Not all patients wish to have a surgically constructed nipple; some may opt for a prosthetic nipple that is made of silicone and can be moulded from the contralateral nipple. These false nipples are secured with a special adhesive material that can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Moreover, they tend to come off when immersed in water (e.g. when swimming). Nipples that are created from the patients’ own tissues rely on a combination of local flaps (e.g. skate flap) or skin grafts from other parts of the body (e.g. inner thigh region). Despite a realistic contour, these surgically formed nipples are often pale in colour relative to a normal NAC. The overall appearance of a surgical nipple can be greatly enhanced using tattooing techniques, which are simple and safe procedures in the final stages of breast reconstruction. The following groups of patients are potential candidates who may benefit from methods of tattooing:

Tattooing of the areola in breast reconstruction patients will help promote a realistic outcome in aesthetic terms and a range of skin colour pigments is available.

There are several conditions that are either absolute or relative contraindications to areolar tattooing: