My nipple could not be saved. So my mastectomy side kind of looks like it has a zipper right across the middle. My plastic surgeon can do an outpatient procedure to create the nipple protrusion, and there are very realistic areola tattoos. This was my original plan. There are also lots of super creative and pretty tattoo designs that can kind of camouflage the scar. I like that idea too. But the more I live with my scar, the better I kind of like it. Like a battle scar for real, there’s no denying what happened and I feel like I earned it. So I’m doing nothing about the nipple for now, but might change my mind in the future.

I had a mastectomy 5 weeks ago and will be going back to work soon. My protein levels were too low so I couldn't get the expander yet. I had never had surgery in my life! I start with this? I expected it to be horrible and in lots of pain. I was super sore and tight but never really in pain. You ever have a bandage on and when you move it doesn't move with you? That's kinda how it felt. Sometimes it feels like I have a big bandage on my chest. Was told that's phantom pain. The mental aspect hasn't hit me yet. You can do this.

Wow, very interesting @A MyBCTeam Member -Never heard anyone talk about tattoo issues, except they trade, but the negative health aspects of tattoos have been coming out recently with one big negative of getting lymphoma. No, won't be adding that risk.
I couldn't do the liposuction or harvesting of tissue since they said I was too thin. Ha! I see plenty of "boob blob" harvesting sites!
I've had 2 sets of implants over 20 years. The first were saline, and had visible ripples and felt heavy. The second set were silicone and felt more natural and looked great at first but now being in my 70's, the teardrop shape is more like uncontrolled crying.😭 So this time, thinking round silicone.
Actually, I still haven't seen what my chest looks like since it's still bandaged. Surgery was a couple days ago.

Hugs, Cindy

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A MyBCTea...

I too had mastectomy and an expander place did not feel great filling up that expander just FYI. Take a pain med before your appointments. Yes I think we all have that zipper going across our chest. I decided not to put a tattoo nipple, I don’t want the dye/ink in me. I call my boobs blobs because they don’t necessarily look exactly like boobs, but I’m happy the way I look in T-shirts bathing suits and it makes me feel like a woman I chose to do saline.. I didn’t wanna risk having the silicone leak not know it. The great news is I get liposuction for the rest of my life. If I need it, they took my Lipo out of my flank and put it up at my chest to help fill out what was removed.

Thank you for your replies. I wasn't able to ask the plastic surgeon because this surgery change is last minute and I won't have a chance to speak to the plastic surgeon till my post-op appointment - which is actually fine because any "decorative" adjustments would probably be done at a later time. I was just wondering what others had done so I'd have an idea of what to ask for. It was just a shock after hearing since March that surgeon was doing nipple sparing surgery.

Basically, the idea is to get rid of cancer and be alive so however I look is not priority #1 (but being a girl, it's sure a close 2nd!! 😀 ). I like Marita's thinking to do nothing now and see how I feel later. Thanks!!