- Surgery for Absent, Enlarged or Asymmetric Areola or Nipples
- Micropigmentation of a Nipple
- Micropigmentation or Tattooing
- What are Inverted Nipples?
Surgery for Absent, Enlarged or Asymmetric Areola or Nipples.
The areola is the pigmented area surrounding the nipple on the breast, and the nipple is the raised central portion of the areolar.
In some cases, the areola may be significantly asymmetric, enlarged, poorly positioned, or in post breast cancer reconstruction, absent. The nipple can also be enlarged, absent or inverted. Some of these situations may be congenital, caused through age, pregnancy, breastfeeding, large weight gains or weight loss, hormonal changes, or breast cancer. In some significant cases, patients may feel anxious or self-confident about the appearance and seek to have corrective surgery.
An excessively large areolar can be surgically corrected by excising the current areolar and using a surgical ‘cookie cutter’ to shape the areola to a more natural and even size. The suture line is around the edge of the areolar and the scar usually blends in well with this edge over time.
If the position of the areolar requires adjustment this can be similarly cut away from the breast and the breast tissue is surgically adjusted to assist in repositioning the areolar to a more natural position. In some cases, this may be in conjunction with a breast lift. For further information on breast lift please click through to Breast Lift.
If the areolar and nipple are absent either congenitally or due to cancer surgery, surgery can be performed to create a raised ‘nipple like’ portion in the position of where the nipple is needed.
Micropigmentation of a Nipple
The use of micro pigmentation or ‘tattooing’ can then be used to assist in creating a pigmented areolar and darker pigmented nipple appearance on the breast. It is important to have an experienced technician do this type of ‘tattooing’ in order to avoid a tattoo that has a ‘target’ appearance.
Nipples may also appear elongated, darkened, thickened, inverted or absent. Enlarged nipples may be very evident through clothing and create poor self-esteem for some women and men. Surgery can be performed to adjust the size of an enlarged nipple or incases where a nipple is absent can be surgically created to look like a nipple.
Micropigmentation or Tattooing
The use of micropigmentation or ‘tattooing’ can then be used to assist in creating a pigmented areolar and darker pigmented nipple appearance on the breast. It is important to have an experienced technician perform this type of ‘tattooing’ in order to avoid a tattoo that has a ‘target’ appearance.
Nipples may appear elongated, darkened, thickened, inverted or absent. Enlarged nipples may be very evident through clothing and create poor self-esteem for some women and men. Surgery can be performed to adjust the size of an enlarged nipple, or in cases where a nipple is absent can be surgically created to look like a nipple.
What are Inverted Nipples?
Inverted nipple, or retraction of the nipple, are nipples that point inwards rather than out. Inverted nipples can also cause concern and difficulties with breastfeeding. Nipples are also one of the erogenous zones and if the nipple is inverted this may also affect sexual stimulation for some women and men.
An inverted nipple can be surgically everted, or can be trained to be everted by the surgical insertion of a nipple bar and support structure. This later technique requires less surgical intervention and some patients also like the idea of nipple jewellery to train the nipple to be everted.
These surgical procedures are usually performed either under sedation or general anaesthetic and usually as a Day Theatre Case.
The micropigmentation does not require sedation nor general anaesthetic.
Every patient is an individual and therefore final surgical results will vary from patient to patient. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified practitioner.