Exchange City
Comments
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Hi Deborah. As for areola tattooing:
1. 30 bottles are a reasonable number. ( I have 150). They should represent at a minimum, the full range of brown to tan-sandy color, and of red to pink. Then we combine (at least I do) to get an exact match. The colors are labeled areola colors and camouflage colors. Some of the manufacturers who make these colors are known for their camouflage colors and areola colors. I will PM you with those names.
2. To match the color, often we will 'smear' some of the color onto your areola, thinning the color out as we go. This allows us to 'see' what the color might look like when healed. We have to use our knowledge of color and our imagination, because we can't really see what the color will look like when it is healed, we just have to know. That is because it is going into the skin not onto it, the skin is adding to the color- like a filter- there is no way we can see that filter ahead of time. Only our experience tells us.
3. Often a touch up is needed, but it is strange (to me) that bobcat needed four touch ups. Also, the touch ups are at least 4 to six weeks apart, not two. Bobcat, I'm sorry to say this, and I am happy that you are pleased with your final results, but a certified (CPCP) professional would never do a touch up after so short a period of time. In two weeks, underneath, the skin is still healing from one procedure when you are doing the next. Your procedures should be at least 4 weeks apart and some (most) technicians will wait 5-8 weeks to be on the safe side, and to see the healed color properly.
Aestheticians are skin care experts. If they do tattooing, then they must be permanent makeup or tattoo artists as well. Do not look for an aesthetician per se, to do your areolas. Again, you may be happy with the results, and that's fine, but if you want someone who specializes in this field, look for a CPCP designation. JUDY
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Oh the idea of braiding!! What a hoot!! Do you think they ever do that type of braiding while on vacation in the Bahamas??? LOL. JUDY
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Erika and Deb -- So sorry to hear about your ovarian masses. Wishing you the best as you deal with another health crisis. Take care!
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Hi all,
I just had my dressings removed from the nip and areola surgery. Here is the interesting part....
PS did the CV flap but then lifted the skin around the nipple and then surgically put it back on. This is a skin graft just using the same skin, lifing it and suturing it back on forming the areola. He is really skilled in that the sutures are so VERY tiny I can hardly see them. The new areola will turn darker in color and if needed then I will get tatoo. And no pain from a skin graft anywhere else on the body.
Deborah I wanted to let you know about this way of doing an areola.
Brenda,
I wanted to let you know the old rad side is doing well with the new nip and areola. PS did say he was nervous that the old rad skin would reject the nipple but so far so good. Areola is also doing well. There is still some oozing but I will post pics once the oozing has lessened. I'll let you know when I post the pics.
So everyone I highly recommend getting the nips done. And as for shaving armpits, I had more lymph nodes removed during the nip surgery. I can't shave my armpit on that side and I will have to see PS next week with all the hair growing. Good luck finding the suture knots to trim off!!!
I'm also very tired from surgery. Seems the nips, areola and biopsy tookl 2 hours under general anesthesia. I was lucky this time that I mentioned to EVERYONE that I get sick from anesthesia. Did they ever give me drugs to stop the vomitting!!! But it worked.
Kristen,
Glad you are feeling better.
Take care all. Will post pics probably next week.
Janet
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Janet: So glad the vomiting got under control..It is the worst.
One thing on areolas: If you are going to get tattooed, there is no reason to get areolas made. As a matter of fact, the scar that they create interferes somewhat with the tattooing. And the size and position may interfere as well. Just a thought. JUDY
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JUDY! new picture! nice...
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I got tired of the old one...J
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Judy,
PS said I probably won't need tatooing that the grafted skin should darken by itself. Hopefully it will.
Janet
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I'm hoping with ya..J
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Katey -- well there is always a silver lining, eh? (Re: less sweat glands) I actually never did sweat much... and post MX decided to buy and use aluminum-free deodorant (Tom's of Maine, which is NOT an antipersperant) so I guess it's just as well I have less sweat glands
Deborah -- I am so sorry. I can feel your disappointment through the pixels. Which I am sure is all the more profound since (a) you were truly happy with your results prior to the nipples and (b) this was supposed to be the icing on the cake, the finish. Is there any chance things will improve with time? What are your options now if they don't?
Kimberly -- LOL (and I know I shouldn't) at the image of you driving on narcotics (without telling your PS) while getting fills -- thank god you did not have an accident!
Janet -- wow your nip/areola work sounds very cool! Is your PS in NJ? Not that I'm abandoning mine... but you never know
Also, just out of curiousity, why did you have more lymph nodes removed during nip surgery? So glad you are so happy with your results.0 -
Janet: I agree - what an interesting way to form the areolae. I am going to mention that to my PS.
JUDY: Thank you so much for the information re: pigments. I think I am somewhat relieved to know that if the color is not right, I can have it tweaked later on.
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Lilah - If he only knew LOL...
I drove 7 hours to Savannah Ga after a fill! I would have had a bigger chance of crashing if I didn't take the drugs! I must have had a good tolerance to them!
