Top Surgery and Nipple Sensitivity

[Rin]

I know I shouldn't be, but I'm a bit embarrassed about this question.

I wanted to know if anyone who was bigger in the chest area (I'm a 38C/40D depending on which company I go to) retained nipple sensitivity after top surgery? This is something that makes me really nervous, and then I feel silly because it's for superficial reasons (it's pretty much where I get 70% of my sexual stimulation), because that's not something I feel like I should be worried about? Alas, I am, and I just wanted to know - did you retain sensitivity and if you did how long did it take for the sensation to come back? I've also heard piercing them can help increase sensitivity (which is something I wanted to do eventually anyway) - did any of you go this route?

Thanks, guys.

[Chamillion]

I was quite large in the chest area and I still have sensitivity in my nipples. Honestly I don't remember exactly when it came back, I do remember they were the last thing to regain sensitivity and it was a slow, gradual process. Probably around 9 months to a year post op I could feel if something was touching them but that's it. Now I have almost as much sensitivity as I had before surgery.

[Rin]

Phew that's good to know. Idk it's honestly something that's been nagging at me and a lot of people I've interacted with say they've lost it entirely but weren't sensitive in the first place so they didn't care, but I care a little too much about it >.>; So it's good to know that I pretty much have nothing to fear, hopefully ^^ I just need to see the right surgeon, is what I suppose it would come down to...

I was quite large in the chest area and I still have sensitivity in my nipples. Honestly I don't remember exactly when it came back, I do remember they were the last thing to regain sensitivity and it was a slow, gradual process. Probably around 9 months to a year post op I could feel if something was touching them but that's it. Now I have almost as much sensitivity as I had before surgery.

Do you mind my asking how long ago you had surgery? I realize it's a gradual process, but I think I'll feel better if I can mentally brace myself for how much time it'll take, you know?

[xander]

I have heard that i f you get the pedicle method (nipples stay attached with straight incisions though pec) instead of the grafts (curved scars, nipples reattached) the nipples retain a lot of sensitivity.
But that said, even my friends who have had grafts still have sensitivity.

[Arch]

I have heard that i f you get the pedicle method (nipples stay attached with straight incisions though pec) instead of the grafts (curved scars, nipples reattached) the nipples retain a lot of sensitivity.

This is what I had, partly because I was concerned about retaining sensation and partly because I don't tend to heal well. I have pretty much full sensation. But the nipples were not altered--just the areolas. So I would like to get my nipples resized at some point, and I suppose I would risk losing sensation then.

[xander]

Though it is worth noting that the risk of nipple "death" is higher with the pedicle method than it is with the grafts. The blood supply is more restricted. But I haven't heard of anyone who had any issues with either method.

[Rin]

Thanks for the help guys; I guess it would all depend on how good of a surgeon I have, huh? This is honestly the only [mental] block I have about chest surgery, so it makes me super anxious.

[Arch]

Though it is worth noting that the risk of nipple "death" is higher with the pedicle method than it is with the grafts. The blood supply is more restricted.

I've never heard this, actually. Where can I find some research about it?

[xander]

I've never heard this, actually. Where can I find some research about it?

I have no idea, I've never looked. My surgeon told me.
He said because the nipples are grafted on they have the whole base of the nipple to supply blood. With the pedicle, the pedicle/root is the only way the blood can reach the nipple and this increases the risk because less blood can get through at a time and I suppose a blood clot would block the whole supply rather than just a portion of it.

[xander]

Thanks for the help guys; I guess it would all depend on how good of a surgeon I have, huh? This is honestly the only [mental] block I have about chest surgery, so it makes me super anxious.

Skill of the surgeon is one factor but also your smoker status, fitness, overall health and just luck of the draw with your genes I guess. Some people just have a lot more luck healing than others.

[Rin]

Skill of the surgeon is one factor but also your smoker status, fitness, overall health and just luck of the draw with your genes I guess. Some people just have a lot more luck healing than others.

Well, I'm allergic to cigarette smoke (I don't remember what I just know something in it wacks out my body), so that's not a problem. I'm technically overweight for my height (y'know based on that outdated chart thingy no one uses anymore) but the last time I was at the doctor I was told I had a "heart of an athlete" (whatever that meant; I only did club sports, so I guess fencing paid off???) and I've healed well from everything else I've ever had that left scarring (knocked a hole in my head when I was 3 or 4, just recently had surgery on my hand and had to get three screws put in)...so that's something, I suppose. 

[Soren]

Well, I'm allergic to cigarette smoke (I don't remember what I just know something in it wacks out my body), so that's not a problem. I'm technically overweight for my height (y'know based on that outdated chart thingy no one uses anymore) but the last time I was at the doctor I was told I had a "heart of an athlete" (whatever that meant; I only did club sports, so I guess fencing paid off???) and I've healed well from everything else I've ever had that left scarring (knocked a hole in my head when I was 3 or 4, just recently had surgery on my hand and had to get three screws put in)...so that's something, I suppose.

'Heart of an athlete' probably means it's healthy enough that the resting heart rate is somewhat/significantly lower than average.
I haven't had top surgery yet, but I have had emergency care on my knee after a car accident- the feeling didn't start coming back for several months, and sensitivity over the scar took over a year. Since your nipples are naturally sensitive, they'll probably stay sensitive after, but it may take quite some time for them to get that way.

