Nipple reduction and nipple inversion correction are two of the quickest procedures I offer — both can be done right in the office under local anesthesia, and each takes well under an hour. They address different concerns, so let’s talk about each.
Some people just have larger nipples than others — this is true for men too, not just women — and it can be bothersome when they show through clothing. Nipples can also become enlarged during breastfeeding and, for some people, don’t shrink back down after they stop. Nipple reduction removes excess tissue to bring the nipple to a size that feels more proportional and less noticeable under clothes.
Inverted nipples can be something you’ve had since puberty (congenital) — totally normal and just how your body developed. But if inversion is new — meaning your nipple used to point out and has started pulling inward — that’s different, and it’s important to take seriously. New-onset nipple inversion can sometimes be a sign of an underlying mass, so I’d want you evaluated by a breast surgeon before we talk about correcting it cosmetically.
Both procedures are done under local anesthesia in the office — no general anesthesia, no operating room. Nipple reduction involves removing a portion of excess tissue and closing with dissolvable stitches. Nipple inversion correction involves releasing the shortened ducts and tissue that are pulling the nipple inward, and holding the nipple in its new, everted position while it heals. Either can also be combined with a breast lift, reduction, or augmentation if you’re having one of those procedures anyway.
Scars from both procedures tend to be small — only a centimeter or two — and heal well hidden along the edges of the nipple or areola.
This is usually — surprisingly, maybe! — not very painful. Most patients do well with just Tylenol or Motrin. Expect some tenderness and swelling for the first several days, and most people return to regular activities after about a week or so, depending on how they’re healing.
If you think you might want to breastfeed in the future, this matters a lot for nipple inversion correction specifically: the procedure works by dividing the milk ducts that are pulling the nipple inward, and those same ducts are active in lactation. Dividing them can affect your ability to breastfeed from that side. This is a conversation we should have in detail at consultation if future breastfeeding is a priority for you. Nipple reduction, by contrast, does not typically carry this same risk since it’s about removing excess tissue rather than dividing ducts — but we’ll still go through your specific case.
Yes — if you’re already having breast surgery, nipple reduction or inversion correction can often be done at the same time.
A change in sensation is a possible risk. Temporary changes are common and usually improve over weeks to months; permanent changes are possible but not common.
This tends to be more comfortable than people expect — most patients manage well with Tylenol or Motrin alone. Most people are back to regular activities after about a week or so, depending on healing.