Nipple correction - Nipple reduction

Nipples come in all shapes and sizes. On average, the areola in women is 40 to 100 millimetres long. In men, the average length of the nipple is 25 millimetres.

Nipples that protrude too brightly, bulge or are too long are often congenital or have become so after breastfeeding. You may also have to deal with drooping nipples.

Want smaller nipples? Then the surgeon can easily reduce or shorten your too large or too long nipples. This procedure takes 10 to 30 minutes and can be done under local anaesthetic.

An average areola (pigmented skin) has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm. Do you have a larger areola, are your areolas uneven or is the edge of the areola irregular? A areola reduction offers solution. The treatment can be done under local anaesthetic and leaves a small scar around the areola. The scar will first become redder and fade after 3 months.

Nipple areola reduction leaves the milk ducts intact, so breastfeeding is still possible.

If your nipple is deeper than the level of your areola, you have a retracted nipple. It is almost always a harmless condition that can be easily corrected.

About two per cent of the female population has at least one retracted nipple. Moreover, the shape and size of the nipples can vary. In many cases, retracted nipples are congenital. In this case, surgery to correct retracted nipples can help.

Retracted nipples can be remedied in several ways:

• The nipple can be loosened and permanently supported with some kind of loop or with a piercing. The aim is to bring out the retracted nipple. The milk ducts remain intact After this operation, you can still breastfeed.
• A nipple can be deformed at birth and then retracted during puberty. In exceptional cases, the surgeon has to completely detach the milk ducts to correct this. In this case, breastfeeding is sometimes no longer possible. The surgeon will inform you about this at the consultation before the operation.

ATTENTION: if your nipple retracts only after puberty or later in life, and especially if it only happens on one side, it is best to contact your GP or gynaecologist. In that case, it could be a symptom of another condition.

Not only women can come to Wellness Kliniek for a nipple correction, we are also happy to help men. A nipple correction for men can possibly be combined with a breast reduction for men (gynaecomastia surgery).

If you are not so happy with the shape of your nipples, or with one of your nipples, for whatever reason, then a nipple correction surgery may offer a solution. The operation can be done under local anaesthetic, recovery is quick and therefore the procedure is low-threshold.

To a certain extent, yes. You can bring photos to the consultation with the surgeon to show what you like. However, it depends on the exact shape of your nipples whether it is among the options. In any case, you can rest assured that the surgeon at Wellness Kliniek will give you honest advice, so you know in advance what to expect. The surgeon also knows from experience what is and is not possible or what suits your body.

Nipple correction surgery is performed under local anaesthesia and takes about 10 to 30 minutes.

With a nipple reduction, the surgeon makes a circular incision around the nipple and removes the excess skin before sealing the incision with soluble suture.

For areola reduction, the surgeon removes the outer ring of the areola. The incision for areola reduction is done at the edge of the areola where scars are barely visible. The newly formed areola is sometimes attached to the breast to prevent stretching before sealing the incision with soluble suture.

In nipple correction retracted nipple, the surgeon loosens the shortened, connective tissue causing the retracted nipple. The nipple is then pulled up and put in place. The nipple can then be permanently fixed with a kind of loop. After this operation, you can still breastfeed. This is because the milk ducts remain intact. The same procedure is followed for flat nipple correction.

Sometimes retracted nipples are so persistent that they retract back after the procedure. In that case, a nipple prosthesis is a solution. The prosthesis supports the nipple so that it cannot retract again. This technique is only used as a second operation, as there is always a risk of the prosthesis being rejected by your body. The surgeons at Wellness Kliniek therefore prefer nipple correction without an implant.

The first days after a nipple correction are somewhat painful but doable with painkillers, such as paracetamol.You may possibly experience slight bruising or reduced sensitivity, but this will subside within a short time.You may go home the same day and can resume your daily activities after 24 to 48 hours. Normally, an additional check-up is not necessary, but if you have any doubts or questions, we are at your service, completely free of charge.

We use soluble sutures so you don't have to experience painful wire removal.Moreover, the skin recovers well this way, so little to no scars remain visible (especially over time).

Naturally, you would prefer to have as little or no scar as possible from a nipple correction, we get it! The surgeons at Wellness Kliniek therefore focus on special techniques that minimise the operation time and incision. This ensures faster recovery and less scarring.

Where exactly the scar is located depends on the precise procedure. Your doctor will inform you about this during the consultation.In most cases, the scar disappears into the areola, so it is not noticeable that a correction has been done to the nipples. See before and after photos of a nipple correction here.

A nipple correction requires an incisional scar, but fortunately it is barely visible. After a few months, the scars fade and are barely visible, if at all. Especially if you give them proper aftercare. Of course, your surgeon will advise you on how best to go about this.

Depending on the patient and the retracted nipple in question, the surgeon considers whether the milk ducts need to be interrupted. If so, breastfeeding may not be possible after the procedure. During the consultation, indicate to the surgeon that you would still like to breastfeed if this is the case. This way, the surgeon can take this into account and advise you honestly about the options.

Will a nipple correction help women with uneven nipples? Yes it does! It is always possible that one nipple has a slightly different shape than the other. This may also have developed over the years. With a nipple correction, both nipples are rebalanced.

For example, pinched nipples are often congenital and this can worsen during puberty. Also, after pregnancy or hormonal changes, some ladies notice that the shape and size of the nipples change. So nipples can change shape throughout life.

Absolutely!

In fact, combining the breast lift and nipple correction is even a popular procedure at Wellness Kliniek. These treatments can be performed nicely all at once, giving you the bosom you've been dreaming of. Combining a nipple correction with breast reduction is also a possibility.

Absolutely! Discuss your wishes about breast augmentation with nipple correction with the surgeon. A simple nipple correction can be done during the same treatment. Sometimes it is better to have this procedure performed in two treatments. The doctor at Wellness Kliniek can advise you on this during a personal consultation.