How long to recover from nipple reconstruction surgery?

Not long: Best approach for nipple reconstruction is a skate flap with full thickness skin graft reconstruction of the areola. The only discomfort commonly felt is at the donor site where the skin graft is from, and its commonly described as a "burning" sensation that is bothersome but not terrible.

A couple of days: There are several ways to perform nipple reconstruction. Most ways are done under general anesthesia (variety of flaps + grafts) and recovery is normally just a couple of days. The skate flap plus full thickness graft is the best way to achieve optimal projection and have a 'realistic' nipple. If you want the simplest procedure, a tattoo is done without anesthesia and recovery is immediate.