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Inverted nipples / retracted nipples: All information on the topic

The nipple is still a taboo area of the body and is often neglected in medicine. The cross-cultural significance of nipples as an aesthetic and sexually attractive feature can also be scientifically proven. Below the areola there are small muscle fibers that lift the nipples when they are cold or sexually aroused. This process is similar to the way the fine hairs on our skin stand up when we get goose bumps. Men find protruding nipples very sensual and attractive. Women associate the sight of erect nipples with pleasant feelings.

Are you ashamed of your nipples? Do you avoid looking in the mirror and seeing your partner? In the following article you will find everything you need to know about nipples.

Choose a neckline that suits you:

  • Finally feel comfortable again without a bra
  • Bringing the body into balance through the right proportions
  • Increase attractiveness by correcting inverted nipples
  • A permanent solution without piercing

Correction of an inverted nipple

Sketch of inverted nipples

What are the reference sizes of a nipple?

In adult women, the diameter of the areola is 35 to 45 millimeters and the nipple is 8 to 12 millimeters. A woman’s nipple has a height of 6 to 9 millimeters.[1] The beauty of a woman’s breast is also decisively influenced by the position of the nipple on the breast. Nipples that are slightly above and to the side of the center of the breast are considered particularly attractive.

What are inverted nipples?

Inverted nipples are nipples that point inwards. Colloquially, different terms with the same meaning are used, such as inverted nipples, inverted nipples, retracted nipples or inverted nipples. In technical terms, this is referred to as an inverted nipple or nipple inversion. The extent of nipple retraction can be divided into three degrees of severity:

Grade I: These nipples are flat. The nipples can be raised, but tend to retract again after a short time. After a little practice, breastfeeding is possible without any problems at this level of severity.

Grade II: The nipples can be protruded briefly under pressure, but immediately retract again. Breastfeeding is much more difficult for the mother.

Grade III: The nipples are strongly retracted and cannot be pulled out.

What symptoms do inverted nipples cause you?

Inverted nipples impair sexual self-confidence. The congenital malformation can also cause recurrent inflammation. In addition, breastfeeding can be difficult or even impossible because the baby cannot suck the nipple with its mouth. If you suffer from any of the above complaints, we will be happy to advise you in detail.

What helps against inverted nipples?

The treatment of inverted nipples depends on the degree of severity. An attempt at treatment without surgery makes sense for less pronounced inverted nipples. The use of a vacuum pump or suction device, also known as a niplette, for several weeks, or highlighting the nipple with a piercing are suitable for mild inverted nipples or flat nipples. It is also possible to inject flat warts with hyaluronic acid. The results of the injection are immediately visible, but are not usually permanent. Operative methods, on the other hand, represent a reliable, long-term solution to the problem.

The first surgical treatment for inverted nipples was described in 1879. Modern microsurgical techniques can be used to cut the retracting cords and spare each milk duct. The surgical procedure to remove inverted nipples is usually performed under local anesthesia and on an outpatient basis. If you have any questions about anesthesia, ask your aesthetic surgeon.

Does health insurance cover the costs of nipple correction surgery?

Congenital inverted nipples are benign changes to the nipples. The health insurance fund therefore does not pay for non-surgical, i.e. so-called conservative treatment attempts (e.g. niplette or piercing) or for scientifically proven effective and low-risk surgical treatment.

Preliminary examination

A preliminary examination is carried out before treatment. Unusual unilateral changes in the nipple should prompt further examinations. In rare cases, breast cancer can lead to a deformation of the nipple. Other signs of Paget’s disease are a sore, reddening of the skin or bloody discharge from the nipple. After examining you, your gynecologist may order an ultrasound scan, a mammogram and a tissue sample in order to treat you accordingly.

How is a inverted nipple correction performed on me?

Plastic aesthetic inverted nipple surgery can be performed painlessly under local anesthesia. The minimally invasive nipple lift requires a small incision just a few millimeters below the nipple. Surgical treatment is performed without cutting the milk ducts. As a rule, plastic surgeons use self-dissolving sutures. The dressing prevents the nipple from shrinking during wound healing. You can remove and reapply this special bandage yourself, for example after showering. The anesthesia lasts beyond the minor breast surgery and gradually wears off. The outpatient procedure takes about 45 minutes.

Before you leave the plastic surgery practice, appointments will be made for check-ups and the doctor will advise you of the aftercare recommendations to be followed. In addition to a comprehensive written report, you will receive a 24-hour emergency telephone number. You can reach the surgeon at any time in an emergency. If you wish, you can use virtual reality goggles to watch movies or your favorite series during the operation. This method has been proven to reduce sensitivity to pain through distraction and keeps you entertained before, during and after the operation.

What needs to be considered after treatment of inverted nipples?

After the procedure, your surgeon will check that healing has taken place as planned. This can be done in a video consultation or on site. You can easily change the bandage yourself after a short briefing.

Our experience with inverted nipple correction surgery

Our microsurgical treatment method has been developed over decades of experience. The results and the comfort of the treatment have convinced many patients. Many patients have agreed to share their experiences with other affected women. After a consultation with our specialists in aesthetic plastic surgery, we will be happy to help you get in touch with our patients.

Our before and after pictures of a inverted nipple correction

Women who are dissatisfied with their outward-facing nipples for aesthetic or medical reasons usually inform themselves in advance on the Internet about the methods of aesthetic plastic surgery. For this reason, you will also want to look at before and after pictures of inverted nipple corrections to see how successful the surgical techniques and procedures are. During a personal consultation at CenterPlast, patients can view before and after pictures of the surgical correction. Further information can be found in the Service menu tab under Before/after pictures.

Nipples inwards Cause

The tissue of inverted nipples is characterized by certain features. There are fibrous bands around the milk ducts that pull in the skin. In addition, the supporting tissue below the nipple is less pronounced. The cause of this malformation of the underlying tissue is thought to be a hereditary disorder of cell maturation and cell division in the first weeks of life.

How common are inverted nipples?

Retracted nipples affect around 2 to 10% of women. In men, inverted nipples occur much less frequently and usually in connection with an illness or injury to the breast. In 90% of cases, the nipples are inverted from birth. In 70 to 80 % of cases, both nipples are affected.

What is a flat wart?

Occasionally the term is used to describe a mild inverted nipple. With a flat nipple, the nipple does not protrude above the level of the areola. In contrast to the inverted nipple, the nipple is not retracted under the areola. A slight flattening of the nipple can also occur after breast lifts and breast reductions.

What are the risks associated with surgery to correct inverted nipples?

Surgical correction of the inverted nipple is usually a very safe procedure. Immediately after the procedure, there is often slight swelling and tenderness, but this subsides without any problems. Bleeding and wound infection are the most common surgical complications, although both are rare. The recurrence of nipple inversion is the most important complication and the greatest risk of recurrence is 6 to 12 months after this cosmetic surgery procedure.

Treatment options

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