WHO COULD BENEFIT?

Women who have an absence of nipple(s) due to surgery.

Women who have inverted nipple(s).

Women who have excessively large nipples.

THE GOALS:

Nipples that appear as normal as possible in shape and size.

THE PROCEDURE:

The type of procedure performed depends on the specific goals of surgery.

Usually the surgeon uses local anesthesia alone. However, IV sedation or general anesthesia is always an option.

If the primary goal is for the provision of a nipple, the surgeon raises small flaps of skin and molds them into a small mound that resembles a nipple. Options for the formation of an areola include a medical grade tattoo and a skin graft from a part of the body where skin is dark.

When the problem is nipple inversion, the procedure requires releasing the bands of fibrous tissue and ducts that pull the nipple inward. In order to prevent recurrence of the inversoin, the surgeon uses tiny flaps of tissue to create a platform underneath the corrrected nipple.

If a nipple is too large, the surgeon simply removes a wedge of tissue to reduce it.

POST-OP RECOVERY:

Post-op discomfort is controlled with oral medications.

Most patients return to work at home or outside the house the next day.

Sutures are removed 4-14 days after surgery.

INSURANCE?

If the nipple surgery is performed as part of breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, insurance usually covers the costs.

Treatment of inverted nipples usually does not follow mastectomy and therefore usually is not covered by insurance. The same here applies to nipple reduction.