Anyone keep only one nipple in a bilateral mastectomy?

cgifford7

I only have the option to keep the nipple on the prophylactic side and that is what I'm leaning toward. I had a plastic surgeon tell me that reconstruction would be a lot simpler if I just had both removed. My current PS said there would be no problem doing TE to implants with one nipple, just that the side without might need to be expanded a bit more to make up for the loss of skin. I'm small breasted and the PS said the location of my nipple is good.

I truly don't know if I'm making the decision to keep the nipple based on delusion. I think keeping it will give me the chance of having one breast that is more "like me". My nipples have always had a big role in sexual pleasure and I'm holding out some hope of retaining some sensation in it, even though I've read that is unlikely.

I'm feeling uncertain about the decision so please share any experience you have with it. Are there pros and cons that should be considered or is it truly personal choice?

exbrnxgrl

cgifford,

I had a bmx and originally kept both nipples. Post surgical pathology report indicated that the left nipple needed to be removed and it was. I did have implant reconstruction so my breast without the nipple has a bit less projection. I have toyed with having nipple recon or a tattoo but it doesn’t bother me enough to have any more procedures done. As far as hoping for some nipple/breast sensation, I don’t want to dash your hopes but it would be unlikely. During a mx, all underlying tissue is removed and some or all of the skin is left . While many of us do regain skin sensation you will not have any underlying breast tissue. My remaining nipple has only surface skin sensation. There is nothing but an implant under the skin and those certainly have no sensation. That deeper sensation occurs in breast tissue and post mx there isn’t any.

I wish you the best and hope that you are an exception.

PS: I had one step implants so no TE’s, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have no underlying breast tissue.

OCDAmy

I kept the nipple on the non cancer breast. After several surgeries trying to get it in the right place I finally had it removed and got matching tattoos. I wish I had just had it removed at the first surgery.