Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery in London & UK

Between 10-20% of women have inverted nipples and for a number of these, it can be a source of self-consciousness or other problems. Medically speaking, inverted nipples are not harmful but are deemed undesirable by many women. There are two types of inverted nipples. The first being a “shy” nipple, which is generally inverted although, can be seen to protrude by stimulation such as the cold. The second type is a true inverted nipple that is congenital (present from birth) and is never seen to protrude.

Inverted nipples can also be seen to appear later in life. However these are often caused more by the surrounding skin becoming looser and causing the nipple to merely appear inverted. Breastfeeding and other surgery have also been observed to resulting in scarring of the milk ducts, which does cause the nipple to become inverted. If your nipple does suddenly invert, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible to ensure that there is no underlying problem.

Due to the distress inverted nipples causes some women; many seek out ways to resolve the issue, most commonly by the process of Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery. The surgery is not an option to be taken lightly. It may be costly and can have several side effects and may not even be a permanent solution. Nevertheless, many who suffer in a negative way due to having inverted nipples often take a chance as the benefits of the surgery far outweigh the disadvantages and risks. The choice to undergo the procedure is extremely personal and has the potential to enhance your life by boosting self-confidence or easing the ability to breastfeed.

The procedure of Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery is relatively quick and straightforward and is carried out in a variety of clinics nationwide. Most of these clinics will require you to attend a consultation prior to booking that actual surgery as a way to prepare you for what lies ahead as well as ensuring the surgeon is fully aware of the expectations you hold for the results of the surgery. The procedure can also be carried out in conjunction with other breast surgery, including breast reduction or areola reduction (where the dark area of skin around the nipple is made smaller), however, this is at the discretion of the surgeon. By just doing a quick Internet search, you can see the large number of clinics able to offer you the procedure. It would be worthwhile to research each clinic in detail to compare costs, results and the quality. Reviews from previous patients can also be found which may influence your decision as to where you select to undertake the Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery.

During your consultation, you will be talked through the procedure and its potential side effects to give you a substantial amount of information to ensure you are making the decision that will benefit you most. The minimum age for the surgery at most clinics is 18, although some surgeons will consider operating on 16 year olds if they can justify why surgery is truly necessary. In the consultation, the surgeon will almost certainly ask about the reasoning behind wanting the surgery; just remember, everyone has there own motivations and there is no right answer! Once weighing up the risks and benefits, you will then get the opportunity to learn about the surgery itself and how it will be tailored to realistically get the best results for you.

Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery is performed under anaesthetic (depending on the extent of inversion, this can be wither local or general) and normally takes between thirty minutes and two hours to complete; the latter, however, is uncommon. A major advantage to the procedure is that it is outpatient surgery so you can go home on the same day that your operation is performed. In the procedure, an incision is made under the nipple and it is carefully lifted up. A lot of precaution is taken here in order to keep the nipple attached to the areola so sensation and the ability to breastfeed in the future are maintained. A suture (stitching using a small, curved needle attached to a length of thread) is positioned around the nipple and the surgeon physically pulls the nipple out and applies a splint to support it. This suture and split must be kept in place for about a week; depending on the extent of the surgery and how inverted the nipple was previously.

After the surgery, you will be advised to not perform any strenuous tasks for at least a week although many people return to work after just a couple of days. The total recovery time is very dependent on the individual, but usually it is no longer than just two weeks although care should still be taken to prevent damage.

Inverted Nipple Correction Surgery may not, however, be the definitive end to your issue. There have been numerous cases where the nipple re-inverts and surgery has to be performed again, if the patient deems it necessary and the surgeon is willing to do it. This is just one of the possible risks that will be explained to you during the consultation. Another one deemed rather serious is that in some cases, the milk duct must be cut to release the nipple, as its shortness is the reasoning behind the inversion. The consequence of this is that breastfeeding may be affected. You should be warned in your consultation if there is a significant chance of this being the case for you.

Causes of Inverted Nipples »