Inverted Nipple Correction in Scottsdale and Phoenix, AZ

Am I a Good Candidate for Inverted Nipple Correction?

If your nipples are incapable of everting, or turning outward, you could be a good candidate for this surgery.

Inverted nipples are classified into three grades:

• Grade 1 inverted nipples are typically inverted but will evert easily in response to touch or cold, and will remain everted with mild stimulation. Sometimes they are called “shy nipples.”
• Grade 2 inverted nipples are harder to evert and will tend to turn inward quickly, often despite continued stimulation.
• Grade 3 inverted nipples cannot be everted. These can cause hygiene problems because they are hard to clean and may tend to become infected.

All three grades of inverted nipples can be corrected through surgery. No matter the degree of the inverted nipple, most often women are still able to breastfeed. A baby will latch onto the breast, creating a good seal and then suction will stimulate the secretion of milk. Sometimes milk ducts are blocked, but this is a distinct problem from inverted nipples, though they may share a common cause.

Benefits of Inverted Nipple Correction

Inverted and everted nipples are the same shape, just reversed, so correction generally does not involve much alteration of the nipple itself. Most often, the problem is behind the nipple, such as scar tissue or the smooth muscle behind the nipple. Unless the problem is the milk ducts themselves, it is generally possible to maintain the function of the nipple so women who were previously able to breastfeed should still be capable following surgery. However, it is possible that a woman may lose sensation or the function of the milk glands after surgery. Correction of the inverted nipple can often be combined with other breast surgery, such as a breast lift or breast augmentation (especially when utilizing the periareolar incision).

Recovery & Results From Inverted Nipple Surgery

After your in-office procedure, you will be sent home with bandages around your incision sites to help reduce swelling and minimize bleeding. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions for what you can and cannot do immediately after surgery and in the weeks to come.

You can see what our surgeons have achieved for other inverted nipple patients by browsing our before-and-after photos to get an idea of what this procedure could mean for you.