This week, Dr. James Craigie of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your questions.

Q: I’m four months post-reconstruction and am looking at nipple possibilities. Do you also create 3-D nipples, or refer your patients to a specific tattoo artist? Do you have a preferred prosthetic nipple source?

A: Thanks for your question. We perform nipple reconstruction first, using skin from the new breast. When that heals, our nurse or physician assistant do the tattoo. You can do either both or none of the above. I know there are resources for prosthetic nipples but I have no knowledge of what company provides them. I think 3-D refers to the tattoo technique performed without the nipple reconstruction. The color technique creates the apparent nipple. Therefore if you do not want to have a procedure to make the nipple, you could have the tattoo alone with 3-D coloring. Unfortunately, I’m not sure who does that particular tattoo technique.

Dr. James Craigie

Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction

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