Nipple or areola revision surgery may be a good fit for you, whether you suffer from physical or emotional distress related to having longer nipples or large areolas or you simply want to feel confident being naked.
The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you’ll have to decide if the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks and potential complications of surgery.
You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks. It is important that you address all your questions directly with your surgeon.
Nipple and/or areola revision surgery is normally done under a local anesthetic. The surgery requires an incision to be made on the nipple and/or areola. A nipple or areola reduction will require surgical removal of the nipple or areola tissue. An areola reduction will require a circular scar around the areola.
Dissolvable stitches will be used on the surgical incision. Depending on the case, there may be a permanent stitch placed to help maintain the position of the nipple. A skin glue may be applied on top of the surgical incisions. Your surgeon may ask that you wear nipple guards for two weeks and be careful with wearing together clothing and bras. You will be provided with the nipple guards at the time of surgery if they are needed.
It is also important to note that nipple/areola surgery can interfere with your ability to breast-feed. We tell patients that there is a 50/50 chance of being able to breast-feed after surgery. If breast-feeding is very important to you, then you may want to wait until after having your children before considering surgery.
A good candidate for surgery is a patient who is relatively healthy and has realistic expectations for post-operative outcomes. It is also strongly advised that you be a non-smoker at the time of surgery. If you are a smoker we recommend you quit smoking at least 3 months prior to surgery as nicotine can interfere with blood supply and potentially cause complications with healing after surgery.
