01001&y=2013 2. Steiner CA, Weiss AJ, Barrett ML, Fingar KR, Davis PH. Trends in bilateral and unilateral mastectomies in hospital inpatient and ambulatory settings, 2005–2013. HCUP Statistical Brief No. 201. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb201-Mastectomies-Inpatient-Outpatient.jsp 3. Data on file. 4. Heil J, Kuerer HM, Pfob A, et al. Eliminating the breast cancer surgery paradigm after neoadjuvant systemic therapy: current evidence and future challenges. Ann Oncol. 2020;31(1):61-70. doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2019.10.012 5. Coombs DM, Djohan R, Knackstedt R, Cakmakoglu C, Schwarz GS. Advances and current concepts in reconstructive surgery for breast cancer. Semin Oncol. 2020;47(4):217-221. doi:10.1053/j.seminoncol.2020.05.007 6. Weichman KE, Hamill JB, Kim HM, Chen X, Wilkins EG, Pusic AL. Understanding the recovery phase of breast reconstructions: patient reported outcomes correlated to type and timing of reconstruction. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2015;68(10):1370-1378. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2015.05.039 7. Hamilton KL, Kania KE, Spiegel AJ. Post-mastectomy sensory recovery and restoration. Gland Surg. 2021;10(1):494-497. doi:10.21037/gs.2020.03.22 8. Mei Y, Zhou B-L, Zhong D, et al. From sensation to regulation: the diverse functions of peripheral sensory nervous system. Front Immunol. 2025;16:1575917. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2025.1575917 9. Frost C, Lesā R, Richardson S. The experience of women receiving mastectomy care in an acute surgical ward: a qualitative study. Nursing Open. 2024;11(10):e70053. doi:10.1002/nop2.70053 10. Smeele HP, Dijkstra RCH, Kimman ML, van der Hulst RRWJ, Tuinder SMH. Patient-reported outcome measures used for assessing breast sensation after mastectomy: not fit for purpose. Patient. 2022;15(4):435-444. doi:10.1007/s40271-021-00565-5 11. Bubberman JM, Van Rooij JAF, Van der Hulst RRWJ, Tuinder SMH. Sensory recovery and the role of innervated flaps in autologous breast reconstruction—a narrative review. Gland Surg. 2023;12(8):1094-1109. doi:10.21037/gs-23-40 12. Koralewska A, Domagalska-Szopa M, Łukowski R, Szopa A. Influence of the external breast prosthesis on the postural control of women who underwent mastectomy: cross-sectional study. Front Oncol. 2022;12:920211. doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.920211
It feels empty and weightless. Cold sometimes.
87% experienced numbness or lost the ability to feel touch, temperature change, or pressure in the breast and chest area