[Rin]

'Heart of an athlete' probably means it's healthy enough that the resting heart rate is somewhat/significantly lower than average.
I haven't had top surgery yet, but I have had emergency care on my knee after a car accident- the feeling didn't start coming back for several months, and sensitivity over the scar took over a year. Since your nipples are naturally sensitive, they'll probably stay sensitive after, but it may take quite some time for them to get that way.

This is true. I expect that it'd take some time for the sensitivity to return (I was banking on a year or a little longer), but I like to be mentally prepared for anything that could happen. I know it's a silly thing to be hung up over (because I really shouldn't be), but I just wanted to have a lot more information rather than going in blind, you know?

[Arch]

I know it's a silly thing to be hung up over (because I really shouldn't be), but I just wanted to have a lot more information rather than going in blind, you know?

Not silly at all. We want what we want, and every guy is different.

[Rin]

Not silly at all. We want what we want, and every guy is different.

Thank you for reassuring me.
It's just...frustrating sometimes. Especially when I constantly beat myself up over things because my mind seems to hate me and when I think too much on these things I kind of sit there like "is it really all that important it's much better than having to live with these obscene growths for the rest of my life" and Idk. I just get really down on myself about it sometimes. It's a problem.

[Arch]

You have to go with what you're comfortable with. If retaining sensation is a top priority, you might prefer one procedure over another. But do carefully weigh your priorities.

At my age, I was less worried about aesthetics and more worried about function (nipple sensation), convenience (wanted my surgeon to be local for a few reasons), and expediency (needed an appointment AND recovery period that didn't conflict with my academic work schedule). So I went with a less experienced surgeon an hour away who practiced the pedicle technique and had an opening at exactly the right time. My chest looks fine when I wear a shirt, and I don't go about shirtless in public except in my own back yard. I have the physical sensation that I wanted to retain. And I saved a good bit of money and escaped some stress by doing the surgery locally.

My decision wouldn't satisfy everyone, but it was my choice, and I am happy with it. I wish my chest looked a little better, but I knew up front what I was getting into, and I would do it again the same way. So I guess following my own heart and not other people's advice worked out for me.

[Rin]

You have to go with what you're comfortable with. If retaining sensation is a top priority, you might prefer one procedure over another. But do carefully weigh your priorities.

At my age, I was less worried about aesthetics and more worried about function (nipple sensation), convenience (wanted my surgeon to be local for a few reasons), and expediency (needed an appointment AND recovery period that didn't conflict with my academic work schedule). So I went with a less experienced surgeon an hour away who practiced the pedicle technique and had an opening at exactly the right time. My chest looks fine when I wear a shirt, and I don't go about shirtless in public except in my own back yard. I have the physical sensation that I wanted to retain. And I saved a good bit of money and escaped some stress by doing the surgery locally.

My decision wouldn't satisfy everyone, but it was my choice, and I am happy with it. I wish my chest looked a little better, but I knew up front what I was getting into, and I would do it again the same way. So I guess following my own heart and not other people's advice worked out for me.

All very true. I mean, if I'm going to look/feel a certain way for the rest of my life, I better go with what I want, yeah?

I might have the same issues. When I recover, I'm going to be sure I can get the time off work. My university pretty much chucked me out because they cut off my financial aid (and didn't tell me - I'm an independent student, so anything they didn't cover, I have to pay out of pocket), so now I can't go back until I pay off the debt. And now I'm the working poor - I get my paycheck, pay all my bills, and then it's gone. I can't save anything. And at the rate that this is going, it'll take ten years to pay it off. So I can't really afford to miss work.

I was lucky and found out the insurance I currently have DOES cover top surgery, as long as I had a therapist's note, but they make you jump through so many hoops for it. I'm concerned about the money, yes; but I'm more concerned with my chest looking aesthetically pleasing as well, because that's just who I am. I've always had low self-esteem, so if it comes out...not how I expect, I'll probably be down on myself more. It's all very complicated and headache inducing >.<

[Soren]

I've always had low self-esteem, so if it comes out...not how I expect, I'll probably be down on myself more. It's all very complicated and headache inducing >.<

Just make sure you wait for it to heal before you decide if it came out how you want it.

[Rin]

Just make sure you wait for it to heal before you decide if it came out how you want it.

Oh, yes, definitely. I'm a big baby about healing, tbh. I'll probably whine at my friend Bridget to take care of me haha. I know it'll take a year or so before it'll be any type of "fully" healed.

[Arch]

I was lucky and found out the insurance I currently have DOES cover top surgery, as long as I had a therapist's note, but they make you jump through so many hoops for it.

I'm glad I paid out of pocket for mine. I didn't have the strength to wait for an insurance company to approve it. When a guy represses and delays for twenty years (as in my case), he can hit his limit very fast and need IMMEDIATE action.

If things go my way in the next year, I'll get the job I have my eye on, and insurance will cover my bottom surgery. I hate to think how many hoops I'll have to jump through for phallo...and there's still the academic work schedule to keep in mind. I can't take time off from teaching, so everything HAS to happen during breaks.

Do you have an idea of how your insurance company does this? Have you a list of surgeons that they consider acceptable, for example? Do they have a procedure in place if you don't like any of the surgeons the company will cover? Do they cover travel and accommodations if you have to have surgery outside your immediate area? And so on.