Nipple Reconstruction Surgery

Great question….. Let’s address the insurance portion first. If your health insurance covers mastectomy, it must cover reconstruction throughout all phases. There are some that do not have to abide by this rule, (WHCRA 1998) but they are few and far between. Some may limit the number of times you can undergo a procedure at their expense. The best way to assure they will pay for your procedure is to call the insurance company each time and make sure you have benefits available for the procedure you desire.

Nipple reconstructions can deteriorate over time. Those that seem a little too prominent at first tend to flatten out after a while and may no longer project enough to suit a patient. Tattoos fade, especially when applied to skin that has a large amount of scar. This being said, repeat nipple reconstructions are a quick procedure routinely performed with local anesthesia and it’s not unusual to require a touch up to your areolar tattoo.

James E. Craigie, M.D. Great question….. Let’s address the insurance portion first. If your health insurance covers mastectomy, it must cover reconstruction throughout all phases. There are some that do not have to abide by this rule, (WHCRA 1998) but they are few and far between. Some may limit the number of times you can undergo a procedure at their expense. The best way to assure they will pay for your procedure is to call the insurance company each time and make sure you have benefits available for the procedure you desire.

Nipple reconstructions can deteriorate over time. Those that seem a little too prominent at first tend to flatten out after a while and may no longer project enough to suit a patient. Tattoos fade, especially when applied to skin that has a large amount of scar. This being said, repeat nipple reconstructions are a quick procedure routinely performed with local anesthesia and it’s not unusual to require a touch up to your areolar tattoo.

James E. Craigie, M.D.

The nipple reconstruction was a piece of cake. This was done with a local and I was actually able to walk into the OR. I would have to go back and look up the exact procedure to get the details right, but my plastic surgeon used the star flap technique to create a nipple mound. All I felt was a little tugging as he was suturing. I actually watched him do it. I looked up and could see what he was doing reflected in one of those overhead lights and commented on it. One of the nurses freaked out and said "We can move the light" and I said " I can also close my eyes" but I didn't because it was too interesting. Something I never would have imagined myself doing, but I guess that's what five surgeries in eight months can do for a person :) I couldn't resist making a joke when he finished, I waited a half a beat and said "I think you need to move it a little more to the left."

I was able to go back to work the next day, and for the next couple-three weeks he had me wear an eye patch (oval gauze pad they give you afer eye surgery) with a hole cut in the middle to cushion the fake nipple. After it healed I got the areola color tattooed in, which I was able to do over a lunch hour. I'm very pleased with the results. I know women who have skipped this step but I would have felt unfinished. It's a much better match with the other breast, the color in particular is just about perfect. No one looking closely at it would mistake it for the real thing but the only people in that camp are my husband and me and we both think it looks pretty good. I'm very satisfied with my overall reconstruction. The nipple reconstruction was a piece of cake. This was done with a local and I was actually able to walk into the OR. I would have to go back and look up the exact procedure to get the details right, but my plastic surgeon used the star flap technique to create a nipple mound. All I felt was a little tugging as he was suturing. I actually watched him do it. I looked up and could see what he was doing reflected in one of those overhead lights and commented on it. One of the nurses freaked out and said "We can move the light" and I said " I can also close my eyes" but I didn't because it was too interesting. Something I never would have imagined myself doing, but I guess that's what five surgeries in eight months can do for a person :) I couldn't resist making a joke when he finished, I waited a half a beat and said "I think you need to move it a little more to the left."

I was able to go back to work the next day, and for the next couple-three weeks he had me wear an eye patch (oval gauze pad they give you afer eye surgery) with a hole cut in the middle to cushion the fake nipple. After it healed I got the areola color tattooed in, which I was able to do over a lunch hour. I'm very pleased with the results. I know women who have skipped this step but I would have felt unfinished. It's a much better match with the other breast, the color in particular is just about perfect. No one looking closely at it would mistake it for the real thing but the only people in that camp are my husband and me and we both think it looks pretty good. I'm very satisfied with my overall reconstruction.