This is the second time that I’ve heard this – having nipples makes a huge difference to self confidence (thanks Stacey for the honest and open blog post).

There is a company that makes temporary rub-on nipple tattoos for women post-mastectomy. You can even buy them in variety packs, to help you decide which colour you prefer. This allows women to try various shades prior to having permanent tattoos. What I find interesting is how this is such a contrast to the Look Good Feel Better workshop. Here the nipple tattoos are applied under the clothing. They aren’t meant to be seen by the general public. I’ve heard women comment that having them makes them feel whole again. When they look down, suddenly things look right again. They find comfort in that.

I have no idea what I’m going to do about my nipples (but part of the reason for this blog post is so I don’t loose the link to the temporary tattoos!). I don’t know if I’ll actually get a choice in the matter – the cancer may mean that they cannot be saved. I don’t know. I also find myself debating whether I want to save them (I hate wearing bras at the best of times) – but then I read posts like Stacey’s and I hear from other survivors – and I think, perhaps having my own nipples will help me recover? It might make the recovery process easier (from a mental perspective rather than a physical one). I don’t know.

Sometimes what you don’t see on the outside makes a very big difference on the inside …