Nipple Reshaping

Nipple reshaping is a surgical procedure to reshape the nipple and/or the areola (dark pigmented skin around the nipple).

The procedure is used to correct inverted or flat nipples, to reduce the size of the areola or to change the size of the nipple itself. Nipple reshaping is often performed at the same time as other breast procedures. It is generally not suitable for women who wish to breastfeed in the future.

• Correcting inverted nipples. There are different degrees of nipple inversion, for example, the nipple can look flat or it can look like a slit or hole in the normal nipple location. The procedure reshapes the nipple so that it projects out from the breast. The treatment varies depending on the degree of inversion. It typically involves the surgeon making a small incision around the lower half of the nipple, freeing the tissue behind the nipple and using sutures to keep the nipple facing outwards.
  
  

• Areola reduction. This involves removing some of the pigmented (dark) area around the nipple by either an incision around the outside of the areola or around the base of the nipple. A very large areola may require a more extensive incision, running down the nipple as well as around the areola.

• Nipple reduction (width/length). Long nipples can be shortened in length, typically by removing the tip of the nipple. Wide or thick nipples can be narrowed or “taken-in” by removing a small segment from the undersurface.

• Nipple reshaping can also be performed using fat transfer to create a more projected nipple.

You will have permanent scars where the incisions were made, but they typically fade well.

What are the risks?

Like all cosmetic procedures there are risks involved. There are general risks associated with surgery and risks specific to each type of nipple reshaping procedure. Your surgeon will discuss these with you as part of your consultation. Risks include asymmetry of the nipples, permanent loss of feeling in and around the nipple, bleeding and scarring. Nipple reshaping can affect a woman’s ability to breast feed.