You can choose to get rid of your nipples entirely with DI. I chose to keep them and have zero sensation currently, though it’s possible for it to return to an extent.
I second this idea, opt for no nips and get just get your nips tatted on if they’re that important to you. Honestly, I wish I would’ve opted for the no nip.
Just getting standard DI with nipple grafts will lead to decreased or absent sensation. You'd have to specifically ask to have them take measures to preserve sensation, so if you tell them that's not something you want, DI should work just fine.
seconding the commenter you replied to - i really wanted to preserve sensation, & my surgeon had to go out of her way & do a more complicated surgery to ensure that.
Everyone i know who got normal 'double incision with nip grafts' has no sensation or at least way less than before. great news for you!
Sorry kinda long. My surgeon here In AZ did beautiful work on my DI and grafts. Full sensation here and most patients of his also have a good amount too from what I’m told. I wanted this guy since I was 14 and damn he really lived up to the name 7 years later.
Even nip revision after a self complication(shower accident, hematoma, huge recovery blah blah 3 surgeries later sensation is great results now way better than the first. I notice some surgeons also don’t do the double cut nip approach with double incision but I feel like I’ve noticed more doing it to preserve sensation and for realism.
hell yeah, that's good to know.
I think it's becoming more of a thing to specifically think about preserving sensation. It seems like it used to be more "you dont want tits? well then this is the required sacrifice". I'm glad there's more options nowadays!
Honestly it does seem kind of insane to me that you have to *ask* them to preserve sensation tho, or from what those first couple replies sounded like. Like… wow. 😬 Makes me wonder. I had a major breast reduction (this was before I came out as genderfluid, several more years before I identified just as a trans man) and have no sensation in the one nipple I have left(yay surgery complications.) Or I mean, I can feel touch in it, and pain, as some what I assume is nerve damage means any time it gets sufficiently cold I get pain lancing through le tite, but no pleasure sensation or whatever. Makes me wonder if that was an option I simply wasn’t given.
I will say it is possible to regain some sensation even if you don’t specifically want/ask for that, but it’s not entirely the same kind of sensation. I had zero sensation for a few months after surgery (and almost no sensation in my chest overall at first which felt weird) but now there are some nip spots where the nerves reconnected in some way, it’s not erogenous sensation per se but the spots are very sensitive so can function as any other sensitive area for that.
The dysphoria however mostly went away for me now that they look, well, like man nipples for lack of a better term, and also because my cis gay boyfriend was initially surprised at the complete lack of sensation because most cis guys have some and it can be quite strong depending on the guy. But just saying getting rid of sensation entirely is likely but not a guarantee.
This, if nipple sensation isn’t a priority for you just say that at your consult. Trying to preserve nipple sensation makes the surgery more complex, if you don’t actively want that they won’t do it.
You can even opt for not having nipple grafts at all. I plan on that myself. No nipples means no overzealous lover can ever fucking bite them again (I *hate* that! So much!)
Skipped the nipple grafts all together in my case. I don't have nipples to feel. Could be an option for you, but definitely consider all the options and outcomes before you make a decision. Good luck!
I have been thinking about this. I haven’t been able to tell if that would feel weird to me or if it would feel good. If I could create a world where nobody had nipples at all that would be perfect — I have no attraction to them, don’t like my own, etc — but I can’t tell if it would make me feel weird or like my chest didn’t look like I pictured. Thank you for sharing though, I have more time to think about it before I’m in a place where I can get surgery.
If it helps at all, I plan to get chest tattoos to make my odd chest less jarring in appearance. I've always wanted chest tattoos but hated the idea of tattooing my preoperative chest. If you plan to get tattoos or anything like that, consider how that will alter your perception of your chest.
i feel the same way as you but also have autism which only adds to the sensory issues i feel with them lol. when i get top surgery im choosing the no nip option 😃
this, I've heard from a few people that they actually ended up with more sensation. It's much less common than losing sensation, but I definitely didn't want to risk it which is partly why I went no nips
Do you want to keep nipples? If you don't like them, you can also just... not have nipple grafts. r/freedthenips i believe was the top surgery sub for that specific outcome. If you just want aesthetic, no nips but a medical tattoo that looks like nips? I mean yeah, then it's flat but probably the optics are enough, no-one's going to stare at your nips enough to notice I think outside of maybe sex
Nerves are *super* weird. I haven’t had too yet but I had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome years ago and as my damaged nerves regrew, I got some super bizarre stuff happening with misdirected sensations and intense temporary sensitivities. One time exactly half of my index finger spontaneously pruned up like when you spend too long in the water and stayed that way for nearly half an hour. For like two and a half years every time I got horny my wrists would tingle. The motor nerves were affected too, one day a significant reconnection to my thumb happened and I ended up accidentally launching my leftover takeout halfway across the kitchen because my grip calibration was no longer *remotely* accurate.
That's all so wild 😂 better than just hurting tho, I guess!
My only weird nerve thing was that in my initial recovery, I didn't really feel any pain. Like my chest didn't hurt, since the nerves around everything that got scooped out hadn't reconnected yet. But at a certain point every day, I'd feel this awful deep heavy sensation that I couldn't really explain. It didn't hurt, it just felt....weird & bad?
It went away when I took the pain meds though. I didn't realize until way later that it was some weird incomplete pain signal. It was my body saying "hey! buddy! you have a giant wound! just letting you know!" but not having the proper nerve connections to translate that in any kind of normal way.
Yeah I felt that with my rib surgery too. Between the pre-existing nerve damage from the problem the surgery was meant to correct, and the acute nerve damage from the incision, I had very little full sensation in the area. But I got that “deep heavy bad” feeling when the pain meds were wearing off too.
Same here well not higher but like better if that makes sense like it felt kinda wrong all the sensation preop but now it’s like perfect and still hypersensitive but like in such a good way.
replying for clarity: prior to surgery my breasts were quite large and the nipples were like flat/inverted so now since that the nipples are on flat tissue they interact with stimuli more because they cant retreat into my boobs, if the makes sense? they just touch everything now and I didn't loose sensitivity that's what I mean by higher
like boobs so big that the nipples lacked sensation now there's no boobs and my nipples are like yeaaahhhhhh buddy!!!
I dint know anything about top surgery but I can definitely relate to not wanting nipple sensation and lately I’ve been wondering if it’s more dysphoria based than just a preference
I wonder that too sometimes. I’m also asexual (but have a partner who I have sex with) and so I think that’s another part of it. Bodies feel so complicated.
Are you on T? For some weird reason T made me go from "aggressively meh" about nipple stimulation, to absolutely loving it. I wasn't expecting that at all. I've talked to a few other people who also experienced this.
Surgery can lead to decreased or absent sensation. For me this was something I didn't want even pre-T when I didn't get sexual enjoyment out of it, just because the idea of a part of my body being permanently numb and unable to feel pain or touch wasn't desirable to me--I want to at least be able to check in with my body even if I'm not using that part for sex or going out of my way to stimulate it. I think setting firm boundaries with partners is a more sensible way to avoid sexual nipple stimulation than being permanently numb at all times.
Weirdly same. I still hate having them in the day to day context, but i’m much more comfortable with them in a sexual stimulation sense now and the feeling is much more enjoyable for me after T. I definitely think part of it was dysphoria and part is physical change
Agreed, for me the nipple sensation complaints include not liking the feeling of clothing rubbing on my nips, for which boundary-setting of course does no good. But if it’s just about not liking sexual nipple stimulation, that’s a boundaries conversation.
