Some of you might say, “Nipple prosthetics…I never even knew there was such a thing.” We hear that comment quite often since we are nipple prosthetic specialists. The next sentence is usually “I wish I would have known about these years ago!”
Guess I had never thought of them either until my plastic surgeon made a simple impression of my natural nipple to make a “nipple” for my reconstructed breast. His intent was for me to wear them for photos of his breast reconstruction work. My husband was fascinated by the concept and asked our surgeon if we could work on perfecting the idea. When we came back a few months later and showed him our prototype, he was impressed with how real they looked and invited us to share what has now become Naturally Impressive, LLC with world class breast surgeons at an upcoming professional conference. Their enthusiasm and feedback was instrumental. We found out that falling off unpredictably is the biggest deal breaker with most nipple prosthetics on the market, so we determined to find ways to make nipples that not only looked very real, but stayed on securely.
In my experience, breast cancer “thrivers” like to know all the options before making decisions regarding their restoration choices. When it comes to nipples, most women think the choices are:
1.surgical nipple reconstruction
2.tattoos – including 3D nipple tattoos or decorative breast tattoos
3.or just going without nipples (being Barbie).
Even if you are pretty sure you want to have choice #1 or #2, there is a waiting period of at least 3-6 months for tissue to settle. For some women there are additional reconstruction revisions needed, so the wait can stretch into years.
Naturally Impressive silicone prosthetic nipples are ideally suited as not only a pleasant way to “have nipples” while you wait, but also an excellent decision making tool. Check out our online catalog to see the wide selection of nipple colors, sizes and features (bumpy or smooth; perky or petite in size and projection). One free exchange allows you to fine tune to find what is comfortable for you. Then when the big day arrives for your tattoos or surgical nipple reconstruction, you have your Naturally Impressive nipples as a tangible example of your restoration goal to show your MD or tattoo artist. Oh, and did I mention? They are priced very affordably (about $100). You receive custom quality, a wide selection to choose from, affordable pricing and attentive customer service. If you thought there were only three options for nipple restoration, check out naturallyimpressive.com as a decision making tool or long term nipple solution.
About the author:
Randi Johnson is a nurse, breast cancer survivor and co-founder of Naturally Impressive, LLC. Her innovative husband developed Naturally Impressive nipples for her after her unilateral mastectomy in 2007.
Author: Guest Blogger Randi Johnson, RN
In my experience, breast cancer “thrivers” like to know all the options before making decisions regarding their restoration choices.
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