November 20, 2024

"The nipple solution is actually very elusive"

When Randi Johnson was undergoing treatment for breast cancer, her husband, Brian, often felt at a loss to help. But then, when he and Randi met with a surgeon to discuss reconstructing her breast, he was struck by something he could do. The Midwestern father of five, a lifelong tinkerer, decided to make his wife the best possible prosthetic nipple.

"The nipple solution is actually very elusive," Randi said. "The … prosthetic nipples that were around when we started, they looked really fake, and they'd fall off. And that's really kind of a deal breaker."

After Brian made one for Randi, the two of them decided to offer the service to others. Today, they make affordable, realistic nipples for dozens of people a year, largely reaching potential customers through word of mouth.

One of their sons, Justin, recently chronicled their work in his new documentary "Mom & Dad's Nipple Factory," now available for rent or purchase on streaming platforms.

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