2nd Puffy Nipples Surgery With More Experienced Surgeon

[jbr]

I had excision surgery 7.5 months ago.  The left nipple is still as puffy as it was before surgery, if not more so.  Also, the left areola no longer contracts when I'm cold, so it looks puffy all the time whereas it used to only look puffy when I was really warm.  The right is a little puffy, but it was never very bad.  Immediately after surgery, both sides looked very good.  About 3 hours later, both nipples became puffy. 

Since then, the right nipple went down, but the left nipple has stayed puffy throughout and I have been able to feel some leftover gland since immediately after surgery. 

Both nipples have scar tissue, but I believe the left nipple is puffier because not enough gland was removed.  The left (more puffy) nipple also has a couple pieces of leftover gland, one deep beneath the areola, and a few smaller ones to the sides/above/below.  These are like the size of a small marble. 


I am having revision surgery this week to try and flatten the puffy nipples.  The strange thing is that the gland feels deep, not immediately beneath the areola.  The puffy areola itself is soft and squishy.  This worries me because I wonder whether the puffiness will remain after the gland is removed.  My first surgery was excision only and this surgery will be as well, but this surgeon is going to undermine the skin (cut and release the skin from the underlying tissue structure) surrounding the areola.  The hope is that this will allow the areola skin to flatten. I really hope this second surgery (done by a different surgeon than the first surgery), improves the puffiness at least somewhat.

[jbr]

I had surgery on Thursday.  Keeping the compression vest on without interruption until Tuesday when the drains are removed. I've been taking it really easy trying to let myself heal and keep swelling and bleeding to a minimum. Pain has been pretty minimal, mostly just some stinging/burning around the drain incision sites. 

[jbr]

Well, things are very flat this time.  There sure is a lot of bruising!  Anyone have any tips for helping the bruising to heal?  I've been using arnica internally and externally.  I've also been taking bromelain/quercetin pills to help manage swelling.  I should have iced more during the first 48 hours.  I'm thinking of trying a heat pad or hot towels to increase circulation in the area.  You can see to the right of my left nipple (left of the right nipple in the photo) there is a very bruised area.  At that spot there is a hard lump about the size of a quarter, which I think may be a small hematoma, due to how hard it feels.  Despite all the bruising and swelling, I am very happy with the results thus far, and so relieved that the failed first surgery has been improved.  This 2nd surgery was definitely much more aggressive and involved more tissue damage, but I'd rather that than an incomplete job.

[jbr]

sides