View before and after photos of inverted nipple surgery patients who have been treated by best plastic surgeons.
Nipple inversion, where one or both nipples point inward instead of outward, is actually quite common and in most cases can be easily be corrected with a minimally invasive surgical procedure.
Surgeons have corrected inverted nipples at the time of breast augmentation and mastopexy (breast lift) procedures, and also have preformed correction of nipple inversion alone as an office surgery under local anesthesia.
Most cases of nipple inversion occur during breast development, although on occasion the problem may arise due to scarring from breast feeding, from an infection in the ductal system, or from previous breast surgery.
Inversion may occur on one or both sides. Correction of nipple inversion is usually performed to improve overall breast appearance but may also have a functional benefit in terms of assisting lactating women with breast feeding.
Dr. Luis H. Macias, MD, FACS, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon – Inverted Nipple Surgery Before And After Photos
There are varying degrees of nipple inversion, and the degree of inversion generally dictates the kind of corrective procedure that is preformed.
Some inverted nipples evert easily and tend to stay everted temporarily, while others are difficult to evert and tend to retract back to the inverted position almost immediately. In severe cases the nipple or nipples remain retracted cannot be reverted manually.
Some procedures used to correct the inversion preserve the milk ducts (and thus the ability to lactate), while other require that the ducts be divided which prevents later lactation.
Milder cased of nipple inversion can usually be corrected by duct-preserving techniques, while more severe cases usually require complete division of the ducts.
Any surgical procedure to correct nipple inversion can reduce nipple sensibility to some degree, and reduction of nipple sensation is more common with duct-dividing corrective procedures.
Surgeons always strive to use the least invasive technique which is likely to provide a patient with a permanent correction, and in most cases patients regain most or all of their nipple sensation postoperatively.
Inverted Nipple Correction
Inverted nipples may be corrected by an office procedure performed under local anesthesia – and laughing gas at no extra charge, if desired. A small incision (about 1/8 inch) is made adjacent to the nipple. Fibrous bands that are tethering the nipple are released.
A pursestring suture (looks like a drawstring) is placed internally around the base of the nipple. There is very little postoperative pain. Regular Tylenol is almost always sufficient.
There are small incisions at the base of each nipple that heal very well and can hardly be seen.
The nipple ducts are permanently divided so breast feeding is not possible after surgery. All stitches are dissolvable. Treatment of inverted nipples is very common and can be done under local anesthesia.
Nipples can be inverted either from a lack of soft tissue support or from tethering. If the issue is simply a lack of soft tissue support, this can be corrected by tightening the base of your nipple with sutures, without affecting your ducts or ability to breast feed.
Inverted Nipple Repair Before And After Photos With Dr. Michelle A. Spring, MD, FACS, Missoula Plastic Surgeon
If the problem is a result of scar tissue or tight ducts, these structures need to be released and nipple support established to prevent a recurrence.
A good examination and consultation with your plastic surgeon will determine the best procedure for you.
Inverted nipples is not an uncommon problem. It can be unilateral or bilateral. The procedure can be performed under local anesthesia as an out patient. You should be aware that you may loss a little sensation of the nipple.
This is usually temporarily. In most cases you will NOT be able to breast feed with that breast. This is usual a permanent condition so have your children first before considering surgery.
There are many techniques for the treatment of this problem. That should tell you that there is not one perfect technique. Most of the techniques address the principle that there is tethering of the nipple down to the structures below.
Once these are released, the second part is keeping the nipple out until it scars where you want it. This is usually accomplished with bolsters and/or sutures.
How to correct inverted nipples
Correction of inverted nipples is a minor outpatient, office procedure with little downtime. During surgery, you may remain awake or take a mild oral sedative, as long as you have someone to drive you home.
The nipples and areolas are made numb using local anesthetic injection, they are prepped and draped sterily, and tight ligaments that extend between the nipple skin and the breast tissue below are gently cut to loosen them.
This procedure is done under loupe magnification (microscope glasses).
Inverted nipple treatment
There are many techniques for the treatment of this problem. That should tell you that there is not one perfect technique. Most of the techniques address the principle that there is tethering of the nipple down to the structures below.
Once these are released, the second part is keeping the nipple out until it scars where you want it. This is usually accomplished with bolsters and/or sutures.
There are MULTIPLE ways to repair pulled in / inverted nipples. That in itself SHOULD tell you that no one procedure works well all the time. The pulled in / inverted nipple is caused by pulling on the breast duct cables that leave the breast and unite to leave through the nipples.
Any scar formation along these ducts can cause the nipples to be pulled in . (For this reason, despite this being a common condition, it must be kept in mind that sudden inverted nipples, especially f on one side or asymmetrical could indicate an early breast inflammation and even malignancy).
Milk Duct Preserving Inverted Nipple Repair With Dr. Luis H. Macias, MD, FACS, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
All nipple inversion procedures involve the transverse cutting of the breast ducts with some form of tissue or filler being placed in the gap to prevent the healing scar from pulling the nipple back in.
Any cutting of breast duct results in a compromise of the ability of breast feeding and could reduce nipple sensitivity significantly.
Surgery for Inverted Nipples
There are as many ways to correct inverted nipples as there are inverted nipples. This means that none of them really work. First the tissue under the nipple that is pulling it inward must be divided.
This will result in completely loss of nipple sensation. Then to prevent scar tissue forming where the tissue was cut either suturing or fillers or other tissue must be used.
Unfortunately, none of these really work very well the and recurrence rate is very high. But it may be worth getting at least 50% correction.
