Do You Suffer From Inverted Nipples?

Understanding and Correcting Inverted Nipples By Smith Plastic Surgery Institute

What Is An Inverted Nipple? 

An inverted nipple (also known as a retracted nipple) is a nipple that does not protrude from the breast mound or the areola. The areola is the circular area of pigmented skin around the nipple. When a patient exhibits this condition, their nipples are stuck inward or are “inverted.”  Inverted nipples are more common than people make think and can affect one or both breasts.

Are There Multiple Degrees Of Inverted Nipple Conditions?

There are varying grades of severity with regard to inverted nipples. Sometimes we see with our patients that their nipples are only slightly inverted and protrude from the breast mound but not very far. Other times the patient’s nipples are inverted but they can be made to protrude by stimulating the breast or grasping the nipple and pulling it outward. In the most severe cases, the patient’s exhibit nipples that are firmly inverted and cannot be pulled upward from the breast mound.

What Causes A Nipple To Be Inverted Into The Breast Mound?

The main cause of inverted nipples is that the lactiferous ducts (milk ducts) are short or tethered.   Because these ducts are short, the nipple cannot protrude. Patients can be born with this condition. Other causes, such as trauma or disease may impact this condition later in life.

What Is The Process Of Correcting Inverted Nipples?

Correction of the inverted nipple in Nevada typically requires that the lactiferous ducts are cut in order to make the nipple come out.   When the lactiferous ducts (milk ducts) are cut, it makes a woman unable to breastfeed.  In the case of severely inverted nipples, the woman would not be able to breastfeed anyway because the baby will not be able to latch on to the nipple.  However, with pregnancy the nipples and breasts become stimulated by hormones and sometimes patients with mild to moderate cases of inverted nipples will be able to make the nipples protrude and breastfeed.  For this reason, Dr. Smith does not recommend correction of inverted nipples unless the patient is finished having children or unless the patient has severely inverted nipples.  

What To Expect Upon Completion Of The Inverted Nipple Correction Procedure? 

The correction of inverted nipples is fairly straight forward and can be done with Breast augmentation (breast implantation,) or alone.  It can be done under general anesthesia or using pure local anesthesia (just numbing up the nipple area.)   If it is done under local anesthesia the patient can drive to the surgery center and return home afterward.

What Is The Typical Recovery Process From Inverted Nipple Correction Procedures?

Recovery from the inverted nipple correction procedure is very mild and patients can usually return to work one or two days after surgery.  The procedure involves cutting the lactiferous ducts to release the tethered nipple and then pulling some tissue from the surrounding areola and placing it under the nipple to “prop up” the nipple.  This means there will be two small scars on the areola but they are usually hard to see or nearly invisible once they have healed.   The procedure takes about 30 minutes for each nipple. 

This procedure is fairly minor and safe.   The main risks involve possible damage to the nipple or loss of sensation to the nipple.   If this procedure is right for you, Dr. Smith and/or his staff will go over the risks with you in detail.  Dr. Lane Smith holds 4 separate board certifications in plastic surgery and is a multi-award-winning plastic surgeon, recognized in the Las Vegas community by both his peers and his patients.

For More Information On The Correction Of Inverted Or Retracted Nipples By Smith Plastic Surgery Institute, Please Call Us Today at 702-838-2455 To Schedule Your Consultation, Or By Email Online.