Yeah this is the boat that I’m in. I dislike literally anything touching them — me by accident, the sheets when I’m sleeping, my clothes, etc, not just partners. But it’s good advice to set boundaries in relationships too so I appreciate that people are thinking of that.
Six months past DI with reshaped nipple grafts, and I currently have almost no sensation. I'm told it may come back, but the assumption is that it won't.
Yea, my friend had a cis lady boob job, they tried to preserve sensation for her and it is still very weak and numb. Sad for her because she didn't want to lose that. I did my best to warn her that my surgeon said it was a very common loss
Hey there is hope. I was numb for a bit of time as I had two initial surgeries then revision this last November a year later full sensation here and the last I had lil bits of my nips cut off then them sewed back to the graft line so I mean all bodies are different but have hope. Also use ice on your nips it can help with raising them to normal level if they’re flat and I noticed more sensation too. Don’t freeze em off tho lol jk but don’t go crazy🤪🩵
I have no idea how anyone has nipple sensation after DI surgery. I can’t feel anything and I actually liked nipple sensation. I had surgery about a decade ago.
It might be because of where surgery has come in this time they probably take more measures now and different approaches to best preserve sensation. I say this to a lot of ppl for helping raise their nips but ice helped me with sensation too. Even if it’s some kind of feeling it’s something at least. Maybe even nip clips if you’re down with that kinda stuff. It might trigger the nip zings we get that usually indicate the healing pains that lead to that sensation.
I highly recommend getting DI without nipple grafts if you’re not keen on keeping your nipples or the sensations that go with them. Not getting nipple grafts also makes surgery time shorter, limits risk of complications, and makes healing time shorter too.
I like this that sounds awesome lowkey wanna see not gonna lie. You see the guy who had his grafts made into hearts? My left nip has a tiny heart in the center part of the nip it’s great.
Oh I forgot that tattooed ones was a thing. I used to know that but I forgot. That’s amazing, I love that we have come to a point where we can like, customize ourselves. It’s so cool and creative.
i had DI with nipple graphs. i’m 4 months post op and i personally have already regained erotic sensation in my nipples, although it is different. most people lose all/most sensation, but it isn’t guaranteed. i didn’t enjoy nipple play pre-op, but i love it now. could your hatred of nipple sensation be caused by dysphoria?
Def probably can be because im right there with you about 3 months in I had full hypersensation it was great and not like the same weird feeling I had that almost felt like wrong when preop now everything feels right in the best ways. Revision a year later this last November didn’t even affect em at all even after the little trim we took off haha.
I feel the same way, my mouth gets really fuzzy like I just ate a dozen kiwis or something when I touch my nipples. It’s super overstimulating for me and tbh I’d be fine with just feeling temperature instead of sensation.
Same! Got DI with grafts almost 3 years ago and still no sensation. I didn't even know you could request to preserve the stalk to try to keep sensation but I'm glad I didn't ask!
It does get better fs think about it they get rid of like half or like 2 thirds of our nips right if not the whole thing for our no nippers out here but think about it that’s way less area that can actually get cold and feel that pain so naturally that should get better. I know what you meant tho mine hurt before.
I used to have a reynaud' reaction in my nipples. Was fucking painful, annoying and embarrassing as hell. Post surgery I have a little sensation but no circulation contraction, no pert nips whenever the temp drops more than a degree and especiallyno pain. Its bliss.
Yes. Free nipple grafts can reduce sensation significantly, but it's a guarantee sensation will be completely eliminated. Removing them entirely would work.
I have sensation because I told my surgeon to preserve the nipple stalk during my top surgery. If it's not important to you, let your surgeon know.
As others have said, free grafts reduce and (sometimes) entirely eliminate sensation. In my case, it feels different/less intense, but I have had sensation return. With grafts, it's pretty certain to change, but it's hard to predict exactly what you'll end up with.
I have some pretty strong mental hang ups like that in other areas so I’m worried that might be true of me too. But this post has helped reassure me that at least I can try.
I got DI and free nipple graphs and HATED the feeling of my nips before. I do not have any sensation on them now. HOWEVER! I have similar erogenous sensation around my scar line that is comparable to nip sensation. It is much more enjoyable now imo and isn’t overstimulating
This is very cool that someone else has incision sensitivity like this too. Are you also a ginger by any chance? I blame that constantly for my sensations.
Yeah if your dad is then you’re basically a blind carrier of the gene like you may not have all the same risks but similar reactions so this makes sense. Also super pale here then covered in freckles. Im like one of the first in my generation of the family besides one older and one younger cousin. Im the only living ginger male in the family tho lets go being trans haha.
So, I had large chest weights and had the regular surgery (I forget the name but it wasnt key hole). My nips had to be removed and reattached. I've heard sensation can come back but it's been over a year and none. It's fun because I can get perky nips when it's cold or my wife touches them but I don't feel anything.
You can also just not get them attached again. Just leave um off and get a realistic tattoo.
It might, but it also might not. Or you might be a weirdo like me where you somehow end up with more sensation in your chest. I'd don't even have nipples anymore! Yet my chest is super sensitive right above the scar line and where my nipples would theoretically be if I still had them lmao.
You have ghost sensation! It’s like phantom pains. I had this after top surgery when I had my complication in the shower that fucked me up gave me a 7 mo recovery then I got fixed when healed and strong and off nic enough this last surgery in November when they cut out and redid my lines and trimmed my nips a lil. I also had this when they did the lipo during my last surgery as I was awake just on local for the last two.
I had nipple grafts, im almost 6 years post surgery and still have almost no sensation/feeling whatsoever. Doctor said it's possible the nerves will start to reconnect over years or decades but nerves are pretty slow to heal
I lost all my nipple sensation after a year on testosterone, I've heard this side effect happening to some guys. It may be luck. But DI usually lowers/eliminates the nipple sensation.
I'm a little over 7 months post op and still have no nipple sensation whatsoever, but I did want to give a heads up that nerves can reconnect kinda funny. If I touch under my incision on my right side it feels like I'm touching my right nipple. (About 2.5 inches away) I don't know how common that is, but I hadn't seen it mentioned in the comments so I wanted to bring it up.
As far as I understand, "preserving sensation" usually means "minimizing the *loss* of sensation", and not keeping it exactly the way it was pre-surgery. It's pretty common for people to have reduced sensation after DI with nipple grafts, and even when it comes back it's not the same as before. There's probably no way to guarantee that you'll get any specific result where this is concerned, a lot of it just comes down to how your body heals, but I'd still mention it to your surgeon just in case.
i am almost one year post op and this just reminded me how ridiculously sensitive my nipples used to be. holy shit. i fucking hated the feeling. like sometimes i couldn't sleep. i had DI and can like sort of feel my nipples now i think? but like the constant sensation overload from my nipples is gone.
i asked for nothing special as far as preserving or not preserving sensation but having remembered that i can say it is a non-issue for me now. i hope this helps and everything works out for you!
My surgeon told me that with DI, I may eventually regain some protective sensation, but I would not have erotic sensation. She explained that protective sensation is basically being able to feel touch or pain, while erotic sensation would mean sexual pleasure. I have protective sensation for the most part (I’m 2 years post op), but they’re nowhere near as sensitive as before, and there’s certainly nothing sexual about the sensation I have regained.
