Before and after left nipple and areola reconstruction in a 51 year old breast cancer survivor. She previously had a delayed breast reconstruction with a DIEP flap. 10 months later, she was ready for nipple and areola reconstruction as an outpatient procedure.
The “nipple sharing” technique was used, where a portion of the right nipple was excised and moved to the left breast as a free nipple graft. The right nipple became approximately 50 percent smaller, and the left nipple healed as if it had always been there!
An areolar circle was created on the left breast reconstruction using medical tattoo to best match the patient’s right natural areola pigment. A balancing tattoo of the right areola provided the very best symmetry.
Follow up photos are shown 6 weeks after nipple-areola reconstruction. The second set of images shows the donor nipple on the right following free nipple graft harvest on the left side, and the new nipple reconstruction on the right.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
