Restoration of the nipple and areola, beginning of the article
The first method is to restore the nipple and areola using a tattoo.
The method is widely used due to its simplicity and ease of portability. Tattoos are often used during reconstructive surgery to achieve color similarity to the paired nipple. Some patients prefer only tattooing, but, unfortunately, the results of such procedures leave much to be desired for a better, more natural result. The pigments used to achieve a resemblance to living tissue are quite stable. But in some cases, they can disintegrate prematurely and greatly change shades in unpredictable variations. The color of such a tattoo
may fade over time, in which case the procedure is usually repeated.
The second method is to restore the nipple and areola using prostheses. Currently, prostheses are used extremely rarely: most patients prefer longer-term solutions.
Areola restoration
- Skin flaps. The two-dimensional structure of the areola greatly simplifies its restoration. Traditional materials include skin flaps from the paired nipple or from the external genitalia. It is assumed that these tissues most reliably reproduce the structure and color of the areola. However, modern tattoo techniques and the widest selection of coloring pigments make possible complications after transplantation of skin flaps unjustified. Moreover, the results of tattoos are no worse, and sometimes even better.
- Use of donor material. Putting aside and preserving pieces of the areola cut off during the reconstruction process is not a completely healthy practice from an oncological point of view. In addition, such areas of skin are unpredictable in terms of changes in shape and pigmentation. Typically, this technique is practiced to close the donor sites of the reconstructed area of the areola and nipple; there are no indications for other cases.
- Tattoo. Reproduction of the area of the areola and nipple on the reconstructed mammary gland
is a simple procedure that can be easily corrected; moreover, it does not pose any difficulties for patients and does not require reconstruction.
Tattoo
creates a purely optical effect, without textural features. Therefore, this technique is used before or after surgery to restore the structure of the nipple.
There are many coloring pigments that allow you to achieve a complete resemblance to a paired areola. Usually a darker shade is used because tattoos tend to fade slightly after some time after application. Multiple treatments may be needed to achieve optimal results. In some cases, to ease the recovery period and achieve a more natural look, it is recommended to get a tattoo before surgery to restore the structure of the nipple.
Nipple reconstruction
- The most difficult thing in such operations is to recreate a three-dimensional volumetric structure that is symmetrical to the paired nipple. The main thing is to achieve a lasting effect. The reconstructed nipple makes the operated breast appear
more natural. The methods used include transplantation of donor tissue, tissue from the paired nipple, other areas of skin and artificial materials. - Taking material from the paired nipple significantly reduces the sensitivity of the female breast; moreover, it becomes much more difficult to achieve similarity between the mammary glands. Since there are many alternative techniques, this is the last one recommended.
- There are many techniques for nipple restoration using the patient’s own tissue, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Flap techniques and filler injections are used.
- There are also techniques for simultaneous breast and nipple restoration. Nipple reconstruction during TRAM surgery - excess tissue is formed into the body of the nipple. This technique allows you to achieve optimal placement of the areola on the chest, but requires significant experience of the surgeon. It is much easier to achieve absolute symmetry if reconstructive surgery is performed on both mammary glands at once.
Preparing for surgery
Nipple reconstruction surgery is usually performed at least 3 months after breast
. This period allows it to heal completely, making it easier to determine the optimal location of the nipple.
Nipple reconstruction - achieving symmetry is important. If a paired nipple is present, the surgeon's task is much simpler. If necessary, the areola can be reduced. The size, color and location of the new nipple must exactly match the parameters of the second breast.
When operating on both glands, the area of the areola and nipple is placed on the most protruding part of the gland, 11 cm from the center of the pectoral meridian, running from the middle of the collarbone to the fold under the breast, approximately 21-23 cm from the sternal notch. These, of course, are very average parameters; in each case they are determined individually, based on the anatomical characteristics and preferences of the patient. For example, fluctuations in the distance from the areola to the fold under the breast of 5-9 cm may be due to the following factors:
- Breast size;
- The presence or absence of a clearly defined fold;
- The desired end result.
In order for the patient to confirm the final location of the areola and nipple before surgery, a dummy is used.