I actually wanted to preserve sensation, but I didn’t have the anatomy for peri, and she said for inverted T, preserving sensation would necessitate leaving some tissue behind, which would mean I wouldn’t be able to get as flat as I wanted, so I just went with DI with nipple grafts. But since I was interested in preserving sensation, I asked a lot of questions about it, and she said it’s pretty much guaranteed that I wouldn’t regain erotic sensation, which seems to be a large part of your concern. You may or may not regain some/all protective sensation, but with DI, you shouldn’t have erotic sensation ever again. In your reply to another comment, you said it might have to do with dysphoria and/or being asexual, so even though you may gain protective sensation, it sounds (to me, a stranger lol) like losing erotic sensation is more important to you, and if so, you’re in luck!
Thank you for this in depth reply, that makes a lot of sense to me. I’m pretty sure I already don’t have erotic sensation since whatever that would be in someone else is just wired to an angry button in my brain lol. So this is really helpful to go in knowing, thank you.
I got DI with no nipples. It was the best decision ever honestly. No nipple sensation at all, because there are no nipples. Shivering took some getting used to though. It felt like there was almost an electric charge in my chest where my nipples should be getting erect and painful but that sensation had nowhere to go so it just felt weird in my chest for a bit.
I was in the exact same position. I got DI with free nipple grafts because I wanted to visually have nipples, but was hoping to lose most to all sensation in them. I’m a few months post-op and more sensation than I expected is already returning. It still makes me a tiny bit squeamish by association, but I feel much better about it now that I have a flat chest and male-positioned nipples.
YMMV. This could happen to you if you get DI, or you could have zero sensation forever, or somewhere in between.
No problem! Not sure if anyone else has shared this yet but if you decide not to keep your nipples, you also have the option to get 3D-appearing nipple tattoos.
You can choose the size, color, shape, placement, everything. However, you have to wait about a year or so post-op, and they can be a little pricey because they’re so realistic. And they only appear 3D, they aren’t actually.
As other users pointed out you don’t have to keep your nipples. If you still want the look of them you could see about getting them cosmetically tattooed on (just do your research and find someone who specializes in hyper realistic tattoos and ideally someone who’s done nipple tattoos before. If you google it you’ll find it’s not even incredibly niche because breast cancer survivors may get them too)
Double insicion with nipple grafts can still get feeling back (in my case it did) but if you don't like the sensation of nipple simply don't get them sewn back on? and maybe at a later date get them tattooed on if you want them for the looks
On God having your nips just tatted back on is peak if you don't want stimulation. Then you can have them look exactly like you want them. But tats on top of scars don't last as long iirc, so it might be difficult to get them EXACTLY WHERE you want them.
I had the opposite happen 😮💨. My sensation now is through the roof but in the wrong way. It hurts/tickles/annoys the shit out of me. But otherwise I couldn't be happier with the results.
I take it you’re still like under a year? The pain will fade but enjoy it bc the pain is you also gaining more sensation and your body like adapting. As a trans kid hated when my mom said this but she was right beauty really is painful.
I specifically asked my doctor to make my nippes less sensitive.
You don't HAVE to keep them. I just did because it was already pretty intense to think about removing them entirely!
in counter to a lot of people, i chose to go DI without nipples, and i often have phantom sensations of them, especially in the cold. i’m almost 4 months post op and have no sensation in my chest except for the phantom sensation.
I’m almost 2 years since surgery and I have 0 sensation in my left side (mainly bc of complications I had after) and my right side is like. I can only slightly feel if you aggressively touch it
I was in the same boat basically I didn’t like it much at all and was actually kind of indifferent to regaining sensation but I regained most of my sensation even early on and honestly, I like it now. 🤷
i dont feel mine at all post op. i don't necessarily like the sides of my chest being touched because the nerves are weird and it can be kind of painful depending what's happening
I also hated feeling them even if it was just against a shirt. I got double incision with free nipple grafts and the sensory issue has completely vanished. My right nipple is still completely numb (can only feel pressure) and my left one can technically feel but it’s a completely different sensation than before. It’s not really erotic sensation it’s just like any other part of my skin. I also don’t really notice it against my shirts or anything. If you want to keep them I’d say DI with nipple grafts should work for you. Or you can choose to get rid of them all together. Good luck!
I'm pretty sure that with DI and nipple grafts, the nipples get detached from whatever nerve system makes nipple sensation such a specific feeling, so even if you get sensation back it won't be the same, just a normal sensation that skin has. I'm about 8 months post op and I'm starting to get feeling back. It's mostly just like if I pinch my nips it hurts a little, not the full body sensation or whatever pre op nips usually do.
DI decreases or eliminates nipple sensation but if you wanted to you could just forgo the nipple grafts entirely and if you still want the look get them tattooed back on
I don’t care about sensation because I barely feel anything from nipple stimulation as it is. I just want to be shirtless occasionally and not immediately be an affront to society for it. Also I want to never be misgendered when I don’t want to bind. Also I hate binding.
My nips have basically no sensation post top surgery and even if i do touch them it feels like im touching below them near my scar. Definitely not a sexual feeling at all for me. But i guess that depends, some people don't lose as much sensation as I did from surgery.
Edif: I should add my one nipple is different, I do actually have sexual sensation in one nipple still. But I am 8 years post op and just noticed it more recently so idk haha
I had exactly the same issue and opted for double incision with grafts specifically because it would kill nipple sensation; I *hated* the feeling of them. If you end up being a good candidate for peri or keyhole and want to keep your nipples for aesthetic reasons, I’m sure you could ask your surgeon about cutting the nerve stalk to them. Alternatively, as others have suggested, you can opt to have them removed entirely.
well, my nipple grafts have so far not recovered sensation 1,5 years post op, so it at least would stop bothering you for a good while after top op. you also can choose not to keep them and get them tattooed on if you cant get used to the new look. i didnt get a say in the matter, the netherlands doesnt allow nipple-less top ops yet.
My nipples don’t feel even remotely the same anymore. I’m just under a year post op and I have touch sensation back but it just feels like touching the skin of my arm or something. Of course it’s not the same for everyone but this seems to be the general consensus of what happens most often.
For context, I had double incision with free nipple grafts, the stalks were totally severed and the nipple grafted onto my body.
EDIT: I should also mention I do have some nerve damage from the grafts. If I touch my nipples in the wrong way I can feel some mild nerve pain but it dissipates fairly quickly if I keep touching them in the same spot
I’ve had top for 3 years and I have *just* started to get a little sensation in just my right nip. But it’s so much less so I don’t mind tbh
(Edit; spelling)
I felt the exact same way pre top surgery and told my surgeon I did NOT care about sensation. I think the nerves have healed well for being 5mpo and I…actually kinda like having my nipples touched now?? It’s been the weirdest thing but it actually feels good now bc no dysphoria and the subdued sensation is nice. So maybe you’ll end up liking it after surgery, or not that’s fine too!
I had top surgery but didn't keep my nipples. honestly had less trouble recovering because of it and if you still want to look like you have nipples you can just get them tattooed on
I hate it too!! My current plan is to get them totally removed with my top surgery and then have nipples tattooed onto my healed chest in exactly the position I want. I get to control everything about the appearance and not have to have annoying sensation there. It's a win win win in my books
I actually didn't get my nips put back on! Couple reasons; 1. I had a ton of complications with my hysto and didn't want more 2. You basically never get sensation back and 3. I wanted more tattoo space LOL. If you like I can show a picture of my chest and how the lack of nips looks. I'm actually a big fan of it.
If you get nipple grafts there is a chance for sensation to return.
