Nipple-areola reconstruction by tattooing and nipple sharing.

In a reconstructed breast the nipple-areola complex can be restored by various techniques, most of which are complicated and may leave residual scarring at the donor site. The primary intradermal tattooing and nipple sharing technique for nipple-areola reconstruction is simple and can be done under local anaesthesia. We present our experience of 31 patients who had 32 areolar reconstructions using intradermal tattooing (one patient had bilateral breast reconstruction). Seventeen patients had a nipple reconstruction by the nipple sharing technique. At follow-up of 2 months to 4 years, 4 patients have required further tattooing because of fading of the pigment and 1 patient has a gross areolar colour mismatch. There have been no nipple graft failures and the reconstructed nipples have adequate projection.