Angelina Jolie Opens Up About Loving Her Mastectomy Scars – Surgeon Calls It a 'Full Circle' Moment

Angelina Jolie is opening up about how she feels today about the scars from her 2013 double mastectomy. The actress’s candid remarks later prompted a heartfelt response from her surgeon, who reflected on the deeper meaning behind her words.

Angelina Jolie says she has come to love the scars from her 2013 double mastectomy because they are a reminder of the choice she made to protect her health and stay present for her children.

In a recent interview with French media outlet French Inter, the 50-year-old actress reflected on how she views scars in general and her own in particular. “Well, I've always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry,” Jolie said.

She made clear that she does not connect with the idea of a flawless life. “I'm not drawn to some perfect idea of a life that has no scars,” she said.

Instead, she sees her scars as tied to a deeply personal decision. “I see my scars are a choice I made to do what I could do to stay here as long as I could with my children,” she explained.

Jolie feels grateful that she had the ability to act on her health risks. “I love my scars because of that, you know, and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to have the choice to do something proactive about my health. I lost my mom when I was young, and I'm raising my children without a grandmother,” she said.

Her mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died at age 56 in 2007 after being diagnosed with cancer.

In a May 2013 New York Times op-ed titled “My Medical Choice,” Jolie shared that she had tested positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, which significantly increased her risk of developing breast cancer. She wrote at the time that doctors estimated her risk at 87 percent. After undergoing the preventive double mastectomy, she said her chances dropped to under 5 percent.

Following Angelina Jolie's statements about her scars, her breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Kristi Funk, took to Instagram to acknowledge the surgery, writing, “I was her surgeon. I made those scars,” and applauding the actress for making that “brave” choice.

According to Dr. Funk, “Hearing her now call them a ‘Choice’ — because they mean Life — reveals the full circle of healing most people never see.”

She emphasized that these scars are “not disfigurements” but rather visible proof of one’s decision to survive. “They tell stories of courage, love, and second chances,” she added.

Jolie and Dr. Funk agree that scars are not something to hide, but are a visible reminder of a life-altering decision made in the name of health, family, and survival.