Nipple Correction Surgery - Everted, Even and Ordinary

Nipple Correction Surgery - Everted, Even and Ordinary

 

Surgeons will tell you that there is a huge range of different measurements and characteristics when it comes to defining the 'normal' nipple. However, pregnancy and breastfeeding can leave women with visibly aged breasts, where the nipple is lax or enlarged. In some cases, women may develop nipples that are completely inverted or will grow with a noticeable unevenness in color or size. Different types of nipple correction surgery can be performed to provide women (and occasionally men) with a structure that looks like a ‘normal’ nipple.

 

 

Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery

 

Most pubescent girls experience a degree of nipple inversion for a time, as the breast grows and develops. It is rare for a surgeon to perform inverted nipple correction surgery on a teen who is going through puberty - these girls are usually advised to wait and see if the nipple corrects itself naturally. Similarly, women who plan to become pregnant in the near future are often advised that breastfeeding can help naturally invert the nipple and, once out, it stays out.

 

For women who are past puberty, have inverted nipples and are unhappy with them (there is no real medical problem with having inverted nipples other than possible issues of cancer detection), nipple correction surgery can be performed.  A small incision is made where the areola meets the nipple itself which gives the surgeon access to the tissue tethering the nipple to the inside of the breast. Following the release, it is a simple matter of closing the incision carefully and ensuring the nipple looks as natural as possible. Sutures can help sculpture the nipple to a desired shape. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. Sometimes patients need to wear a small rubber ring around the nipple for up to a week after the procedure to help prevent recurrence of the inversion.

 

Sagging nipple correction

 

While it is possible to simply insert a dissolvable suture underneath the skin to correct a sagging nipple, most patients find the nipple is restored to its usual projection with a breast augmentation. Patients who are considering fixing a sagging nipple with augmentation should be aware that the areolar size can increase by around 20%, depending on the size of the implants. However, using augmentation as a correction for sagging nipples does have the advantage of no scars around the nipple (implants are inserted via the armpit or the fold under the breast), and sensitive breast tissue remains intact.

 

Breast Reduction Surgery

 

In women that have overly large breasts, the areola and nipple enlarge as well. It is considered standard for the plastic surgeon to perform a nipple correction surgery at the time of a breast reduction to relate the size of each structure to one another.

 

Nipple Asymmetries

 

A combination of different therapies may have to be utilized to help fix asymmetries. These asymmetries may be caused by mastectomy surgery for breast cancer, or may develop after breastfeeding. Patients that have had mastitis in one breast can often develop these asymmetries. The entire breast shape may be affected, with one presenting as tuberous while one is flat across the bottom, and one nipple significantly larger than the other.