Redness on breast 3 months post-exchange

marketing - yes, it is possible to have an infection anytime - any foreign body (implant of any kind, joint replacement, stent, etc.) can be affected by a systemic infection, or a localized one. If I were in your shoes I might try to see whether this is a skin problem first, and maybe try a steroidal topical ointment and see if this helps at all. Draw a circle around the redness with a marker, then apply the ointment, and see if the circled area gets larger or smaller. If that doesn't work, you might try an antifungal ointment using the same process. Or, if you are really concerned see if you can text a photo to your PS and ask about either of these approaches first. Good luck - keeping fingers crossed, you know that I know you are worried.

Let me know what happens! Hoping it is just a skin thing that happens to be in an anxiety provoking location. I am doing just fine, thanks for asking! I had my final surgery last Nov. Had my port removed after 6 years (just saw my MO last Thurs., and when I told him that he high-fived me, lol! Love him!), left nipple removed - had the right one removed in May, and lipo in that weird mushy spot beneath both underarms, so that is smoother, and a little FG for good measure. I am ALL DONE - yay!

Mine ended up in vastly different places from each other - zero symmetry. When I had to downsize the implant on the right I asked my PS if she could take the right nipple in a classical mastectomy incision and place the smaller implant that way and use that incision to make the skin envelope smaller. She was glad I suggested that option. I was somehow less bothered by having one nip than I was by the asymmetry. When I had this last surgery she removed the left one - we were unsure if she could do it because that is the problem area that has spawned so many of my recon issues. Removal was successful with no new crises, so I am now the same on both sides - just not how I originally pictured it when I was offered nipple sparing BMX 6 years ago, lol! The nipple could possibly be moved for you - this is what some PS do with larger breasted women who want a nipple sparing surgery with smaller breasts - the nipple is relocated. You are correct though - there are some odds that it won't survive because you are separating it from the existing blood supply and asking it to form one again. I would ask your PS what their experience is with this, and if they have none or little, ask for a referral to someone who does if it is something you really want. I totally get how disconcerting it is for it not to be where you want and expect it to be. Mine were perfect after the BMX, the symmetry was disrupted by the sheer number of procedures on the left side, and the TE in/out/in, implant in/out, another TE in/out, another implant in, combined with half a dozen skin excisions.

I actually am far less bothered by having no nips than I was by the asymmetry, and once the right side came off I had no problem with removing the left side either - it was actually the one that was most displaced. I will not have nipples "built" because that would be too invasive and dangerous in the left side area, but would like 3D tattoos. Due to the thinness on the left side my PS wanted to see what healing looked like at least six months from the last surgery before she would give permission to do it, so that decision can't be made until the summer at the earliest. It usually takes a while to get in to have the tattoos done so it might be another year before I can have it done, if at all. If I can do it that would be great, but at this point I really would not mind if they stay the way they are, and I am risk averse at this point. I would not want a nip tattoo to be the reason I lose the left side recon again. My recon is all about having two similar objects in my chest at the same time, it is not about aesthetics after this much surgery - they will never look good, so tattoos will be a bit of a "lipstick on a pig" situation.

How is the red area?