Nip(ple) & Tuck: Plastic Surgery Practice Offers Areola Restoration and Inverted Nipple Surgery

Across the country, millions of women are unhappy with nipples that are puffy, inverted, or overly large. A Los Angeles plastic surgery practice offers help for these women through safe, proven plastic surgery methods from surgeons who are innovators in the field of nipple repair.

Los Angeles, California (March 28, 2008) — Many millions of women are unhappy with the appearance of their nipples and the dark skin that surrounds them, known as the areola. Even today, there is a shortage of information about surgical correction for women who want to improve this very important part of the breast. Thankfully, a plastic surgery practice in Los Angeles provides a comprehensive guide to this often overlooked area of cosmetic surgery through its nipple repair specialty site.

“It may come as a surprise to some, but I get many women asking about nipple repair and correction during consultations,” says Dr. Grant Stevens, Medical Director of Marina Plastic Surgery Associates in Los Angeles. “Having a nipple deformity or excessively large areolas can cause a great deal of self-consciousness for women in intimate settings, exactly the time when they want to feel most comfortable with themselves and their bodies. The good news is, we can correct these concerns safely and effectively with specialized plastic surgery procedures.”

Nationally, it is estimated that about 2% of all women have at least one inverted nipple, or a nipple that does not stick out from the areola. Many more women are bothered by nipples that have a “puffy” appearance or have areolas that are much too small or much too large for the size of their breasts.

An inverted nipple may be “shy,” meaning that it will take on a normal appearance during sexual activity or nursing, or may be more severely retracted, meaning that it remains permanently inverted in all situations. Dr. Stevens has invented a safe, proven inverted nipple surgery reconstructive method that uses only local anesthesia and provides women lasting correction.

“For many women with severely retracted nipples, the problem is more than just cosmetic,” adds Dr. Stevens. “A nipple that will not reveal itself even with stimulation will greatly limit a woman’s ability to breastfeed. It is not always possible to achieve enough correction so that nursing is possible – and indeed, I never promise that result following inverted nipple surgery – but for those women who do gain the ability to breastfeed, the procedure is that much more worthwhile.”

Another significant area of nipple cosmetic surgery is areola restoration and reduction. Women who are uncomfortable about the dimensions of their areolas can achieve a more balanced appearance with help from a plastic surgeon who can re-sculpt the areola based on personal preference. Areolas also may project from the breast mound, creating a “puffy” shape. Surgical flattening can help women who find the look of their nipples unattractive. Nipple surgery procedures usually can be performed under local anesthesia, maximizing safety and reducing recovery time. General or twilight sedation is necessary when a nipple procedure is combined with more-extensive cosmetic breast enhancement surgery like breast augmentation, breast lift, or breast reduction.

It’s easy to do research on areola restoration and inverted nipple surgery on the Web. “For a little fun, on our specialty site visitors can vote on their favorite nipple, both in terms of size and position on the breast,” says Dr. Stevens. “The voting underlies an important point: while there is certainly a ‘preferred’ nipple size and shape, people have very different ideals and it’s a highly personal decision that an individual woman has to make about whether surgical correction is right for her.”