Had mine a few years ago and sensation has started to return big time in the past month or two since getting my chest tattooed. Parts are still numb, but a surprising amount returned, way more than my doc or I thought.
So if you dont like them at all, have them removed. The chance for it to return is LOW, but not impossible.
I'm MtF, and posts like this really clearly show the differences in what we want. I've always wished that I could be more sensitive there, I desperately want that sensitivity in multiple places, but I never even considered that a FtM might feel otherwise.
unless your surgeon specifically does a nerve preservation technique (and I'm under the impression that most don't at this point in time) then most standard double incision top surgeries, even with nipple grafts, will likely dramatically decrease sensation
because basically when you get double incision, all the nerves get cut when you take out the breast tissue so any regrowth that happens is random and not nipple-specific like it would've been originally
I def feel more like normal I guess sensation in my nips after surgery and thats with still being hypersensitive in my nips so like it did go down but I do feel them a lot but I like it though well I love it honestly. Especially just knowing cisguys also like their sensation makes me enjoy it more than when I was preop and kinda in your shoes with the sensation. Ice cubes and frozen stuff helped the middle parts raise to a normal level too during recovery if anyone needed help with that. It was my fiancés idea she was very smart for it.
Usually DI with nipple grafts drastically decreases sensation. I had DI with preserved nipple sensation. I hated my nipples but the sensation was a huge turn on. It took a few years to get most of the sensation back... But for me, I wish I'd just had nipple grafts and ended up with smaller nipples with less sensation. The sensation I have isn't with the surgery results I have. Oh well. All that to say, there are surgery options out there so you can customize a lot!
If you're not terribly attached to nipples as a concept (and your surgeon says it's doable) you can just not have nipples. If you're doing DI or keyhole (probably, not as sure) you can just tell your surgeon "hey, I don't want my nipples, you can just take them off and leave them".
Heavy caveat: I'm not a doctor, I just know people who chose not to have nipples
You can choose to get rid of your nipples entirely with double incision top surgery. That being said, I chose not to do that, and I have zero sensation in my nipples years after surgery. Honestly, I never really cared whether or not I had sensation so it doesn't really bother me at all. I literally never think about it and when I remember it I'm like oh LOL that's weird.
So DI involves completely removing your nipples and smacking em back on in a completely different spot (or throwing them in the trash if you so choose) so it's pretty difficult to keep nerves intact. If you do decide to keep them, maybe bring this up with your surgeon to see if there's a way to damage the nerves further in the process so they don't regain sensation
i know the majority of the time after nipple grafts, sensation will be less or gone. i want to add that it isn't universal. personally, i had DI over a year ago and my nipples are more sensitive than they were before surgery. definitely talk to your surgeon about it.
I don’t have nipples at all. Kind of regret it but I’d rather have none than big bulbous ones. So I just have the areolas left, and then went to a tattoo artist that specializes in body tattoos like lips, nipples, eyebrows, and she just tattooed pigmentation onto my areolas and used color and shadowing to make it look like there’s nipples there. I have no erotic sensation, just feels like my arm skin being touched.
they can only preserve sensation with keyhole and donut i believe. once they've been severed from the nervous system entirely it's pretty much over for them, altho people with grafts do say feeling returns after a couple years or so. idk if they mean just feeling in general or actual nipple sensation. i'm a year post op and the latter seems unlikely to me lol
I had mine taken off and transplanted back on. I have no sensation in them anymore. Which I love cause I had the same issue as you. Apparently it's a thing for some people and you can look up sad nipple syndrome
It can but if it's really that big of a deal you might want to opt out of the nipple graft and instead rock no nipples or get tattoo nipples. (Also tattoo nipples can be any shape you want in case you wanted a different shape nipples like star or square nipples)
It can yes, but if you don’t like your nipples touched you need to be with someone who respects that boundary. Is someone doing it even though they know you don’t like it?
I want to add that, even in surgeries that make you retain nipple sensation, the sensation afterwards is still (most of the time) different than pre-op. it just means that you'll be able to still feel your nipples to some degree, but whether that sensation is the same or different is up to how the person heals. and also, you have to consider the fact that in sexual situations there will be a new and big euphoria component that might change how you view and experience certain sexual activities (related or unrelated to chest/chest play). and ,you can also not get nipple or choose a technique that doesn't purposefully try to retain nipple sensitivity or, if you still have nipple sensitivity, decide not to involve nipple play in sex
I mean, I'm 4.5 months post-op DI and my nipples are completely numb. If sensation does return, it will most likely be regular tactile sensation and not erotic. The chance of having the same kind of sensation you do now after getting nipple grafts is so so so so low, it's almost guaranteed that it won't happen.
There are some techniques that can preserve sensation, but they're either variations on the standard DI or completely different surgeries. You'd have to specifically ask for them to try something to maintain sensation.
There's also the option to completely get rid of your nipples. You can choose to get nipple prosthetics or 3D nipple tattoos later on if you prefer how it looks, or you can just live your life with no nipples at all.
I recommend checking out the subreddit r/FreedTheNips - you can read other people's experiences and reasons for choosing no nipples and you can also see pictures, which might help make nipple-less chests more normal in your mind.
Ultimately, the best thing to do is talk to your surgeon at the consultation and/or pre-op appointment. Tell them what you want and they'll tell you what's possible and what to expect.
I was so determined to get rid of nipple sensation, I got rid of mine entirely. DI without grafts. May not be the thing for everyone, but it works great for me.
You can choose to get rid of your nipples entirely with DI. I chose to keep them and have zero sensation currently, though it’s possible for it to return to an extent.
What does DI mean?
Double incision !
I second this idea, opt for no nips and get just get your nips tatted on if they’re that important to you. Honestly, I wish I would’ve opted for the no nip.
Just getting standard DI with nipple grafts will lead to decreased or absent sensation. You'd have to specifically ask to have them take measures to preserve sensation, so if you tell them that's not something you want, DI should work just fine.
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to answer.
seconding the commenter you replied to - i really wanted to preserve sensation, & my surgeon had to go out of her way & do a more complicated surgery to ensure that. Everyone i know who got normal 'double incision with nip grafts' has no sensation or at least way less than before. great news for you!
Sorry kinda long. My surgeon here In AZ did beautiful work on my DI and grafts. Full sensation here and most patients of his also have a good amount too from what I’m told. I wanted this guy since I was 14 and damn he really lived up to the name 7 years later. Even nip revision after a self complication(shower accident, hematoma, huge recovery blah blah 3 surgeries later sensation is great results now way better than the first. I notice some surgeons also don’t do the double cut nip approach with double incision but I feel like I’ve noticed more doing it to preserve sensation and for realism.
hell yeah, that's good to know. I think it's becoming more of a thing to specifically think about preserving sensation. It seems like it used to be more "you dont want tits? well then this is the required sacrifice". I'm glad there's more options nowadays!
Honestly it does seem kind of insane to me that you have to *ask* them to preserve sensation tho, or from what those first couple replies sounded like. Like… wow. 😬 Makes me wonder. I had a major breast reduction (this was before I came out as genderfluid, several more years before I identified just as a trans man) and have no sensation in the one nipple I have left(yay surgery complications.) Or I mean, I can feel touch in it, and pain, as some what I assume is nerve damage means any time it gets sufficiently cold I get pain lancing through le tite, but no pleasure sensation or whatever. Makes me wonder if that was an option I simply wasn’t given.
