Is my nipple graft failing? 16 days post op. (photo)

Hello,At over 2 weeks since surgery it does appear from your photo that you have experienced some nipple areolar loss.  The darker areas will peel with time and fresh skin will be revealed.  For some individuals just local wound care and healing can reveal a overall aesthetic nipple areolar complex long term.  If needed 3D tattooing can also be helpful with or without nipple reconstruction.  Though at this time is is too early to say definitely.  Nipple loss is a  known risk of free nipple grafting and all plastic surgeons have back up plans for those rare occasions that this does occur.  Make sure to follow up with your plastic surgeon and ask what the plan will be for caring for this area.Best of Luck with your Healing!Dr. Rednam

Hi Adventurous1675,Thanks for the question and the photo. It appears that you are losing the top layer of your areolar graft. What will likely happen is that this will leave some open wounds, albeit very superficial. Your surgeon will guide you on what treatments to apply to help heal the wound. Things to not do at this time is smoke cigarettes or be around second hand smoke. This will heal and if there is a color issue, that can be easily addressed down the line with medical tattooing. This is a risk of free skin grafts but take heart, it will heal and you will be fine. Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

Thank you for including a photo - it does appear that at least the top layer (epidermis) is sloughing, as expected, and a variable amount under this may be tissue that may survive. You should definitely keep close contact with your plastic surgeon in case the area of sloughing looks deeper. Although not much can be done at this point, you will want to make sure you're taking care of the wound properly to maximize the amount of tissue that will survive.