Nipple Reduction Surgery
The shape and size of the nipple or areola is generally not a cause for medical concern. However, if you are not satisfied with the way these breast parts appear, you may consider nipple and areola reduction plastic surgery. This is a procedure that involves cutting out excess tissue from around the nipple and areola to give your breasts a balanced appearance.
Enlarged areolas generally appear after pregnancy and breastfeeding or when there is trauma in the region. Usually, the nipple is shaped like a cylinder, with a curve at the top. But some women may find the diameter of their nipple is too wide; or the nipple projects out too much for their liking.
Virginia Institute of Plastic Surgery, led by board certified plastic surgeons Dr. Burton M. Sundin and Dr. Reps B. Sundin provides nipple and areola reduction surgery to patients in Richmond, Fredericksburg, Northern Virginia, and surrounding locations.
Surgery for Nipple Reduction
In nipple reduction surgery, the aim is to decrease the nipple height, although its width may be corrected, too. The surgeon first makes preoperative measurements and understands the client’s requirements. Then he marks out parts on the nipple base, bottom and top, to indicate how much of the tissue has to be taken out.
The nipple reduction procedure may be performed using a local anesthetic such as lidocaine. After injecting lidocaine into the trunk and base region of the nipple, the surgeon makes incisions on the previously marked areas. He cuts out the extra skin and using sutures, attaches the nipple to the base, and this decreases the projection of the nipple.
When nipple width is also being decreased, the surgeon will additionally stitch in place the skin along the nipple’s periphery. After completion of the suturing, the area is covered with a bandage to cover the nipple and areola. Most women experience a complete recovery within a fortnight of the procedure.
Surgery for Areola Reduction
Areola reduction plastic surgery takes around an hour, and may be easily performed in a hospital’s outpatient department or at the surgeon’s clinic. In this procedure, the surgeon first cuts along the border of the existing areola so that the scar stays invisible. They will remove the necessary amount of tissue and fits in a permanent suture deep inside the breast tissue to hold the areola in place.
This suturing ensures that the areola does not stretch over time. The surgeon then closes the incision with the help of either removable or dissolvable sutures, and applies a post-surgical dressing. You may be asked to wear a special bra designed to protect and support the breast for a few weeks following the surgery.
Nipple and areola reduction surgery is generally performed with a local anesthetic and you will be sent home soon after the procedure. However, if, for any reason, your surgeon has chosen to use general anesthesia, you will be kept under observation for few hours and sent home after a while.
Plastic surgeons at VIPS receive patients from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Northern Virginia, and nearby areas for nipple and areola reduction surgery.
