We may perform the procedure in the operating room or our office, depending on the type of breast reconstruction:

• If you’ve had reconstruction with a breast implant, we typically perform nipple reconstruction in the operating room.
• If you’ve had autologous breast reconstruction using your own tissue, we can usually do the nipple reconstruction in-office with local anesthesia.

In nipple reconstruction, the surgeon gathers skin together and sutures it in place to create a nipple projection. After we remove the sutures and the skin fully heals, we add the 3D nipple tattoo.

Unlike a typical nipple, a reconstructed nipple is raised all the time, so it may show through clothing. Over time, the nipple projection tends to flatten out.

When planning for your tattoo, we work with you to develop a color palette, which can range from light pink to darker shades. You may want to recreate your previous look or something entirely different. If you’ve only had surgery on one breast, we can match your other nipple and areola.

We perform nipple tattooing in our office using anesthetics to numb the area, so you don’t feel pain. We offer:

• Local anesthetics injected under the skin
• Topical anesthetics applied to the skin

Nipple tattooing can take up to three sessions to achieve the desired results. The first session usually takes about two hours. We’ll let you heal for three to four weeks, then evaluate the result. Additional sessions, if needed, are typically 30 to 60 minutes.