- Reference Number: HEY1644/2026
- Departments: Breast Services
- Last Updated: 31 May 2026
Introduction
This leaflet has been produced to give you general advice after undergoing breast pintuition/tag insertion before your operation.
If after reading it, you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team who has been caring for you.
What is a Breast Pintuition/Tag Procedure
This is a procedure in which we insert a small marker, pintuition or localiser into the breast tissue or armpit, using local anaesthetic so your surgeon knows the exact place to operate.
General Advice
After your procedure, your wound will be covered over with a small dressing to protect it and aid the healing process.
You MUST remove the top dressing the day after your procedure. Underneath the dressing are some steristrips which are lying over your wound. Try to keep this area dry over the next 2 to 4 days. As the wound heals, the steristrips will begin to curl up and peel off. After 4 days you may remove any steristrips.
Do not use water, soap, bubble bath, deodorant or any perfumed products on the wound area until it has healed.
If you feel any pain or discomfort after your procedure, a comfortable supportive bra and pain relief medication may help. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN
On rare occasions your wound may bleed – if this happens sit down and press firmly on the wound with tips of your fingers or an ice pack until the bleeding stops.
If the bleeding continues but is light call the Breast Care Unit on Tel: 01482 875875 ext. Tel: 01482 68616 / Tel: 01482 68388 to seek further advice. However, if the bleeding is severe, please seek emergency assistance by calling 999.
You must avoid strenuous activities for 24 hours. Most patients can return to work and normal activities (including driving) if you feel well enough to do so.
Should you have any concerns regarding your wound please do not hesitate to contact Ward 16, Castle Hill Hospital on Tel: 01482 875875 ext. 68616/68388. Alternatively, you may contact your GP.
General Advice and Consent
Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.
Consent to treatment
Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.
The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:
- you must be able to give your consent
- you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
- you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person
Information about you
We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.
We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.
If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.