Nipples and their surrounding tissues are now a point of focus for many people seeking plastic surgery, as cosmetic breast surgery procedures to correct these body parts are becoming increasingly popular. Your nipple size and shape can be altered surgically, and the appearance of the areola, the pigmented tissue surrounding the nipple, can be changed as well.
If you suffer from nipple hypertrophy, a condition in which your nipples are much larger or protrude much farther than most, you may benefit from a surgical procedure to reduce your nipple size and shape. During the procedure, your plastic surgeon will make an incision at the base of each nipple, and then remove some of the nipple tissue, creating a smaller nipple.
If you have inverted nipples and wish to breastfeed your child, you may want to consider a surgery to correct your nipples in order to make breastfeeding less complicated. Inverted nipples often occur when the ducts beneath the nipple are short, which creates tension and pulls the nipple inward. During this surgical procedure, an incision is made at the base of each nipple, and then the tense fibers and ducts are cut, allowing the nipple to be drawn out. This procedure can be done under local anesthesia, and you can expect a full recovery in a few days.
Additionally, if you have larger than normal areolae, you may want to reduce the amount of this darker skin on your breasts. During surgery, an incision will be made around the bottom of the nipple or along the perimeter of the areola. The pigmented tissue will then be removed, and the remaining skin will be sutured together. Scarring is minimal, and you can expect a full recovery in a few days if there are no complications.
If you are considering any nipple or areola surgery, the first step is to consult with a board-certified and licensed plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Greg Liebscher, one of the most respected and practice plastic surgeons in Colorado Springs, CO.
REFERENCES
“Nipple reduction – An adjunct to augmentation mammoplasty.” Canadian Journal of Plastic Surgery. Nabil Fanous, MD, Carolyne Tawile, MD, Amanda Fanous Web. 3 July 2012
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2740602/
“The inverted nipple: its grading and surgical correction.” US National Library of Medicine Han S., Hong YG. Web 4 July 2012
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10654681
