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Allicat's avatar
Allicat
Member
14 years ago

6 months after mastectomy

Tomorrow will be exactly one year since I was told I needed a mastecomy and exactly 6 months since I had the mastecomy (with immediate reconstruction).

One of the things that creeped me out beforehand was the idea of having a "blank" breast - ie no nipple. But it is not blank at all since it has a nice neat scar going horizonally across the whole breast. At the moment the scar is still red (same scar was re-opened in August for the permanent implant) but I feel worried that it will actually look worse when the scar fades. I like my scar the way it is. I guess I could get a nipple tattooed on at some stage but I would need to think about that for quite a while to get used to the idea.

When you get a nipple tattoo is it just flat like a regular tattoo? I don't think I would want to get a built-up nipple.

3 Replies

  • LizzyB's avatar
    LizzyB
    Member
    14 years ago

    I too am around 6 months post mastecomy and I am having a 'built up nipple' done this Friday.  My plastic surgeon will be doing the twisted skin thing.. all done under local anaesthetic. Then in about 6 wks time I will have the tattooing to finish it off.  I am a little apprehensive as I don't want to walk around with perpetual 'high beams'... my surgeon assures me this won't be the case and that all his patients who have this procedure are happy with the result.  I will keep you all informed of how it goes!!!  xx

  • sillysam83's avatar
    sillysam83
    Member
    14 years ago

    u can get 'built up' nipples if u decide. they'll do anything u want really. lol. 

    if u get the built up version they pinch some skin upward then tattoo later. not too sure in how it looks or how it feels. im not there yet :( gotta wait until next yr for my clearance to do that :( stupid xmas lol... doctors want holidays lol i just want my life back, lmao... 

    but there are millions of options out there :) take ur time like Kim suggests! 

  • Allicat's avatar
    Allicat
    Member
    14 years ago

    Thanks Kim

    Stars instead of nipples sound really cool! That's good your surgeon was willing to admit not feeling confident about tattooing other things. It's interesting as I would have thought stars would be easier.

    You're right that there is no need to rush into a decision. I guess that as the scar starts to fade I can see how I feel about it. I like to plan ahead but maybe in this case I'll just wait for a while.

    Best Wishes

    Rachel