Big nipples are a problem
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In most cases, the presence of this flaw is dictated not by objective reality, but by someone’s subjective opinion - the woman herself or the person whose judgment is important to her. As a rule, the beloved man is such an authoritative expert in the field of breast nipples. It is for him that a woman tries to improve her body. Here it is necessary to distinguish between concern for the health of a loved one, when the area around the nipple has really become too large, from idle judgment about the beauty of individual organs on the woman’s body.
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If the increase in the areola does not exceed the normal size, you should not think about how to reduce the nipple. It’s better to think about how to change your loved one’s judgment about your beauty. If today he is not satisfied with the size of his nipples, then tomorrow some other part of the body may seem ugly. When you love a person, the flaws in his figure do not cause disgust or ridicule. If you agree to change your breasts just to please the man you love, then your problem is not the size of your nipples, but low self-esteem. This is a psychological problem, not an aesthetic one.
For women who live in harmony with their body and the world around them, the question of how to reduce nipple size does not exist. She gives joy to herself and her partner without thinking about the shape and size of her breasts. On the contrary, enlarged nipples can become an additional erotic factor in sexual games. Think about it: perhaps your problem with large nipples is nothing to worry about. It's another matter if the increase in areolas is really significant. This should raise health concerns. Then you should see a doctor and hear his recommendations regarding nipple changes.
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It should be noted that the shape and size of the nipples, as well as the area surrounding them, is determined by the genetic characteristics of the body and its anatomical structure. They may change during pregnancy or breastfeeding. But you can radically change the shape or size of your nipples only through plastic surgery. Before wondering how to reduce large nipples, it may be helpful to think about the need for such changes. Nipples are a very delicate area. To make any operational changes, you need to have a good understanding of the structural features of the body. Neither the color of the areola nor the size of the nipple are static parameters. They may undergo changes due to natural reasons.
Nipple plastic surgery in men
Men also turn to specialists for nipple surgery. The reasons for surgery may be injuries or congenital pathologies when the nipple is missing or severely damaged. There are also those who simply want to be perfect in everything, or regularly demonstrate themselves, for example, at bodybuilding competitions. Then a plastic surgeon is asked to reduce the nipples or make them symmetrical.
If a man decides to undergo surgery due to gynecomastia, then most often the changes will affect the nipple-areolar complex. Nipple reduction and repositioning may also be necessary for those who have lost weight.
Reasons for the increase
As a rule, the size of the nipples and mammary glands are proportionate. The larger the size of the breast, the heavier it is, the larger the area around the nipple, and its color is more intense and darker. Areola sizes up to 10 cm are considered normal. Reasons for nipple enlargement can be:
- Hormonal imbalances.
- Period of menstruation.
- Pregnancy.
- Breast-feeding.
- Treatment with strong antibiotics.
- Age-related changes.
A very significant and important topic is nipple enlargement during pregnancy and childbirth. Even during gestation, the color of the areolas changes to dark brown, their border expands and the breasts begin to swell, acquiring stretch marks. While breastfeeding a baby, the size of the nipples and areolas increases even more, which raises the question among breastfeeding women whether it is possible to reduce the nipples after childbirth. Most often, the concern is in vain, since after the baby stops feeding the baby with mother’s milk, the size of the nipple returns to its usual limits.
Manual pulling methods
A flat nipple is not a death sentence, as is the case with an inverted shape of this part of the body. While registered at the antenatal clinic for pregnancy, each expectant mother undergoes a full examination, which includes a breast examination by a mammologist. The doctor informs a woman with flat or inverted nipples in advance what the problem will be and how to deal with it.
The key to successful breastfeeding is proper attachment of the baby. To do this, you need to take a comfortable position and hold your chest with your hand. The feeding nipple should be directed into the baby's wide open mouth so that it touches the baby's palate, while the baby should grasp the areola almost completely. Women with 1 degree of inversion, as a rule, do not have difficulties. And after just a few times of applying the baby to the breast, the nipple takes the required shape without any problems. When the 2nd or 3rd degree of inversion is observed, you cannot do without auxiliary exercises.
Before you begin any action, you should keep in mind that a flat nipple can only be on one breast. In such a situation, there is no point in undertaking any manipulations of the relative second organ.
