INVERTED NIPPLE CORRECTION
READY TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION?
Many women are born with inverted nipples, nipples that do not protrude but instead point inward, and others develop them during puberty, after weight loss or months after the cessation of breastfeeding. While the great majority of inverted nipples do not represent a medical problem, rarely an inverted nipple could herald a serious condition such as breast cancer, especially if one develops rather suddenly. Therefore, the onset of an inverted nipple should be evaluated by a medical provider, preferably a breast surgeon.
Drs. Perrotta and Luppens are very experienced in correcting inverted nipples. They utilize a rather simple procedure they normally perform with local anesthetic alone. The procedure takes approximately 45 minutes.
CANDIDATES FOR INVERTED NIPPLE CORRECTION
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Women with inverted nipple(s) who do not desire to breast feed in the future
GOALS OF INVERTED NIPPLE CORRECTION
Nipples that protrude
What to Expect at your Consultation
Drs. Perrotta and Luppens will devote as much time as necessary to discuss your individual goals and needs with you. After a focused physical examination, your surgeon will provide preliminary recommendations and explain what you can expect from surgery.
Once your surgeon determines his surgical plan, our aesthetic coordinator will produce a written quote, which lists all costs of your proposed surgery so that there are no surprises. At that time, an appointment is set for your pre-op visit.
Pre-Op Visit
Much is covered during your pre-op visit. First, one of our highly trained medical assistants will take pre-op photos. Next, your surgeon will explain the surgical technique to you and thoroughly inform you as to what you can expect, including any potential complications. Note that all procedures involve some risk, but major complications are rare. Dr. Perrotta or Dr. Luppens will then obtain a more complete medical history from you and perform a final pre-op physical examination, including a check of your vital functions to ensure that you are physically fit for surgery. All informed consents for surgery will be filled out at this appointment and final payments are due at this time. You will be notified 24 hours prior to your surgery with your arrival time.
The Procedure
During this procedure, the plastic surgeon numbs the nipple by injecting anesthetic such as lidocaine. Several incisions are made where the base of each nipple should be. Through these incisions, the milk ducts are stretched or severed. As the nipple is outward, small flaps of skin are pulled through the new base of the nipple in order to prevent it from sliding back into the breast. The incisions are then closed with sutures. The surgeon or his/her assistant then applies a donut dressing.
Post-Op Recovery
Recovery from this procedure is quite simple.
The donut dressing must remain in place, as it protects the nipple from pressure which could flatten it. The sutures are removed 6-10 days post-op.