Nipple and Areola Surgery
Complications such as bleeding, infection, and inflammation may occur after surgery, and individual satisfaction may vary. Please consult a doctor.
What is nipple and areola surgery?
Aesthetic concerns and psychological impact
Nipples or areolas that appear disproportionately large, or inverted nipples, can cause aesthetic and psychological concerns. Nipple and areola surgery can improve functional issues while creating a more balanced breast appearance. Proportions should harmonize with breast size; a nipple diameter of about 1 cm and an areola width of about 3.5–4.5 cm are often considered balanced.
Improve function
Enhance appearance
Inverted nipple correction
Nipple reduction
Areola reduction
Inverted nipples are often congenital. Insufficient fibrous support beneath the nipple and short milk ducts can pull it inward and prevent normal projection. When inversion is not severe, a relatively simple duct-preserving correction may be possible with a low likelihood of recurrence.
Steps
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Method that does not preserve the milk ducts
This method is used for severe inversion when the milk ducts are too short and pull strongly inward. The firm fibrous tissue tethering the nipple is divided, and surrounding tissue is used to prevent reinversion. Breastfeeding is no longer possible after this method, but it can effectively reduce recurrence.
Milk-duct-preserving method
The method depends on the degree of inversion. For patients who may wish to breastfeed in the future, a simple duct-preserving technique is recommended when appropriate. A minimally invasive 3 mm incision beneath the nipple is used to release and project it outward.
Anesthesia
Sedation anesthesia
Suture removal
Postoperative day 7–10
Procedure time
1 hour
Hospital stay
Same-day surgery and discharge
Method that does not preserve the milk ducts
Nipple reduction
Nipple reduction is a relatively straightforward procedure in which excess nipple tissue is removed and the incision is closed. It is commonly used when nipples have enlarged and drooped after childbirth and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding function is preserved, and the nipple can be reduced to a more proportionate size.
Surgical method
01
Steps
02
Steps
03
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04
Steps
Anesthesia
Sedation anesthesia
Suture removal
Postoperative day 7–10
Procedure time
1 hour
Hospital stay
Same-day surgery and discharge
Areola reduction
Areola reduction removes a ring of excess skin and closes the incision to decrease areola size. It may provide a more coordinated result when performed with breast reduction or augmentation. Although the procedure is straightforward, a large reduction can leave a scar, so the decision should follow a thorough preoperative consultation.
How areola reduction is performed
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Steps
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03
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04
Steps
Anesthesia
Sedation anesthesia
Suture removal
Two weeks after surgery
Procedure time
1 hour
Hospital stay
No hospital stay required
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You can conveniently make an appointment or inquiry through KakaoTalk, telephone, mobile phone, email, or our website. REAL Plastic Surgery operates by appointment so that the medical team can allow sufficient time for both surgery and a thorough preoperative consultation.
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Please arrive at your scheduled time, register, confirm your patient information, and complete a medical record form. As a medical institution designated to receive international patients, REAL Plastic Surgery provides attentive support through a professional team that includes one-to-one medical interpretation coordinators in English, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese, as well as nurses and consultation coordinators.
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Preoperative testing is essential to surgical safety. A chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, and blood tests are necessary steps for safe anesthesia. The results help assess liver, heart, and kidney function and identify lung disease, anemia, or other concerns. These examinations determine whether the patient's condition is suitable for surgery and general anesthesia and confirm their current health and previous examination findings.
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Before surgery, you will complete an informed consent form and receive detailed postoperative instructions. You will then have a final consultation with the lead surgeon to review the plan before the operation begins. The procedure follows a multidisciplinary approach, with plastic surgeons from the relevant specialties and continuous real-time monitoring by a dedicated anesthesia team.
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To reduce postoperative swelling and promote a faster recovery after discharge, REAL provides a personalized recovery program with attentive follow-up care.
Ask for detailsQ&A
There are duct-preserving and non-duct-preserving methods. In severe inversion, the ducts pull the nipple inward and may need to be divided, after which breastfeeding is not possible. Mild inversion can often be corrected without dividing the ducts, allowing breastfeeding. However, even people with normally shaped nipples may have difficulty breastfeeding for other reasons, so the outcome cannot be guaranteed.
Mild inversion does not always require surgery. With severe inversion, debris can collect in the recessed area and cause inflammation, and severe cases may interfere with breastfeeding. Surgery may therefore be recommended to prevent inflammation.
Incision placement depends on areola size. For a large areola, the incision runs around its edge, and stretching of the skin at the scar may widen it. Consider surgery only after understanding the likely extent of scarring.
Nipple reduction removes part of the nipple and closes the tissue, so it generally does not enlarge again after surgery. Breastfeeding, however, can cause it to become larger.
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If you are being treated or taking medication for hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or a thyroid condition, be sure to inform the medical team in advance.
Stop smoking before surgery because cigarettes can trigger phlegm, sneezing, and postoperative bleeding.
Observe the required fasting period before surgery.
Contact lenses, jewelry, nail products, and similar items may interfere with surgery, so remove them beforehand.
Wear comfortable clothing that will not irritate the surgical area when you come to the hospital.
You may be unable to drive after surgery.