View before and after photos of nipple reconstruction patients who have been treated by leading plastic surgeons.
The final stage of breast reconstruction is the reconstruction of the nipple and areola.
There is no ideal method of reconstruction of the nipple for everyone, so you should work together with the surgeon to choose the best method for you.
Some patients do not consider it necessary to undergo new operations and feel comfortable without a nipple.
Others opt for a non-surgical method of recreating the areola with a tattoo. This method involves applying a pigment that mimics the areola. The nipple is not formed at this time.
For some patients, the reconstruction of the nipple is an important final stage in the long process of breast reconstruction.
Choosing a method for reconstructing the nipple, you should consider several factors.
The condition of the tissue of the reconstructed breast is important, as well as whether there is a tissue flap around the nipple. The preferences of your surgeon are also of great importance.
A modern approach to nipple reconstruction involves the use of a skin flap taken directly from the reconstructed breast.
Several varieties of a local flap are described, in particular a flap of C-V and a star-shaped flap. Whatever method the surgeon chooses, the result will be a new nipple. Areola can be created with the help of a tattoo or reconstructed by a skin flap taken from another part of the body.
Usually, skin flaps are taken from the area of the scar on the abdomen left after the removal of the flap for breast reconstruction, from the inside of the thigh or from the gluteal fold.
Over time, the reconstructed nipple will protrude slightly above the skin than immediately after surgery, due to the natural process of wound healing.
Wound complications after nipple reconstruction are rare, except for patients who have undergone radiotherapy of the operated breast – in this case the incidence of complications is high.
If the reconstruction of the nipple was unsuccessful, you may need to re-operation with a new local skin flap transplant. Sometimes a dermal or fat flap and fillers, such as Radiesse, may be needed to form the protruding nipple.
Usually, the reconstruction of the nipple is done on an outpatient basis.
The length of rehabilitation after this operation depends on what other audit operations were performed simultaneously, as well as on the location of the site from which the areola flap was taken. When the wounds heal, you can be tattooed in the surgeon’s office.
Nipple reconstruction surgery before and after:
- 40 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Reconstruction By Dr Luis A. Cenedese, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon
- 49 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Reconstruction By Dr Jeff Angobaldo, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon
- Nipple Surgery For This 74 Year Old Woman With Dr. J. Jason Wendel, MD, FACS, Nashville Plastic Surgeon 792
- 52 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Reconstruction Procedure With Dr Gary L. Ross, MBChB, FRCS, Manchester Plastic Surgeon
- Doctor J. Jason Wendel, MD, FACS, Nashville Plastic Surgeon - Nipple Reconstruction & Nipple Tattooing For This 60 Year Old Woman
- Dr. Constance Chen, MD, MPH, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon - 45-54 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Dr Dev Wali, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon - 45-54 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Reconstruction