Kimberly
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Wow............ the things our mothers never told us about. My mother had a mastectomy but never talked about it. I think she went into immediate denial about the whole thing... She never told me about not having any feeling under her arm -80% of her lymph nodes were involved when she had her mastectomy and hers had already matasticised (sp?) to her bones,,, anyway, I was only 30 and now I find that I have more hair on my face than I do on my legs... I've never had much leg hair but the thinner that hair gets, the more tweezing (or rather pruning) I have to do.... Remember - you "pluck" a chicken but you "tweeze" your face.... lol
Allie
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Allie I just get the mower out to do my legs! LOL
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Janet, yeah!!! You are done. Can't wait to see photos.
Katey, I thought fat grafts were placed under the skin. And I had the impression that the incisions are pretty tiny. I don't know. I've never had one, have you? The downside is they could dissolve and be absorbed into the body, so you have to do it over.
Take care, everyone!
Brenda
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Allie/Val, I'm with you I still miss some spots when I shave, my pits are so caved in it's bizarre. I haven't asked about laser hair removal, I was just planning to do it. Wonder if insurance would cover it? :-)Deborah, I'm really sorry to hear about the cyst and am surprised we hadn't heard about it before. Busy worrying about the nipples? I'm so sad for you that they aren't all you'd hoped, I thought maybe it was just the initial shock but it's been about a week now, right? When do you see your ps next, what will you ask for?Erika, They found a cyst in me 1 month after bc diagnosis, I was a total reck!! It actually self resolved so I didn't end up having to do anything for it. I am on tamoxifen which wiggs me out about this stuff. Today I realized I have to go in for 6 month check up stuff in March and got a little sad about that today. Things just hit us, it's a bummer. Julie0
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Janet, I wonder if that was the modified CV flap. Modernmade just posted a diagram of that on her post on the picture forum. I'd love to see pictures, if you're willing to post them.
Judy, Love the new picture! Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Julie
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Deb.. I love you sister.... seems like too much... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr it is all too much....Love you. Call me if you wanna just.... talk... anything..K? I am home nightly.
Judy.. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TATTOO help... I love ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ladies... I pray for you all the time. I just wanted you to know this...
Val... do you get to go to daily Mass... just wondering.. I am not so lucky to due so..
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Deborah and Erika,
I had oopher/hysterectomy at time of exchange. Besides being BRCA2+, my onc wanted my estrogen as low as possible:(, as my tumors were ER/PR+. I do have menopause effects, and I'm dealing with them as well as possible. The surgery was laproscopic, easy as pie.
The problem with ovarian cancer is that once you have symptoms, it's very late in the game for treatment. I didn't plan on having children(47), so it was a no brainer. At the time I was on Tamoxifen, following chemo, so I was already dealing with chemopause, and it hasn't changed any now. After the oopher, I was changed to Arimidex and I have to do Zometa IV every two months for bone density issues.
Musiclover, I, too was shocked at the pelvic exam! Never had one like that before:)
KEW had a bit harder time with her oopher, as she had abdominal surgery. I'm sure she will be popping in soon.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Deen
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Juliempw,
My areola was done differently. The areola was actually lifted off of the foob as a skin graft and then put back on with the tinest of stitches. The areola will be a skin graft but taken from the area where it will be not from another area. PS said that this lifting will turn the graft darker in color so tatooing will probably not be needed and color should remain permanent.
Lilah,
My PS is in Toms River, NJ. Nurse in his office said the other PS in the group does not do this type of areola but takes the skin graft from the groin area which is painful!!! I had about 2 more lymph nodes removed due to lump in underarm which he wanted to remove.
Brenda,
Old rad side still looking good. I am very protective of that side. It is oozing a little more than the other side. I have to clean with lukewarm to cool water, put bactracin ointment on, adaptic dressing around areola and then cut out 4x4 gauzes. I then put medium caps (such as pill bottle caps) over the nips and then try to put a bra on to hold everything. Gheez this takes some time. And I have to do this twice a day for a week till I see PS again.
I will let everyone know when I post pics probably when some of the oozing stops.
Have a good day all!!!
Janet
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I had skin graft from upper thigh, don't remember it being that difficult, then it was tattooed, can't remember how long after
. Scar around grafted areola is unnoticeable. Other areas I seem to scar terribly and have a raised loose scar on upper thigh (maybe from weight changes?) that I have wanted to have fixed, but always seem not to mention to PS. Thinking at this point I will skip the grafting for nipple #2. I do remember oozing and bacitracin around areola after a lift. That scar healed beautifully, go figure! Now of course it's gone. Interesting procedure Kristen!
Brenda, I haven't had fat grafting and don't know enough about it, was intrigued about taking some off the butt, till I read somewhere that you go home in a girdle contraption, making me wonder if it's hard to sit, sounds a little like liposuction which could be painful.
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Erika and Deborah, I'm thinking of you and hoping that everything is ok. How difficult to have to think of another surgery when you are just getting through the foob process.
