For the Docs: Puffy nipples 7 weeks post op

[undercovrr]

Hey Docs, I had my surgery 7 weeks ago, and for the first 6 weeks i followed my surgeon's directions. I wore the compression garment and massaged the area. It looked great (flat chest, normal nipples) until about the 6 week mark when I took the garment off and stopped massaging. I then noticed that my nipples were puffy/inflated and so far its been like this for 1 week.

I'm still happy with my results, but it  bothers me that my chest looked better a few weeks post op than it does now. Here are some pics of how it looks now.

[Litlriki]

It is not uncommon for patients to have some puffiness of the nipples in the early to mid-post-operative period, and your description of events is quite typical. The vest manages to minimize swelling while it's on, but once it's removed, some swelling does develop, and commonly, the remnant of the nipple will puff up more than adjacent tissue.  Think in terms of what your legs look like below your sock line--less puffy below, more puffiness above at the end of the day when you've been standing all day.  Over time, that nipple puffiness usually settles down.

So have patience. 

Rick Silverman

[DrPensler]

Did you have any direct excision of the glandular tissue? If you had a minimal case and only liposuction was done through  a visible incision
my concern would be you looked better with swelling which then resolved and you are now seeing and feeling gland.

[undercovrr]

Did you have any direct excision of the glandular tissue? If you had a minimal case and only liposuction was done through  a visible incision
my concern would be you looked better with swelling which then resolved and you are now seeing and feeling gland.

I had gland removal + lipo done, so I'm hoping all that's left is swelling.