Before and after left DIEP flap breast reconstruction and right balancing augmentation in a 55-year-old breast cancer survivor. Nearly ten years prior, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with a left mastectomy, chemotherapy and chest wall radiation. Her implant reconstruction had failed due to infection and implant extrusion.
She was excited to be a candidate for the DIEP flap. Her aesthetic goals were to be reconstructed a little bigger than her natural breast size. Skin and fat from her lower abdomen was microsurgically transplanted to the left chest as a DIEP flap reconstruction, which was made larger than her other breast and shaped to provide good projection.
A right balancing breast augmentation provided increased fullness and matching projection to the other breast. Six months later, left nipple and areola reconstruction was performed using the local flap technique and medical tattoo.
Follow up photos are shown 1 year after surgery, with mature scars. This patient’s surgery was done nearly two decades ago! Nowadays, we refer to expert paramedical tattoo artists for aesthetic shading and the absolute best match of color and shading with a natural nipple and areola.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