A flat nipple is not a death sentence, as is the case with an inverted shape of this part of the body
All actions aimed at stretching the nipples are recommended to be carried out after childbirth. The fact is that the female breast during pregnancy is directly connected to the uterus. With constant and especially intense stimulation of the nipple, the tone of the reproductive organ may increase, which poses a danger to the intrauterine development of the baby.
The simplest and most pleasant way for a woman to stretch flat nipples is to stimulate them during intercourse. But this technique is not suitable immediately after childbirth, since sex during this period is contraindicated. Therefore, an alternative method is manual therapy. This requires using your index finger and thumb to pull the nipple forward and twist it several times a day. It should be borne in mind that during the manipulation the woman should not feel pain or other unpleasant sensations.
Another method that allows you to stretch your nipples is the Hoffman method. It consists of stretching the areola. The procedure is performed using fingers. They are applied on different sides of the nipple contour and begin to be gently stretched: first they make movements to the sides, and then up and down.
Manual therapy methods will give positive results only if they are performed regularly.
Breast care during pregnancy
In rare cases this does not happen. Then the woman begins to look for ways to reduce her nipple without surgery, on her own at home. To avoid having to worry about this and to avoid too much increase in the size of the areolas and nipples, you should provide an effective diet with special breast care during pregnancy and the entire feeding period. As your breasts prepare to breastfeed, breast tissue begins to grow. This leads to the appearance of stretch marks if the breast skin is not elastic and firm enough. Sometimes an increase in the size of the areola is also accompanied by its shrinking, which makes the breasts unattractive.
When should you seek help from a plastic surgeon?
Nipple plastic surgery or correction is indicated in situations such as an inverted or overly stretched nipple, a disproportionately wide or long nipple, an overly large areola (pigmented area near the nipple), an asymmetrical location or shape, deformation or complete absence of the nipple.
During the examination, the specialist will determine whether you have indications for surgical nipple correction and will select the optimal solution. If the situation can be corrected using a non-surgical method, then he will definitely tell you about it. The main thing is that you trust the doctor you choose.
Skin needs collagen
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To remain firm and sufficiently elastic, breasts must receive collagen regularly. To do this, a woman’s diet must certainly contain animal and vegetable fats. Their deficiency in the body can be replenished by using moisturizers suitable for your skin type, as well as regular nourishing breast wraps. If you maintain the firmness and elasticity of your skin, then you will not need to worry about how to reduce your nipple after childbirth. All previous sizes will be restored some time after breastfeeding ends. Note that almost all beauty salons offer various qualified procedures. But they can also be done at home.
Seaweed wrap
Is it possible to reduce nipples after childbirth? The answer is yes. Nutritional wraps are very effective for this purpose. They will allow you to prevent stretching of the areolas even at the stage of pregnancy.
The most popular and effective procedure is the use of seaweed for wrapping. To do this, soak 100 grams of kelp leaves for half an hour in a liter of warm water (up to 65 degrees). If soaked in water at room temperature, it will take 2 hours. We put the seaweed on the chest, cover it with film and a warm down scarf or wool blanket for 30 minutes. Without insulation, it takes about an hour to keep the algae on your chest.
Cream mask
How to reduce nipple size? You can try the following mask. The elasticity of the skin on the chest is achieved by using a mixture of cream (1 tbsp) and rose petals (2 tbsp). The homogeneous mixture is applied for 15 minutes, covered with film and a towel.
For sagging breast skin, a nutritious mixture with walnuts is recommended - 4 walnut kernels, 1 tbsp each. honey and butter, 1 yolk. Chop the nuts well, mix everything and apply to clean skin for 20 minutes. Cover with film.
If you are breastfeeding, hot wraps are contraindicated.
Nutrition for breasts and nipples
Your diet should contain the following foods:
- Cereals, legumes and shelled seafood, where there is a lot of copper.
- Blue berries.
- Citrus fruits and kiwi provide vitamin C.
- Chicken yolk - supplies sulfur.
- Brewer's yeast and sprouted wheat contain an abundance of zinc.
- Beets, radishes and other red-fleshed vegetables are rich in silicon.
- Fatty fish - it contains a lot of omega vitamins - 3, 6, 9.
- Pomegranates, buckwheat and cilantro provide iron.