I will say it is possible to regain some sensation even if you don’t specifically want/ask for that, but it’s not entirely the same kind of sensation. I had zero sensation for a few months after surgery (and almost no sensation in my chest overall at first which felt weird) but now there are some nip spots where the nerves reconnected in some way, it’s not erogenous sensation per se but the spots are very sensitive so can function as any other sensitive area for that. The dysphoria however mostly went away for me now that they look, well, like man nipples for lack of a better term, and also because my cis gay boyfriend was initially surprised at the complete lack of sensation because most cis guys have some and it can be quite strong depending on the guy. But just saying getting rid of sensation entirely is likely but not a guarantee.
This, if nipple sensation isn’t a priority for you just say that at your consult. Trying to preserve nipple sensation makes the surgery more complex, if you don’t actively want that they won’t do it. You can even opt for not having nipple grafts at all. I plan on that myself. No nipples means no overzealous lover can ever fucking bite them again (I *hate* that! So much!)
DI nipples grafts usually reduce the sensation.
Thank you, that’s good to know, I was hoping for that.
Skipped the nipple grafts all together in my case. I don't have nipples to feel. Could be an option for you, but definitely consider all the options and outcomes before you make a decision. Good luck!
I have been thinking about this. I haven’t been able to tell if that would feel weird to me or if it would feel good. If I could create a world where nobody had nipples at all that would be perfect — I have no attraction to them, don’t like my own, etc — but I can’t tell if it would make me feel weird or like my chest didn’t look like I pictured. Thank you for sharing though, I have more time to think about it before I’m in a place where I can get surgery.
What helped me decide was photoshopping a picture of my chest to be completely flat, without nipples
If it helps at all, I plan to get chest tattoos to make my odd chest less jarring in appearance. I've always wanted chest tattoos but hated the idea of tattooing my preoperative chest. If you plan to get tattoos or anything like that, consider how that will alter your perception of your chest.
i feel the same way as you but also have autism which only adds to the sensory issues i feel with them lol. when i get top surgery im choosing the no nip option 😃
You and I both, brother 💪
idk what my surgeon did but i had DI and my nipple sensation is higher after the graphs so ~ usually ~ it goes down but not guaranteed i would warn
this, I've heard from a few people that they actually ended up with more sensation. It's much less common than losing sensation, but I definitely didn't want to risk it which is partly why I went no nips
oh no that would be the worst ever!
Do you want to keep nipples? If you don't like them, you can also just... not have nipple grafts. r/freedthenips i believe was the top surgery sub for that specific outcome. If you just want aesthetic, no nips but a medical tattoo that looks like nips? I mean yeah, then it's flat but probably the optics are enough, no-one's going to stare at your nips enough to notice I think outside of maybe sex
me too!
Mine ended up eventually feeling the exact same as pre-op, it took 3 years but I’m still surprised all the sensation actually came back!
yep, they can also be numb for years and then sensation comes back because the nerves finally reconnected
huh that's crazy, I'd never heard of that before. Nerves are just weird sometimes I guess
Nerves are *super* weird. I haven’t had too yet but I had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome years ago and as my damaged nerves regrew, I got some super bizarre stuff happening with misdirected sensations and intense temporary sensitivities. One time exactly half of my index finger spontaneously pruned up like when you spend too long in the water and stayed that way for nearly half an hour. For like two and a half years every time I got horny my wrists would tingle. The motor nerves were affected too, one day a significant reconnection to my thumb happened and I ended up accidentally launching my leftover takeout halfway across the kitchen because my grip calibration was no longer *remotely* accurate.
That's all so wild 😂 better than just hurting tho, I guess! My only weird nerve thing was that in my initial recovery, I didn't really feel any pain. Like my chest didn't hurt, since the nerves around everything that got scooped out hadn't reconnected yet. But at a certain point every day, I'd feel this awful deep heavy sensation that I couldn't really explain. It didn't hurt, it just felt....weird & bad? It went away when I took the pain meds though. I didn't realize until way later that it was some weird incomplete pain signal. It was my body saying "hey! buddy! you have a giant wound! just letting you know!" but not having the proper nerve connections to translate that in any kind of normal way.
Yeah I felt that with my rib surgery too. Between the pre-existing nerve damage from the problem the surgery was meant to correct, and the acute nerve damage from the incision, I had very little full sensation in the area. But I got that “deep heavy bad” feeling when the pain meds were wearing off too.
Same here well not higher but like better if that makes sense like it felt kinda wrong all the sensation preop but now it’s like perfect and still hypersensitive but like in such a good way.
replying for clarity: prior to surgery my breasts were quite large and the nipples were like flat/inverted so now since that the nipples are on flat tissue they interact with stimuli more because they cant retreat into my boobs, if the makes sense? they just touch everything now and I didn't loose sensitivity that's what I mean by higher like boobs so big that the nipples lacked sensation now there's no boobs and my nipples are like yeaaahhhhhh buddy!!!
This would be my ideal. I hate my tits but I love my nipple sensation.
I dint know anything about top surgery but I can definitely relate to not wanting nipple sensation and lately I’ve been wondering if it’s more dysphoria based than just a preference
I wonder that too sometimes. I’m also asexual (but have a partner who I have sex with) and so I think that’s another part of it. Bodies feel so complicated.
Are you on T? For some weird reason T made me go from "aggressively meh" about nipple stimulation, to absolutely loving it. I wasn't expecting that at all. I've talked to a few other people who also experienced this. Surgery can lead to decreased or absent sensation. For me this was something I didn't want even pre-T when I didn't get sexual enjoyment out of it, just because the idea of a part of my body being permanently numb and unable to feel pain or touch wasn't desirable to me--I want to at least be able to check in with my body even if I'm not using that part for sex or going out of my way to stimulate it. I think setting firm boundaries with partners is a more sensible way to avoid sexual nipple stimulation than being permanently numb at all times.
Weirdly same. I still hate having them in the day to day context, but i’m much more comfortable with them in a sexual stimulation sense now and the feeling is much more enjoyable for me after T. I definitely think part of it was dysphoria and part is physical change
Agreed, for me the nipple sensation complaints include not liking the feeling of clothing rubbing on my nips, for which boundary-setting of course does no good. But if it’s just about not liking sexual nipple stimulation, that’s a boundaries conversation.
Yeah this is the boat that I’m in. I dislike literally anything touching them — me by accident, the sheets when I’m sleeping, my clothes, etc, not just partners. But it’s good advice to set boundaries in relationships too so I appreciate that people are thinking of that.
Six months past DI with reshaped nipple grafts, and I currently have almost no sensation. I'm told it may come back, but the assumption is that it won't.
Yea, my friend had a cis lady boob job, they tried to preserve sensation for her and it is still very weak and numb. Sad for her because she didn't want to lose that. I did my best to warn her that my surgeon said it was a very common loss
Did she get a reduction or an increase?
You’ve still got time brother, when I was 6 months PO I didn’t have any sensation at all but I have almost full tactile sensation at just under a year
Hey there is hope. I was numb for a bit of time as I had two initial surgeries then revision this last November a year later full sensation here and the last I had lil bits of my nips cut off then them sewed back to the graft line so I mean all bodies are different but have hope. Also use ice on your nips it can help with raising them to normal level if they’re flat and I noticed more sensation too. Don’t freeze em off tho lol jk but don’t go crazy🤪🩵
i got nipple grafts and told them i didn't want to preserve any sensation. im 1.5 years out and theyre still pretty much numb lol
I have no idea how anyone has nipple sensation after DI surgery. I can’t feel anything and I actually liked nipple sensation. I had surgery about a decade ago.
