Skin-sparing mastectomy is a technique that preserves as much of the breast skin as possible. Skin-sparing mastectomy can be performed as a "simple" or "total" mastectomy or as a modified radical mastectomy to provide the skin needed for immediate reconstruction.

During skin-sparing mastectomy, the surgeon removes only the skin of the nipple, areola, and the original biopsy scar. Then the surgeon removes the breast tissue through the small opening that is created. The remaining pouch of skin...