Nipples and areola (the pigmented area around) come in a range of shapes, colours and sizes, and there may be significant asymmetry between the two sides.
Sometimes they are not proportionate to the rest of the breast and to make them cosmetically more appeasing, they may need reshaping surgically. (At times it may even be necessary to reconstruct the whole nipple-areola complex from scratch when they have been removed in breast cancer.)
SURGICAL TECHNIQUES
There are various surgical / non-surgical techniques that are used to change the nipple /areola to make them more proportionate to the rest of the breast shape. Two of the most common complaints are an areola that is too large or a nipple that is inverted.
Inverted Nipples
Inverted nipples are usually as a result of the ducts (milk channels) pulling the nipple in, when the breast is developing but the ducts do not grow to the same extent. This may cause concerns for some women as they become self-conscious of the appearance of their breasts. This can usually be corrected with a simple surgical procedure, with small scars and heals well. Dr Safvat will discuss this with you and your plan for breast feeding as it may be affected by the surgery. The surgery is done in an accredited hospital under a light anaesthetic, and usually has very minimal downtime.
Enlarged areola
Enlarged areola can also be reduced. Dr Safvat uses a peri-areola incision (around the areola) which heals well with minimal scaring. This can be combined with breast reduction or breast lift to adjust the position or size of the breast as well. The recovery depends on the associated procedure (see section on Breast lift or Breast reduction) and will be discussed during your consultation.