3D Tats vs Reconstructed Nipple

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kim1967
kim1967 Member Posts: 13
edited August 2017 in Breast Reconstruction

I'm a lurker, having a hard time posting, strange.  I've tried to use the search feature to research this, but everything keeps coming up nipple sparring.  I just had my exchange surgery for bilateral mast on 3/15.  My type A personality requires me to start processing the next step.  Nipples (or should I say fipples to go with my foobs Wink). 

 My PS does the twist & stitch process.  He says yes there is some failure, but there is risk with everything.  I've read a lot about them going flat.  I had big nips before, always were at attention.  Part of me says no thanks and to go to 3D tats.  But then I read comments from women that say their nips were the icing on the cake.

So I guess my question is if you had twist & stitch - did they flatten, are you happy, regrets?  If you have 3D tats are you happy? regrets.  Thanks so much! 

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  • shiny
    shiny Member Posts: 892
    edited March 2010

    Hiya,

    I had a double SIA flaps recon (similar to DIEP). I am not sure if it is twist ans stich, but sounds similar. The surgeon used a bit of fat and skin at the site of the new nipples. Then a while later, I had them tattoed.

    I had similar "pert" nipples before and yes, the new ones are quite a bit smaller, but they do look realistic on the whole  and with the tats, I just think of them as my boos, and so does my husband. I am very happy with them.

    In my situation, well, the post surgery pain was nil, as had lost a lot of feeling from the middle of the breast areas. The bleeding was seriously minimal. Healing was quick. Tatooes were a doddle.

    I am thinking, but please check with your surgeon that, if the nipple recon fails, you can then still heal and have the 3 d tats anyhow, so not much to loose by trying for the nipple recon if it is what you would like. They probably will look smaller then your old ones, but hey, these ones won't kill you and in my case, on the whole, it's funny how quickly you just accept the new ones as you.

    I would ask your PS his stats and success rate with the proceedure thaugh.

    Good luck, and hope you enjoy your final result!

    Take care

    Shiny

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  • Deirdre1
    Deirdre1 Member Posts: 1,461
    edited March 2010

    Mine did flatten and if I had it to do over again I would go with the 3D Tats and they never really looked like a nipple anyway.  It would also, I believe, be more symetrical if I had gone with the 3D Tats.  I also allowed my ps to graft an areola from my groin...  I would NEVER suggest this!  It isn't that it's terribly painful, but it leaves you open for another infection that could spoil the implants as well as it could just as easily be done with a Tattoo.  I ended up having to have a regular medical Tattoo because the areola went too pale and that is also a common outcome..  Good luck, I hope which ever you do it turns out great..

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  • mawhinney
    mawhinney Member Posts: 1,377
    edited March 2010

    I had a unilateral mastectomy with implant reconstruction.  A c-v flap  created the nipple -  sort of a cut and twist procedure. Big at first but has defintely flattened leaving a small raised area. After the new nipple healed, I had a medical tattoo to create an areola.  The tattoed areola is fading. Both were easy, out patient procedures with local anesthesia. Easy recovery. If I were having a bilateral mx, I would probably do the 3D tattooing.

    It is good to plan ahead & do  research so that your know what is available & are able to seek the best possible treatment for your situation.

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited March 2010

    Kim 1967... PM me and I will help you find the picture page. ALSO.. go to a site ON BCO ( here) that is titled... EXCHANGE CITY

    read and read some more.. ask this question on that thread... MANY of those girls have had one or both.

    ((HUGS))

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  • lvtwoqlt
    lvtwoqlt Member Posts: 6,162
    edited March 2010

    Kim, I had bilat mast with implants. my ps did the 'twist and stitch' c-v flap method for creating the nipples. They did flatten out some and had his office do the areola tattoos. I wasn't happy with the coloring and overall look of the tattoos but went to a tattoo artist (permement makeup artist) who specalizes in areolas for breast cancer patients. she was able to color correct the tattoos and with shading and highliting able to enhance the flattened nipples.

    Sheila

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  • renee-tattoos
    renee-tattoos Member Posts: 161
    edited March 2010

    Kim1967.....If you decide to do the reconstruction of the nipple...(no need to reconstruct areola0

    the area still needs to be tattooed..If you have the nipple reconstructed and it flattens the tattooing

    can create a more protruding look.  So if you decide to go 3D it will give the illusion of protrusion...and if down the road you decide to have the nipple reconstructed you will still have that option. The tattooing is definitely the least evasive route.

    ReneeKiss 

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  • 3bears
    3bears Member Posts: 254
    edited August 2017

    I just wanted to give this topic a hit to bring it up to date. I would like more people to reply to original question please as I am going through this now and would like advice on which procedure will make me happier. I would love to go braless so the tattoo makes sense. However, for love making reasons would my husband like reconstructed nipples better?

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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited August 2017

    3bears- that's a question only your husband can answer. You won't have any sensation in them so it's purely a visual/tactile thing for him. I was able to do nipple sparing but we didn't know if the nipples could be saved going in. 3D tattoos were my plan B. The 3D tats I've seen are amazing-symmetrical and extremely natural looking-you'd swear nipple recon was done until you touched it. Added bonus-no headlights if you go braless or wear a silky unline bra. Keep in mind the ones I've seen were done by Vinnie Meyers (his specialty is 3d tats and tats on recon nips for women with mx). He does travel and of course you can always travel to him. With any nipple tattoo artist I'd want to see lots of pics of their work (not their studio's work) beforehand. You may be able to google Vinnie Meyers 3D nipple tattoo and get a feel for what great looks like to compare.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited August 2017

    I did the 3D tats with Vinnie four years ago. Loved them from the very first day. I never wear a bra. Just the other day I got a chill and I got the nipples erect feeling (phantom sensation now). I thought about how nice it is to never have to worry about that. I'd do exactly the same thing if I ever had to do it again. I flew to Baltimore from OKC. The 3D tats are the best part of this whole thing.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited August 2017

    I have umx, so wanted to have symmetry. I had a nipple created by a ps, but it wasn't the old twist procedure described above. My ps took cartilage from behind my ear and skin from my upper inner thigh and made me a nipple that stood at attention. It did flatten out a bit over the years (it's been 14 years now), but it is still there and looking pretty decent. And, I didn't need an areola tattoo as the skin from my thigh created an areola and for some insane reason, the color decided to mirror the color of my other areola, even though the inner thigh skin is just normal skin tone! :o Not too shabby!

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  • LML
    LML Member Posts: 55
    edited August 2017

    I had the "origami" twist and stitch technique in 2009 and I'm very disappointed in the results. My PS told me I would end up with "pencil erasers", but I have almost nothing. She started small, so they just went smaller. A lot of surgeons start bigger to compensate for the retraction that inevitably happens. I don't know why my surgeon didn't do this. I wore the padding with the whole cut in the middle to try and preserve some projection, but it didn't matter. It didn't take long for the fipples to go flat. I have been trying to find a doctor near me who does grafting with ear cartilage, but no luck so far. I know a lot of women don't want "headlights on" look, but I personally would like to have something! I feel very incomplete. I have read that using cartilage yields much better results to keep some projection. I know they also used to use tissue from the labia, but most doctors seem to frown upon this now. I don't understand that as it seems a logical type of tissue to be closer to the original (color and texture).

    I am located in Connecticut not far from Boston if anyone out there knows a doctor who does the cartilage or labia technique.

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