Reconstruction R7
Nipple and areola
The last step of the reconstruction, about three months after the breast mound: the nipple grafted from the other breast, the areola rebuilt by medical dermopigmentation, in a single session.
- Anaesthesia
- Local
- Interval
- 3 months after the mound
- Sessions
- 1
- Healing
- 15 days
Figures confirmed by the surgeon; they vary from case to case and are specified in consultation.
The essentials
The four questions that come up
- When does this stage take place?
- In most cases about three months after the breast mound has been rebuilt, once the shape has stabilised. It is the last step of the reconstruction.
- How is the nipple rebuilt?
- By grafting half of the opposite nipple. Where the opposite nipple is too small, a skin-and-fat fragment is grafted instead, which takes longer to heal.
- And the areola?
- It is rebuilt by medical dermopigmentation, in the same session as the nipple graft, under local anaesthesia.
- What is recovery like?
- Healing of the nipple is obtained in fifteen days. The session can be combined with symmetrisation of the opposite breast or with touch-ups on the reconstruction.
The last step
Reconstruction of the nipple-areola complex is carried out in most cases about three months after the breast mound has been rebuilt.
That interval is not administrative: it gives the reconstructed breast time to take its final shape, the skin relaxing over two to three months. Placing the nipple before that stabilisation would mean placing it in the wrong spot.
The whole procedure is carried out in one session, under local anaesthesia.
The nipple, grafted from the other breast
The nipple is recreated by grafting half of the opposite nipple. Healing is obtained in fifteen days.
Where the opposite nipple is too small to be shared, a skin-and-fat fragment is grafted: the technique remains possible, but healing takes longer.
The areola, by dermopigmentation
The areola is rebuilt by medical dermopigmentation, that is, by introducing pigments into the dermis to restore the colour and the outline of the areola.
It is carried out in the same session as the nipple graft, which avoids an additional appointment.
What can be done in the same session
This session is often the opportunity to complete the whole reconstruction.
It can be combined with symmetrisation of the opposite breast, or with touch-ups on the breast reconstruction itself. Grouping these procedures avoids multiplying operations.
Frequently asked questions
What patients ask
These answers reflect the content written and validated by the surgeon. Each one is written to stand alone, question by question.
Why wait three months?
Where does the rebuilt nipple come from?
Is the areola tattooed?
How long does healing take?
Meet us
Consultation
A first consultation is there to understand your request and tell you what is possible — including when the answer is that it is better to do nothing.
Clinique Esthétique Ferrère
16 ter rue Ferrère
33000 Bordeaux
In cosmetic surgery, French law requires a detailed written quote and a cooling-off period of at least fifteen days between the consultation and the operation. No deposit may be requested during that period. Two consultations are required before any operation.