There are several types of surgical treatment for inverted nipple. It is a relatively simple procedure. However, often the ducts have to be cut, which means you could not breast feed. Make sure it really bothers you before embarking on a surgical procedure.
There have been many operations described for nipple inversion but none have stuck as the best because of recurrence issues and a high risk of permanent numbness. Just be sure yours is long-standing because new onset nipple inversion, especially unilateral, can be the first sign of breast cancer.
Before And After Photos:
- 18-24 Year Old Woman Treated With Inverted Nipple Repair By Dr. Bao L. Phan, MD, Honolulu Plastic Surgeon
- 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated For Inverted Nipple With Dr. Shain A. Cuber, MD, Edison Plastic Surgeon
- 18-24 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery By Doctor Brian S. Glatt, MD, FACS, Morristown Plastic Surgeon
- 28 Year Old Female With Inverted Nipples Before And After Correction With Preservation Of Milk Ducts Before With Doctor Adam J. Oppenheimer, MD, Orlando Plastic Surgeon
- 20 Year Old Woman With Inverted Nipples With Doctor Douglas L. Gervais, MD, Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
- 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery And Breast Augmentation With Dr Zoran Potparic, MD, Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon
- 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery With Doctor Nelson Castillo, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
- 35-44 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery By Dr David Stoker, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
- 45 Year Old Woman Treated With Inverted Nipple Surgery With Doctor Zoran Potparic, MD, Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon
- 45-54 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery For Inverted Nipples. Breast Augmentation With Dr. Gregory Park, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon
- 45-54 Year Old Woman With Treated With Nipple Surgery (Correction Of Inverted Nipples) With Dr Manish Champaneria, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon (1)
- 45-54 Year Old Woman With Treated With Nipple Surgery (Correction Of Inverted Nipples) With Dr Manish Champaneria, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon (2)
- 55 Year Old Female Treated For Inverted Left Nipple Before After By Doctor Steven Turkeltaub, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon (1)
- 55 Year Old Female Treated For Inverted Left Nipple Before After By Doctor Steven Turkeltaub, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon (2)
- 23 Year Old Woman Correction Of Inverted Nipple With Doctor Damian Marucci, MBBS, PhD, FRACS, Sydney Plastic Surgeon
- 59-year-old Female Undergoes Nipple Surgery To Repair Inverted Nipples By Dr Jeffrey Rockmore, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon (1)
- 59-year-old Female Undergoes Nipple Surgery To Repair Inverted Nipples By Dr Jeffrey Rockmore, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon (2)
- Doctor Adrian Richards, MBBS, MSc, FRCS (Plast), London Plastic Surgeon - 27 Year Old Female Treated For Grade 3 Inverted Nipples
- Doctor Carlos O. Chacon, MD, MBA, Chula Vista Physician - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Doctor Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD, FACS, Chicago Plastic Surgeon - 45-54 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Doctor S. Larry Schlesinger, MD, FACS, Honolulu Plastic Surgeon - 45-54 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Doctor Ram Kalus, MD, Mount Pleasant Plastic Surgeon - 18-24 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Doctor Shareef Jandali, MD, Fairfield Plastic Surgeon - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Inverted Nipple Repair
- Doctor Stephen E. Zucker, MD, South Bend Plastic Surgeon - Inverted Nipple Repair Before And After (1)
- Doctor Stephen E. Zucker, MD, South Bend Plastic Surgeon - Inverted Nipple Repair Before And After (2)
- Doctor Zoran Potparic, MD, Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon - 18-24 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Dr Ciro Adamo, PhD, MD, Italy Plastic Surgeon - 18-24 Year Old Woman Treated With Medical Piercing For Correction Of Inverted Nipple
- Dr J. Jason Wendel, MD, FACS, Nashville Plastic Surgeon - Inverted Nipple Correction For This 26 Year Old Woman
- Dr Shareef Jandali, MD, Fairfield Plastic Surgeon - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Inverted Nipple Repair
- Dr Stamatis _Stam_ Sapountzis, MD, Greece Plastic Surgeon - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Dr. Carlos O. Chacon, MD, MBA, Chula Vista Physician - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Dr Pedy Ganchi, MD, Ridgewood Plastic Surgeon - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery To Correct Bilateral Inverted Nipples.
- Frontal View Inverted Nipple Surgery Patient, Female, Day Of. By Dr. Joshua D. Zuckerman, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon
- Dr. Ashok Govila, FRCS, MCh, MS, Dubai Plastic Surgeon - A 27 Year Female Underwent Correction Of Inverted Nipple Along With Breast Augmentation 25
- Dr. Manish Champaneria, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon - 45-54 Year Old Woman With Treated With Nipple Surgery (Correction Of Inverted Nipples)
- Dr. Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD, FACS, Chicago Plastic Surgeon - 25-34 Year Old Woman Treated With Nipple Surgery
- Dr. Shareef Jandali, MD, Fairfield Plastic Surgeon - 45-54 Year Old Woman Treated With Inverted Nipple Repair
- Dr. Steven Turkeltaub, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon - 20 Year Old Female With Inverted Right Nipple
- Inverted Nipple Repair Before And After With Dr. Luis H. Macias, MD, FACS, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon (1)
- Inverted Nipple Repair Before And After With Dr. Luis H. Macias, MD, FACS, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon (2)
- Patient Who Underwent Inverted Nipple Surgery Combined With Breast Enlargement By Dr Adrian Richards, MBBS, MSc, FRCS (Plast), London Plastic Surgeon (1)
- Patient Who Underwent Inverted Nipple Surgery Combined With Breast Enlargement By Dr Adrian Richards, MBBS, MSc, FRCS (Plast), London Plastic Surgeon (2)