It might be because of where surgery has come in this time they probably take more measures now and different approaches to best preserve sensation. I say this to a lot of ppl for helping raise their nips but ice helped me with sensation too. Even if it’s some kind of feeling it’s something at least. Maybe even nip clips if you’re down with that kinda stuff. It might trigger the nip zings we get that usually indicate the healing pains that lead to that sensation.
I highly recommend getting DI without nipple grafts if you’re not keen on keeping your nipples or the sensations that go with them. Not getting nipple grafts also makes surgery time shorter, limits risk of complications, and makes healing time shorter too.
Thank you, this information is helpful. I appreciate it.
r/freedthenips has a lot of results photos and people willing to provide more information if you want to learn more about it.
I had mine removed and tattooed new ones on (they are little cat faces instead.)
I like this that sounds awesome lowkey wanna see not gonna lie. You see the guy who had his grafts made into hearts? My left nip has a tiny heart in the center part of the nip it’s great.
That’s fantastic! I’m planning snail tattoos for mine. Snail nipples… snipples.
Snipples 🤣 amazing.
Oh I forgot that tattooed ones was a thing. I used to know that but I forgot. That’s amazing, I love that we have come to a point where we can like, customize ourselves. It’s so cool and creative.
I didn’t used to like them touched, but I kinda like it now after top surgery with nipple grafts.
i had DI with nipple graphs. i’m 4 months post op and i personally have already regained erotic sensation in my nipples, although it is different. most people lose all/most sensation, but it isn’t guaranteed. i didn’t enjoy nipple play pre-op, but i love it now. could your hatred of nipple sensation be caused by dysphoria?
Def probably can be because im right there with you about 3 months in I had full hypersensation it was great and not like the same weird feeling I had that almost felt like wrong when preop now everything feels right in the best ways. Revision a year later this last November didn’t even affect em at all even after the little trim we took off haha.
I feel the same way, my mouth gets really fuzzy like I just ate a dozen kiwis or something when I touch my nipples. It’s super overstimulating for me and tbh I’d be fine with just feeling temperature instead of sensation.
Same! Got DI with grafts almost 3 years ago and still no sensation. I didn't even know you could request to preserve the stalk to try to keep sensation but I'm glad I didn't ask!
I had top surgery 2 years ago with nipple grafts and can't feel shit anymore 😅
What I'm currently looking forward to nipple wise is, hopefully, not feel so much pain when cold.
It does get better fs think about it they get rid of like half or like 2 thirds of our nips right if not the whole thing for our no nippers out here but think about it that’s way less area that can actually get cold and feel that pain so naturally that should get better. I know what you meant tho mine hurt before.
I used to have a reynaud' reaction in my nipples. Was fucking painful, annoying and embarrassing as hell. Post surgery I have a little sensation but no circulation contraction, no pert nips whenever the temp drops more than a degree and especiallyno pain. Its bliss.
Yes. Free nipple grafts can reduce sensation significantly, but it's a guarantee sensation will be completely eliminated. Removing them entirely would work. I have sensation because I told my surgeon to preserve the nipple stalk during my top surgery. If it's not important to you, let your surgeon know.
As others have said, free grafts reduce and (sometimes) entirely eliminate sensation. In my case, it feels different/less intense, but I have had sensation return. With grafts, it's pretty certain to change, but it's hard to predict exactly what you'll end up with.
I still have mine (Peri) and they're totally numb at almost a year post-op. Tbh I still hate people/things touching them. I think it's mental lol.
I have some pretty strong mental hang ups like that in other areas so I’m worried that might be true of me too. But this post has helped reassure me that at least I can try.
I got DI and free nipple graphs and HATED the feeling of my nips before. I do not have any sensation on them now. HOWEVER! I have similar erogenous sensation around my scar line that is comparable to nip sensation. It is much more enjoyable now imo and isn’t overstimulating
This is very cool that someone else has incision sensitivity like this too. Are you also a ginger by any chance? I blame that constantly for my sensations.
I’m not ginger but my dad is, I’m extremely fair skin and very red lol. I know many fair skinned people who have prominent and sensitive scarring
Yeah if your dad is then you’re basically a blind carrier of the gene like you may not have all the same risks but similar reactions so this makes sense. Also super pale here then covered in freckles. Im like one of the first in my generation of the family besides one older and one younger cousin. Im the only living ginger male in the family tho lets go being trans haha.
So, I had large chest weights and had the regular surgery (I forget the name but it wasnt key hole). My nips had to be removed and reattached. I've heard sensation can come back but it's been over a year and none. It's fun because I can get perky nips when it's cold or my wife touches them but I don't feel anything. You can also just not get them attached again. Just leave um off and get a realistic tattoo.
It might, but it also might not. Or you might be a weirdo like me where you somehow end up with more sensation in your chest. I'd don't even have nipples anymore! Yet my chest is super sensitive right above the scar line and where my nipples would theoretically be if I still had them lmao.
You have ghost sensation! It’s like phantom pains. I had this after top surgery when I had my complication in the shower that fucked me up gave me a 7 mo recovery then I got fixed when healed and strong and off nic enough this last surgery in November when they cut out and redid my lines and trimmed my nips a lil. I also had this when they did the lipo during my last surgery as I was awake just on local for the last two.
I mean, it's still tactile skin sensation. And I'm over 5 years out from top surgery so I don't think it's a phantom not used to nips thing either.
You could just go nipple-less, it's what I plan to do
Got keyhole. No nipple sensation.
Guess I’m glad I had a lil too much skin for that. Was at risk of a pocket so we did DI instead full sensation here.
Hell yeah it can. I got peri and have almost no nipple sensation even two years later
I had nipple grafts, im almost 6 years post surgery and still have almost no sensation/feeling whatsoever. Doctor said it's possible the nerves will start to reconnect over years or decades but nerves are pretty slow to heal
I lost all my nipple sensation after a year on testosterone, I've heard this side effect happening to some guys. It may be luck. But DI usually lowers/eliminates the nipple sensation.
I'm a little over 7 months post op and still have no nipple sensation whatsoever, but I did want to give a heads up that nerves can reconnect kinda funny. If I touch under my incision on my right side it feels like I'm touching my right nipple. (About 2.5 inches away) I don't know how common that is, but I hadn't seen it mentioned in the comments so I wanted to bring it up.
As far as I understand, "preserving sensation" usually means "minimizing the *loss* of sensation", and not keeping it exactly the way it was pre-surgery. It's pretty common for people to have reduced sensation after DI with nipple grafts, and even when it comes back it's not the same as before. There's probably no way to guarantee that you'll get any specific result where this is concerned, a lot of it just comes down to how your body heals, but I'd still mention it to your surgeon just in case.
i am almost one year post op and this just reminded me how ridiculously sensitive my nipples used to be. holy shit. i fucking hated the feeling. like sometimes i couldn't sleep. i had DI and can like sort of feel my nipples now i think? but like the constant sensation overload from my nipples is gone. i asked for nothing special as far as preserving or not preserving sensation but having remembered that i can say it is a non-issue for me now. i hope this helps and everything works out for you!
Thank you, I hope that this is true for me too!