Scrapmom, I was like you with very small TEs that the PS only filled to 180 cc. I have 397 cc implants and it looks like I'll be a C cup, not too big but definitely bigger than my B before. I admit, it is kind of fun to put on a stretchy t-shirt...
I see the PS today, and that will be the 1st time I'll see his incisions. Last night I panicked - I took a percoset and then mistakenly a lunesta sleeping pill on top of that. I called the doc, and he said that I wouldn't overdose, but I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep at all. I need to throw out some of my pill bottles - I must have 20 of them, all with strange generic names.
Kristen
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Good Luck today Kristen! Hope you like what you see.
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The ooph is a piece of cake! I just hate going under anesthesia again....I suffer for three months afterwards with lethargy and this foggy feeling in my head.
BTW: I only NEED an oophorectomy, as my uterus bit the dust fifteen years ago.
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I just wanted to say thank you to all that have replied to my post. I think seeing other pictures will be helpful. I had immediate reconstruction on my left and delayed reconstruction on my right (bc side). Since my mastectomies were done almost 2 years apart, my breasts right now with the t/e's don't look the same. My right (which is my bc side where I had my mastectomy in Jan. 2008, looks so much better than my left (which I just had done on December 09) and was a skin sparing mastectomy. It has two "bumps" in the skin at each side of the scar. The ps said she could use that to build the nipple. I did not have the heart to tell her I don't think I am going to have the tatoos and nipples done. Maybe I will change my mind, but as of right now I just wanted to get the implants and have 2 breasts again.
One other question, did you all find that your t/e's were like rocks on your chest. Mine are so hard. I am assuming the implants will not be as hard. Is that true?
Thanks again for all your replys. I really appreciate it.
Karen
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Scrapmom -- search the phrase "turtle shells" and you'll find plenty of posts about the hardness of the TEs! I am in TE land at the moment myself and yes it is quite hard. Two fills away from finishing the fill process and then I wait for exchange in May. Everyone reports that the implants are much softer... especially if you get silicone implants.
Lilah
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Good afternoon, ladies! I saw the ps again this morning......I swear, I've seen that man more in the last 14 months than I have my dh! He's still concerned about my incision, so wouldn't steri-strip it yet....it did stop oozing the other day, though......also, still no exercise except the darn recumbent bike (not even brisk walking - too much potential "bounce").....and, of course, still keep my arm quiet......he want's to see me in two weeks......maybe then......I'm starting to feel like a marshmallow....
Deborah - ya know, I can completely understand your feeling about the foobs with aliens....I actually don't mind the smoothness, either, though (like yours) my dh would be quite disappointed if I decided to nix the nips...... As for your perceived flattened upper pole and squareness, do you think it's just that - a perception thing? Is there any physiologic reason that things should have changed?
Laura - So great to hear from you! No, I don't get to daily Mass...it's at the same time that my son is getting ready for school in the morning and eating breakfast.....I only have a few more months of that (boo-hoo), so want to enjoy those "mom" moments.....and I pray daily for us all here, too!
Kristen - napping is good......helps your body recover......once you quit taking the narcotics (not, too soon, though, okay?) you'll feel less foggy.......smile, sweetie!
Kimberly - thanks for the laser removal tip....I got sidetracked in my derm appt yesterday and forgot to ask....I'll worry about it closer to summer.....I made it through last summer with my TE's and the electric razor, it's just a pain..... Interesting that you got a baseline pelvic US before starting tamox....which incidently I now have been on for ONE YEAR (4 to go, unless I'm changed to the dreaded AI's)...my onc didn't do any baseline tests before........I had plenty of the lovely pelvic US's, though, during all my infertility experience and conceiving our second child......
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Judy - almost forgot - LOVE the new pic! Very professorial......0
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Janet, I'm having a hard time picturing this. The PS saved your natural areola or he created a new one with surrounding tissue? Sorry, don't mean to be dense.
Deborah, I'm the same way with anesthesia, that stuff never seems to leave my system! I'm thinking I'll go back to Bikram's in the next few weeks and see if sweating it out works.
Karen, Do we think the TEs were like rock. OMG YES!!!!! I called them my boulders.
Val, I think it would take years for your body to actually appear a marshmallow but it's such a hard thing to not move when you're a mover! Hang in there!
I had a baseline pelvic US as well but it was because I had been using the murena IUD to help my torturous periods and was wanting to have oblasion done. They nixed that idea so I have periods again. It was my big joke, I got to go through puberty and menopause together (grow boobs, start period and get hot flashes) that's just wrong, but here I am. :-)
Julie
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Just got back from the PS. He said not to worry about the cave in my armpit. When all is done, he will inject it with fat. So girls, it can be done!! (I told him not to touch my butt. I need more fat there, not less!) Well, there is always that place on the back between the waistline and the butt (love handle?)...
As for nipple surgery style, he said he prefers the origami style because in the long run it works best.
Janet: Pill bottles? Are they that long? Are they as long as your little fingers? I am so glad for you that you are done, and I am hoping and praying that your radiated side behaves.
Take care:
Brenda
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