What should you know about nipple skin graft?

A surgeon selects a donor site, removes a thin skin layer, and secures it over the recipient area with dressings or other support. The graft receives nourishment from the underlying wound bed while it attaches. The donor wound heals separately, and both areas may feel tight, numb, tender, or itchy during recovery.

The result depends on tissue quality, blood supply, scar behaviour, skin tone, and the wider reconstruction. Graft colour and texture can change as healing matures, and the reconstructed nipple may not feel or look identical to the original.

Share your medical history, allergies, medicines, nicotine use, diabetes, circulation problems, and tendency to form raised scars. After surgery, keep dressings in place as directed and avoid pressure, friction, soaking, and unapproved creams. Attend wound checks so the team can assess attachment and healing.

Once the surface has healed, ask before starting massage, silicone, moisturiser, sun protection, or scar procedures. General information about [Skin Graft](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/skin-graft/) may help, and [Fractional Laser Treatment](/treatments/laser-and-energy/fractional-laser-treatment/) can be discussed for selected later scar concerns.

Call the surgical team for worsening rather than improving pain, spreading redness, increasing warmth, pus-like or foul-smelling drainage, fever, persistent bleeding, or a dressing soaked with blood. Report a graft that becomes unusually pale, purple, grey, cool, or detached, as it may need rapid review.

Ask how the donor site will be closed or dressed, how the graft will be protected, what colour changes are expected, when normal activities can restart, and whether revision or scar care might be considered later.