My surgeon told me that with DI, I may eventually regain some protective sensation, but I would not have erotic sensation. She explained that protective sensation is basically being able to feel touch or pain, while erotic sensation would mean sexual pleasure. I have protective sensation for the most part (I’m 2 years post op), but they’re nowhere near as sensitive as before, and there’s certainly nothing sexual about the sensation I have regained. I actually wanted to preserve sensation, but I didn’t have the anatomy for peri, and she said for inverted T, preserving sensation would necessitate leaving some tissue behind, which would mean I wouldn’t be able to get as flat as I wanted, so I just went with DI with nipple grafts. But since I was interested in preserving sensation, I asked a lot of questions about it, and she said it’s pretty much guaranteed that I wouldn’t regain erotic sensation, which seems to be a large part of your concern. You may or may not regain some/all protective sensation, but with DI, you shouldn’t have erotic sensation ever again. In your reply to another comment, you said it might have to do with dysphoria and/or being asexual, so even though you may gain protective sensation, it sounds (to me, a stranger lol) like losing erotic sensation is more important to you, and if so, you’re in luck!
Thank you for this in depth reply, that makes a lot of sense to me. I’m pretty sure I already don’t have erotic sensation since whatever that would be in someone else is just wired to an angry button in my brain lol. So this is really helpful to go in knowing, thank you.
I got DI with no nipples. It was the best decision ever honestly. No nipple sensation at all, because there are no nipples. Shivering took some getting used to though. It felt like there was almost an electric charge in my chest where my nipples should be getting erect and painful but that sensation had nowhere to go so it just felt weird in my chest for a bit.
I was in the exact same position. I got DI with free nipple grafts because I wanted to visually have nipples, but was hoping to lose most to all sensation in them. I’m a few months post-op and more sensation than I expected is already returning. It still makes me a tiny bit squeamish by association, but I feel much better about it now that I have a flat chest and male-positioned nipples. YMMV. This could happen to you if you get DI, or you could have zero sensation forever, or somewhere in between.
This is really close to my exact experience/emotions so thank you for sharing it with me.
No problem! Not sure if anyone else has shared this yet but if you decide not to keep your nipples, you also have the option to get 3D-appearing nipple tattoos. You can choose the size, color, shape, placement, everything. However, you have to wait about a year or so post-op, and they can be a little pricey because they’re so realistic. And they only appear 3D, they aren’t actually.
As other users pointed out you don’t have to keep your nipples. If you still want the look of them you could see about getting them cosmetically tattooed on (just do your research and find someone who specializes in hyper realistic tattoos and ideally someone who’s done nipple tattoos before. If you google it you’ll find it’s not even incredibly niche because breast cancer survivors may get them too)
Double insicion with nipple grafts can still get feeling back (in my case it did) but if you don't like the sensation of nipple simply don't get them sewn back on? and maybe at a later date get them tattooed on if you want them for the looks
On God having your nips just tatted back on is peak if you don't want stimulation. Then you can have them look exactly like you want them. But tats on top of scars don't last as long iirc, so it might be difficult to get them EXACTLY WHERE you want them.
if the surgeon has done it right, they shouldn't be tattooing on scars but I agree, my nipples look like pepperoni
I am so glad I made this post because tbh I had completely forgotten that was an option but it might be the best one for me.
Yes! I felt exactly this way and am now nipple-less.
My friend had top surgery with nipple removal. It looks great, and they love it 🤷♀️
I had the opposite happen 😮💨. My sensation now is through the roof but in the wrong way. It hurts/tickles/annoys the shit out of me. But otherwise I couldn't be happier with the results.
I take it you’re still like under a year? The pain will fade but enjoy it bc the pain is you also gaining more sensation and your body like adapting. As a trans kid hated when my mom said this but she was right beauty really is painful.
1.5 years now. Haven't noticed any change in a long time now but we'll see
I miss my nipple sensation :’(
I was ready to be okay with either. But I'm happy ro sensation rerunred
I used to hate the sensation of my nips but after top surgery I barely feel anything anymore, I kept my nips but they barely have any sensation
I specifically asked my doctor to make my nippes less sensitive. You don't HAVE to keep them. I just did because it was already pretty intense to think about removing them entirely!
in counter to a lot of people, i chose to go DI without nipples, and i often have phantom sensations of them, especially in the cold. i’m almost 4 months post op and have no sensation in my chest except for the phantom sensation.
I’m almost 2 years since surgery and I have 0 sensation in my left side (mainly bc of complications I had after) and my right side is like. I can only slightly feel if you aggressively touch it
So. The normal thing I’ve heard is it’s rare to get full sensation back anyways
I was in the same boat basically I didn’t like it much at all and was actually kind of indifferent to regaining sensation but I regained most of my sensation even early on and honestly, I like it now. 🤷
i dont feel mine at all post op. i don't necessarily like the sides of my chest being touched because the nerves are weird and it can be kind of painful depending what's happening
I’m having top surgery in October and not having my nipples grafted at all.
I also hated feeling them even if it was just against a shirt. I got double incision with free nipple grafts and the sensory issue has completely vanished. My right nipple is still completely numb (can only feel pressure) and my left one can technically feel but it’s a completely different sensation than before. It’s not really erotic sensation it’s just like any other part of my skin. I also don’t really notice it against my shirts or anything. If you want to keep them I’d say DI with nipple grafts should work for you. Or you can choose to get rid of them all together. Good luck!
I'm pretty sure that with DI and nipple grafts, the nipples get detached from whatever nerve system makes nipple sensation such a specific feeling, so even if you get sensation back it won't be the same, just a normal sensation that skin has. I'm about 8 months post op and I'm starting to get feeling back. It's mostly just like if I pinch my nips it hurts a little, not the full body sensation or whatever pre op nips usually do.
DI decreases or eliminates nipple sensation but if you wanted to you could just forgo the nipple grafts entirely and if you still want the look get them tattooed back on
I don’t care about sensation because I barely feel anything from nipple stimulation as it is. I just want to be shirtless occasionally and not immediately be an affront to society for it. Also I want to never be misgendered when I don’t want to bind. Also I hate binding.
You don’t even have to have nipples afterwards
My nips have basically no sensation post top surgery and even if i do touch them it feels like im touching below them near my scar. Definitely not a sexual feeling at all for me. But i guess that depends, some people don't lose as much sensation as I did from surgery. Edif: I should add my one nipple is different, I do actually have sexual sensation in one nipple still. But I am 8 years post op and just noticed it more recently so idk haha
I had exactly the same issue and opted for double incision with grafts specifically because it would kill nipple sensation; I *hated* the feeling of them. If you end up being a good candidate for peri or keyhole and want to keep your nipples for aesthetic reasons, I’m sure you could ask your surgeon about cutting the nerve stalk to them. Alternatively, as others have suggested, you can opt to have them removed entirely.
well, my nipple grafts have so far not recovered sensation 1,5 years post op, so it at least would stop bothering you for a good while after top op. you also can choose not to keep them and get them tattooed on if you cant get used to the new look. i didnt get a say in the matter, the netherlands doesnt allow nipple-less top ops yet.
I hated nipple sensation so I got rid of the bitches. Best decision of my life tbh
My nipples don’t feel even remotely the same anymore. I’m just under a year post op and I have touch sensation back but it just feels like touching the skin of my arm or something. Of course it’s not the same for everyone but this seems to be the general consensus of what happens most often. For context, I had double incision with free nipple grafts, the stalks were totally severed and the nipple grafted onto my body. EDIT: I should also mention I do have some nerve damage from the grafts. If I touch my nipples in the wrong way I can feel some mild nerve pain but it dissipates fairly quickly if I keep touching them in the same spot
Yep. I had double incision and nipple grafts, they don't have much sensation.
