Body Image After Ovarian Cancer

Body image changes after ovarian cancer treatment are really common — a lot of women struggle with side effects like scars or other physical changes that can come after surgery. However, it’s important to note that many of these changes are temporary.

Even the scars that come with surgery do fade over time. Marisa Gholson, a Physicians Assistant at Compass Oncology in Portland, Oregon, said that many women begin to embrace their scars. “Some ladies will call them a badge of honor, that they have gone through that surgery,” Gholson said. She also noted, however, that scars — like many of the other side effects that come with ovarian cancer treatment — will become significantly less prominent over time.