Still Puffy Since Day 1 - (Photos)

[jbr]

I had excision surgery 7 weeks ago.  The left nipple is still as puffy as it was before surgery, but with a slightly different shape.  The right is a little puffy, but it seems to have come on in the last few weeks due to scar tissue.  Immediately after surgery, both sides looked very good.  About 3 hours later, both nipples looked puffy, the left VERY puffy.  

Since then, the right nipple went down and now is puffed back up a bit, 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.  There is a hard disk beneath each areola that is about the size of a stack of 3 or 4 quarters.  The left (more puffy) nipple also has a couple pieces of leftover gland, one right under the areola, and a few smaller ones to the sides/above/below.  These are like the size of a small marble.  

All I can do obviously is continue to wait, massage, and exercise to keep positive.  I have a feeling that as the scar tissue slowly breaks down a bit, but right side will look better but the left side will probably need a revision since there has been remaining gland since right after the surgery. I don't know if the puffiness of the left nipple is due to swelling, remaining gland, or scar tissue, or a combination of all three.  It is weird that it was flat for a few hours after surgery.

[jbr]

These photos are from a day or two post op of the left nipple when it was really swollen

[jbr]

Left nipple at 15 days - swelling was coming down a bit, you can see the lower areola was being pulled in by remaining stitches beneath the skin

[jbr]

Here is the left nipple now, at 7 weeks.  The lower part of the areola is now sticking out more, no longer being pulled in by stitches, and being pushed out by the incision scar.  (One photo is mirrored)

[jbr]

Anyone have any thoughts/advice/similar experience?                                 

[Nips]

hey man, I'd say the 6-8 week mark was the worse for my healing. If you can see noticeable changes then you're still healing a lot. Around two months my left side puffed out; I'm now 6 months in and my left side still changes; probably not noticeable to other people but we are our best critics! It is MUCH BETTER than at that two month mark though and can see there is still scar tissue to go.

I hope the same happens for you. If you're concerned talk to your surgeon. You should wait until 6 months to pretty much get a good idea of your final result.

Takes a lot of patience!

[pufnips99]

Who'd you get your surgery with? (out of curiosity)

I'm sure that in a worst case you could go in for a revision, although from what I've seen the swelling/variance in puffiness is common for a few months post surgery.

[jbr]

here's the left nipple, still puffy, 7.5 months after surgery

[jbr]

from the side

[jbr]

I am having revision surgery this week to try and flatten the puffy nipples.  There are several pieces of gland underneath the left nipple, which protrudes more than the right.  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.  It is very frustrating because the results from the first surgery made things look worse than they did before surgery.  This is because the left areola no longer shrinks when I'm cold, so it looks puffy all the time, whereas it used to only look puffy when I was pretty warm.  I really hope this second surgery (done by a different surgeon than the first surgery), improves the puffiness at least somewhat.

[puffynipplesdrivemecrazy]

I am having revision surgery this week to try and flatten the puffy nipples.  There are several pieces of gland underneath the left nipple, which protrudes more than the right.  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.  It is very frustrating because the results from the first surgery made things look worse than they did before surgery.  This is because the left areola no longer shrinks when I'm cold, so it looks puffy all the time, whereas it used to only look puffy when I was pretty warm.  I really hope this second surgery (done by a different surgeon than the first surgery), improves the puffiness at least somewhat.

Hope things improve for you jbr. I really do I have really mild gynecomastia and I am due to book my operation with Dr O in Poland. Please could you share who your surgery was with and who is going to carry out the revision?

Thanks

[jbr]

Thanks man, I'll send you a message regarding who the surgeons were.  Best of luck with your operation.  Do your research.  I failed to do enough research the first time around and that definitely played a part in my poor result.

[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]

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