- Pumpkin, bananas, dates, soy, red pepper, oatmeal. These foods help produce collagen.
Folk remedy made from poppy heads
Since official medicine cannot offer any medications to reduce the size of nipples, let’s get acquainted with the advice that traditional medicine offers. If you are wondering whether it is possible to reduce a woman’s nipples without resorting to surgery, then know that this is quite possible. Traditional methods will help you in this matter. They have been tested for centuries and will not harm the body. Using folk remedies, how can a woman reduce her nipples on her chest? To do this, you should know several effective recipes and not be lazy to use them.
The most effective way to help reduce the size of the nipple is considered to be a regular infusion of garden poppy heads. For 50 g of dry poppy heads you will need 2 glasses of water. The medicine should be boiled, wait until it cools and strain. Use it for compresses. The effect will become visually noticeable within 2-3 weeks. The more regularly you use this remedy, the better results you can achieve. Traditional healers promise that as the overall size of the mammary gland decreases, both the nipple and areola will decrease proportionally.
Surgical method of treatment
This method of breast correction is suitable for girls who are just planning to become a mother and feed the child on their own, or for those who simply do not like the shape of their nipples.
Modern medicine makes it possible to perform surgery without damaging the milk ducts. This method is resorted to only when it was not possible to pull out flat nipples using any of the above methods.
Shape correction surgery does not require hospitalization and is performed using local anesthesia. A prerequisite for the operation is to examine the patient and identify the cause of the inversion. In the process of preparing for surgery, the doctor must tell you what to expect from the procedure and what the result will be.
Although a hospital stay is not required after surgical correction, the woman will need to undergo regular dressing changes. If any complications occur, you should immediately report them to your doctor.
Aroma oils
Another equally good way to help reduce nipple size is the use of aromatic oils. The most obvious results can be achieved with a mixture of jojoba oils - 25 ml, and grape (seed) oils - 5 ml. You just need to rub the product into the skin. With constant use, this will help not only reduce the size of the nipples, but also remove stretch marks, as well as remove age spots. Rose oil provides similar benefits if used daily or alternately with the previous mixture. The main thing is that there is no individual intolerance to the drug.
Postoperative period
If the operation was performed under local anesthesia, you may be allowed to go home on the same day or the next. If it is general, they will offer to stay under observation a little longer.
Dressings are done every day until the stitches are removed, which usually happens on days 7-10. Additionally, you need to wear special compression garments for 2 weeks to a month. In the early postoperative period, slight swelling and hematomas are possible, which disappear on their own during the first week.
In order not to provoke deterioration, thermal procedures (sauna, steam bath), direct sunlight, including solariums are not recommended. During the first month, avoid heavy physical activity and drinking alcohol.
If you experience signs of inflammation (redness, new swelling, pain) in the surgical area, contact your doctor immediately. Timely assistance will prevent the development of serious complications.
If you doubt whether you need nipple plastic surgery, whether correction is needed and what kind, come for a consultation with an experienced surgeon and ask all the questions. Stay beautiful and confident!
Exercises to reduce nipple size
Many people are interested in how to reduce a woman’s nipples. This matter cannot be done without special physical exercises. They can help reduce breast and nipple volume. Using a combination of physical activity on a certain part of the body and traditional methods, you can achieve excellent results without surgery. There are many such exercises. They can be performed with or without different gymnastic equipment. Here are the most effective and efficient ones:
- Push-ups in a lying position from the floor or in a standing position from the wall.
- Raise your arms to the sides with dumbbells or any other weights, such as water bottles.
- Aerobics that focuses on the upper body in the chest area.
- Reduction of the shoulder blades to the maximum and relaxation.
- Exercises with an expander.
Chest pads
Breast cups are a kind of molding device for nipples. It is recommended to resort to them when massage exercises do not have the desired effect or do not help at all. Breast cups are available for free sale. They can be purchased at a regular pharmacy or at a maternity store. Sometimes these devices are recommended for women who experience cracks in their breasts when feeding a child.
Breast cups are slightly convex discs. They are made of a special soft material that does not cause inconvenience during operation. A hole is made in the center of the disc into which the woman must place the nipple. The product is made in such a way that the nipple gradually begins to take the desired shape.
