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Bravo's avatar
Bravo
Member
9 years ago

New nipple?

My surgeon thinks he did a great job of removing a cancer behind my nipple, and then creating a new nipple (the original went with the cancer). He drew up the edges of the resulting hole as you would a drawstring on a purse, and then called the bunch of flesh a nipple. He is sooo proud of himself!  I'm glad he got all the cancer etc, but the mess he calls a nipple is horrible. I can't imagine how I'm supposed to keep all those valleys and bumps around it clean. I'll probably need to use a toothbrush. I looked online at pictures of how this surgery usually looks and there's just a single thin scar across the breast. Not a bunched up lump. What can I do about this situation? Do I suggest he fixes it up? Can I go to a cosmetic surgeon in the future? What's the deal with expecting a woman to have a dillybag for a boob? And thank the surgeon for it as well!!

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  • Bravo's avatar
    Bravo
    Member
    9 years ago
    Thanks for the food for thought. I will definitely being asking the breastcare nurse about this. I'm not desperate for a nipple, just a smooth wound would suffice. My dear OH can't even look at it (he is squeamish about any health issues!), so I may have to make a little boob beanie for his benefit.
    I'm being cared for under the public health system, so any cosmetic surgery might be years away if I need to be on an elective surgery waiting list. I've yet to have radiotherapy but I'm pretty sure I will be having it. Who knows? It may smooth out the valleys! 
    I'm a seamstress and this present stitching job would not get a pass in my opinion.
  • primek's avatar
    primek
    Member
    9 years ago
    I agree with the other ladies. Was wondering if a fat transfer might assist also. I'm sure there is something that can improve it's appearance but more importantly the risk of future health issues due to the dips etc. If unhappy with his response once you raise the issue, seek a referral to another breast surgeon or a plastic surgeon gor another opinion. Have you had radiotherapy yet? I know that can impact on the initial surgical outcome. I know even ones done really well look horrid at the beginning abd change quite a bit with healing time. Kath x
  • mum2jj's avatar
    mum2jj
    Member
    9 years ago
    Hi there @Bravo I am not sure of the procedure you had, although there are different ways of creating nipples. Mine were done with the common CV flap. If you would like to join
    choosing breast reconstruction we have some nipple stories in our photo story announcement. Mine are in there. With this procedure some ladies do flatten with time. Maybe what you have had may as well. Here is a diagram of the CV flap method. Paula x. PS Just request to join the group and leave a message. 

  • brightspace's avatar
    brightspace
    Member
    9 years ago
    Hi important that you touch base with the surgeon but he is not a cosmetic or plastic surgeon?
    you have only just started the journey .Also some of us have skin that does not heal smoothly but does scar .
    Hoping the next surgeon is more compassionate.
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    9 years ago
    Thanks @Bravo ! I will carry the vision of a woman muttering and nuttering while scrubbing at her less than satisfactory tit with a toothbrush.

    Tell him you think it is an abomination. 10 years ago I went along with this shit not knowing any different when I was told that my results were 'magnificent'. Apart from some limited images available through BCNA there was nothing for me to compare my experience to. Certainly nothing like this forum. So I just assumed that what I had was as good as it got. And that it was my fault that I had complications.

     Complain. Get a second opinion ( though they close ranks and won't criticize each other's work) @mum2jj will get you into the breast reconstruction page if you are not already a member. Heaps of good advice about this in there.
    Marg