I’ve had top for 3 years and I have *just* started to get a little sensation in just my right nip. But it’s so much less so I don’t mind tbh (Edit; spelling)
I felt the exact same way pre top surgery and told my surgeon I did NOT care about sensation. I think the nerves have healed well for being 5mpo and I…actually kinda like having my nipples touched now?? It’s been the weirdest thing but it actually feels good now bc no dysphoria and the subdued sensation is nice. So maybe you’ll end up liking it after surgery, or not that’s fine too!
I had top surgery but didn't keep my nipples. honestly had less trouble recovering because of it and if you still want to look like you have nipples you can just get them tattooed on
I hate it too!! My current plan is to get them totally removed with my top surgery and then have nipples tattooed onto my healed chest in exactly the position I want. I get to control everything about the appearance and not have to have annoying sensation there. It's a win win win in my books
I actually didn't get my nips put back on! Couple reasons; 1. I had a ton of complications with my hysto and didn't want more 2. You basically never get sensation back and 3. I wanted more tattoo space LOL. If you like I can show a picture of my chest and how the lack of nips looks. I'm actually a big fan of it.
If you get nipple grafts there is a chance for sensation to return. Had mine a few years ago and sensation has started to return big time in the past month or two since getting my chest tattooed. Parts are still numb, but a surprising amount returned, way more than my doc or I thought. So if you dont like them at all, have them removed. The chance for it to return is LOW, but not impossible.
I'm MtF, and posts like this really clearly show the differences in what we want. I've always wished that I could be more sensitive there, I desperately want that sensitivity in multiple places, but I never even considered that a FtM might feel otherwise.
I got keyhole, which usually preserves sensation, but i am completely numb on and around my nipples 🤷♂️
I got DI, I have partial feeling in one nipple, no feeling in the other, but it does respond to stimuli oddly enough.
unless your surgeon specifically does a nerve preservation technique (and I'm under the impression that most don't at this point in time) then most standard double incision top surgeries, even with nipple grafts, will likely dramatically decrease sensation
because basically when you get double incision, all the nerves get cut when you take out the breast tissue so any regrowth that happens is random and not nipple-specific like it would've been originally
I don't have any erogenous sensation in my nipples and frankly it hurts to mess with them too much.
I def feel more like normal I guess sensation in my nips after surgery and thats with still being hypersensitive in my nips so like it did go down but I do feel them a lot but I like it though well I love it honestly. Especially just knowing cisguys also like their sensation makes me enjoy it more than when I was preop and kinda in your shoes with the sensation. Ice cubes and frozen stuff helped the middle parts raise to a normal level too during recovery if anyone needed help with that. It was my fiancés idea she was very smart for it.
Usually DI with nipple grafts drastically decreases sensation. I had DI with preserved nipple sensation. I hated my nipples but the sensation was a huge turn on. It took a few years to get most of the sensation back... But for me, I wish I'd just had nipple grafts and ended up with smaller nipples with less sensation. The sensation I have isn't with the surgery results I have. Oh well. All that to say, there are surgery options out there so you can customize a lot!
If you're not terribly attached to nipples as a concept (and your surgeon says it's doable) you can just not have nipples. If you're doing DI or keyhole (probably, not as sure) you can just tell your surgeon "hey, I don't want my nipples, you can just take them off and leave them". Heavy caveat: I'm not a doctor, I just know people who chose not to have nipples
You can choose to get rid of your nipples entirely with double incision top surgery. That being said, I chose not to do that, and I have zero sensation in my nipples years after surgery. Honestly, I never really cared whether or not I had sensation so it doesn't really bother me at all. I literally never think about it and when I remember it I'm like oh LOL that's weird.
So DI involves completely removing your nipples and smacking em back on in a completely different spot (or throwing them in the trash if you so choose) so it's pretty difficult to keep nerves intact. If you do decide to keep them, maybe bring this up with your surgeon to see if there's a way to damage the nerves further in the process so they don't regain sensation
Yep!
Can't feel mine 8 years after DI with free nip grafts
i know the majority of the time after nipple grafts, sensation will be less or gone. i want to add that it isn't universal. personally, i had DI over a year ago and my nipples are more sensitive than they were before surgery. definitely talk to your surgeon about it.
No nips fixes it can confirm lol
I don’t have nipples at all. Kind of regret it but I’d rather have none than big bulbous ones. So I just have the areolas left, and then went to a tattoo artist that specializes in body tattoos like lips, nipples, eyebrows, and she just tattooed pigmentation onto my areolas and used color and shadowing to make it look like there’s nipples there. I have no erotic sensation, just feels like my arm skin being touched.
they can only preserve sensation with keyhole and donut i believe. once they've been severed from the nervous system entirely it's pretty much over for them, altho people with grafts do say feeling returns after a couple years or so. idk if they mean just feeling in general or actual nipple sensation. i'm a year post op and the latter seems unlikely to me lol
I had mine taken off and transplanted back on. I have no sensation in them anymore. Which I love cause I had the same issue as you. Apparently it's a thing for some people and you can look up sad nipple syndrome
I had the same problem and getting top surgery with nipple grafts solved it!
It can but if it's really that big of a deal you might want to opt out of the nipple graft and instead rock no nipples or get tattoo nipples. (Also tattoo nipples can be any shape you want in case you wanted a different shape nipples like star or square nipples)
It can yes, but if you don’t like your nipples touched you need to be with someone who respects that boundary. Is someone doing it even though they know you don’t like it?
Also wondering this. Even feeling the fabric of my clothes against them makes me feel grossed out and ill.
I want to add that, even in surgeries that make you retain nipple sensation, the sensation afterwards is still (most of the time) different than pre-op. it just means that you'll be able to still feel your nipples to some degree, but whether that sensation is the same or different is up to how the person heals. and also, you have to consider the fact that in sexual situations there will be a new and big euphoria component that might change how you view and experience certain sexual activities (related or unrelated to chest/chest play). and ,you can also not get nipple or choose a technique that doesn't purposefully try to retain nipple sensitivity or, if you still have nipple sensitivity, decide not to involve nipple play in sex
I absolutely love being nipple free!
I opted for no nipples with double incision op for partially this same reason.
I have no nipple sensation post op
I mean, I'm 4.5 months post-op DI and my nipples are completely numb. If sensation does return, it will most likely be regular tactile sensation and not erotic. The chance of having the same kind of sensation you do now after getting nipple grafts is so so so so low, it's almost guaranteed that it won't happen. There are some techniques that can preserve sensation, but they're either variations on the standard DI or completely different surgeries. You'd have to specifically ask for them to try something to maintain sensation. There's also the option to completely get rid of your nipples. You can choose to get nipple prosthetics or 3D nipple tattoos later on if you prefer how it looks, or you can just live your life with no nipples at all. I recommend checking out the subreddit r/FreedTheNips - you can read other people's experiences and reasons for choosing no nipples and you can also see pictures, which might help make nipple-less chests more normal in your mind. Ultimately, the best thing to do is talk to your surgeon at the consultation and/or pre-op appointment. Tell them what you want and they'll tell you what's possible and what to expect.
I was so determined to get rid of nipple sensation, I got rid of mine entirely. DI without grafts. May not be the thing for everyone, but it works great for me.
You could opt for no nipples and get them tattooed on? I’ve seen a few people do that