When purchasing cups, you should pay attention to the diameter of the hole. Products that are designed to reduce sensitivity during feeding have a larger hole diameter than those that are designed specifically for pulling.
Nipple shields are not recommended to be worn all day. In cases where nipples are easily deformed, they can be put on approximately half an hour before feeding.
When using cups, you need to maintain hygiene and wash them regularly. If a rash appears on the chest after using them, it is recommended to discard them or minimize the time of wearing them.
Useful tips
We have already found out the answer to the question of whether it is possible to reduce nipples. Many doctors believe that the most common cause of enlarged nipples and areolas is being overweight. According to its physiology, excess fat accumulates in this area - under the tissue of the nipple areolas, causing them to stretch and enlarge. To make your nipples smaller, you need to get rid of excess subcutaneous fat deposits, which can be achieved through proper nutrition and physical activity.
Problems with breast enlargement may be associated with certain changes in hormonal levels. If your nipples are swollen without any objective reason, then it would be better to contact a specialist - an endocrinologist, gynecologist or mammologist. After a thorough laboratory examination and finding out the true cause of the changes, you will be prescribed adequate treatment or given competent recommendations.
If nipple enlargement is pathological and exceeds acceptable standards, only high-quality plastic surgery can help bring them back to normal.
Operations
Stingray shaped flap
A circle is drawn on the reconstructed breast, exactly corresponding to the areola on the second gland.
The position of the sketch must be confirmed both visually and by measurements. In the selected area, an axis is drawn that is twice as long, and the diameter of the entire sketch is three times larger than the paired nipple. Two “wings” are raised along with the subcutaneous tissues to the center of the nipple being formed; the subcutaneous fat creates additional volume.
As a result, the resulting nipple has a double blood supply - from the outer skin and from the muscle-fat tissue. The flaps of fabric are wrapped around the central rod and sewn. To avoid flattening, in some cases, additional donor skin is required to form the nipple, usually taken from scars on the mammary gland.
Bell shaped flap
The sketch consists of a bell-shaped piece of fabric and a central circle - the place where the future areola is formed.
The diameter of the circumference is 15-20% larger than the paired areola. The base of the flap through which the blood supply will pass must be at least ¼ of the diameter. The cut-off base is an arc equal to 1/6 of the circumference.
The edges of the “bell” are raised and bent inward, using sutures to form a nipple. Since the resulting areola is smaller than the donor site, a temporary suture is made to tighten its subcutaneous tissue, bringing the edges of the wound and the new areola closer together.
Double loop
The size of the planned areola is determined from the other breast. An incision is made across the imaginary circle, three times the size of the intended nipple. From the edge of this incision, 2 more transverse ones are made, in the shape of the letter S. The width of each flap should be 18mm.
Both pieces of tissue lift and form the nipple. The donor sites are sutured. Afterwards, the areola is applied using a tattoo.
Star shaped flap
A three-pointed star is drawn inside the circle delimiting the future areola. Its base is an ideal circle in the center of the areola, measuring approximately 1/5 of its diameter.
Two limbs of the star rise and twist together, the third covers them. Thus, a stable structure is formed.
The donor sites are sutured. After complete healing, the tattoo is applied.
Spiral flaps
This modern technique is based on the use of mastectomy
, can be used after implantation of expanders or implants. The new nipple is placed in the center of the existing scar.
A flap 5-6 cm long and 2 cm wide is cut from the tissue that forms it, then it is twisted into a spiral and stitched.
Trapezoid flap
The sketch is a trapezoid, its base is equal to 3 diameters, its height is 2 diameters of a paired nipple. The larger side is divided into three parts, the middle of which serves as the base of the flap.
A cylindrical structure is formed from vertical flaps, which is then sewn together.
Postoperative complications
In the postoperative period, antimicrobial ointments and Vaseline should be applied to the wound, bandages should be applied to the surgical site, and the nipple itself should be covered with a special plastic cap. Similar procedures are carried out over two weeks. It is recommended to wear comfortable decompression clothing.
If the operation fails, it can be repeated, or the technique of implanting your own or donor cartilage to provide nipple support is used. Among the most modern means are also artificial fabrics, which significantly improve the final result.