Areola Reduction Surgery
Feeling self-conscious about the size of your nipples can severely impact your confidence and self-esteem. Fix this insecurity and embrace your beauty by opting for areola reduction surgery.
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Mr Andrew Pieri - Updated December 9, 2024
- Created June 21, 2023
What is Areola Reduction?
Areola reduction surgery is a cosmetic procedure that reduces and resizes the pigmented dark skin surrounding your nipple, called the areola. The procedure is also known by other names, including reduction mammoplasty, nipple reduction surgery or areola resizing.
Your breasts and areolas are distinctive, and there is no standard look or shape. The dark skin area around the nipple area can be almost any size or shape, and some people might have one protruding nipple that is more noticeable than another. These aesthetic factors are generally not an indicator of ill health or anything to worry about.
However, if you feel self-conscious about the size of your areolae, this surgical procedure can improve your breasts’ appearance by balancing your proportions. This transformative operation can improve your confidence by creating harmony with your breasts and aligning with your cosmetic goals.
Mr Pieri performs various nipple procedures at his clinics, including areola reduction, nipple reduction and nipple or breast reconstructions. Based on your aesthetic goals, Mr Pieri may combine other cosmetic procedures, such as breast reduction, to achieve your desired look. He can discuss what you want from your areola reduction surgery during your initial consultation.
Reasons For Choosing Areola Reduction Surgery
There are many reasons to choose to get cosmetic surgery to change the look of your areolas. Your breast characteristics are unique to you, and the size and shape of your areolas can be determined by several factors, including:
Genetics: You inherit features from both parents, influencing whether you have small or large areolas.
Tuberous Breasts: Some women have a tuberous breast shape. This is caused by tight fibres in the lower part of the breast tissue, which prevent this area from growing properly and prevent the lower breast skin from stretching during breast development at puberty. In some tuberous breast cases, the higher pressure in the lower part of the breast causes the breast tissue to protrude out through the areola area, creating a puffy areola that can become stretched over time. Tuberous breast correction can involve breast implant surgery, fat grafting surgery or/and areola reduction surgery.
Age: As you age, your breast structure changes, and your skin loses elasticity. Ultimately, this can result in stretched areolas that look visibly larger.
Weight Changes: Weight loss or weight gain can impact the proportions of your breasts, leading to disproportionate areolas.
Pregnancy: Naturally, your breasts will expand during pregnancy, and your nipples and areolas can stretch.
Breastfeeding: Your areolae and nipple size will change during breastfeeding due to the hormones that produce milk and additional stimulation.
Hormonal Changes: During puberty, pregnancy and breastfeeding, your body produces more progesterone and estrogen levels which may cause your areolas to increase in size.
Previous Breast Surgery: Various breast augmentation surgeries can alter or stretch your areolae size and position.
Although there are no health issues associated with having prominent areolas, it can severely impact how you feel about yourself. Therefore, if you can relate to these aesthetic struggles, areola reduction surgery is a suitable solution for you to consider.
What Are The Benefits of Nipple Reduction Surgery?
Nipple correction surgery is a long-lasting solution that offers many benefits, including:
- Enhanced Body Confidence: Prominent or large areolas can make you feel self-conscious, disproportionate or embarrassed. By opting for this treatment, your self-esteem and confidence can improve, positively impacting your mental well-being.
- Cosmetic Appearance: By adjusting the areola and nipple size, Mr Pieri can create a harmonious and balanced look, improving the overall aesthetic appearance of your breasts. Typically, this procedure is actioned alongside breast augmentation surgery to provide fuller breasts in line with your cosmetic goals.
- Comfort: Large or puffy areolas and nipples can cause physical discomfort during exercise. This surgical option can alleviate the tenderness, enhance your breast’s proportions, and improve your enjoyment of daily activities.
- Freedom: Large areolas can impact how your breasts look in swimsuits, clothing and underwear. It can create a puffy shape, or you may need to readjust yourself to protect your modesty. With an areola reduction, you can feel confident wearing all clothing items without embarrassment.
- Minimal Scarring: The procedure involves a small circular scar around the perimeter of the areola. Due to the fact that there is a natural colour change at the site of the scar, it often becomes well hidden over time. The healing process is usually relatively simple compared to other surgical procedures on your breasts.
Your Areola Reduction Procedure
During your areola reduction surgery, Mr Pieri will strategically make a periareolar incision to remove excess areola skin. The surrounding skin is pulled towards the nipple and stitched together. The natural change in skin colour and texture around your nipple will often conceal the scar and improve the cosmetic outcome of the treated area.
This minor procedure is performed as a day case under local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic (i.e. fully unconscious) at your request. Usually, it is safe for you to leave after the operation to recover in the comfort of your home.
Preparation
The night before your nipple correction surgery, please shower using antibacterial soap and avoid using perfumes or creams to keep your skin clean.
For your safety, you should not eat 6 hours before treatment or drink 2 hours before surgery.
Pre-surgical checks will happen on the day of your treatment, during which Mr Pieri will also mark your skin and take before images as a reference point.
Recovery
As a simple procedure, nipple reduction surgery usually only leads to mild discomfort for a few days after surgery.
It’s important you avoid heavy lifting for around four to six weeks after the procedure. Post-operative check-ups are scheduled for one week post-surgery for a dressing change with the nurse. Then, Mr Pieri will see you again after two weeks and three to six months to ensure a safe recovery and good cosmetic result.
A post-surgical bra is also required during the recovery process to facilitate healing, prevent excess swelling, and minimise bruising after the operation. It should be worn for several weeks post-surgery. Mr Pieri can discuss your recovery process and when you can return to normal activities.
TIME IN THEATRE
1 Hour
Hospital Stay
0 Nights (Day Case)
Return to Work
7 Days
Recovery Time
6 Weeks
Post-Op Bra
6 weeks
Areola Reduction Surgery FAQs
What are the risks of areola reduction surgery?
While areola reduction is a relatively simple procedure compared to other procedures, as with all cosmetic procedures, there are some potential risks and complications that you should be aware of. Although this is a safe operation, undergoing areola reduction surgery may result in the following:
Changes to your nipple sensation
Scarring
Damage to your milk ducts
Bruising, numbness and nausea during recovery
If you have any questions about the risks associated with areola reduction surgery or notice anything strange during your recovery period, we recommend booking a free virtual consultation or emailing Mr Pieri at [email protected]. Working with an experienced breast surgeon and surgical team, like Mr Pieri and his staff, will reduce the chances of further complications.
Can I breastfeed after areola reduction surgery?
Breasts require glandular tissue (milk-making tissue) and neurohormonal reflexes to produce and release milk. Understandably, all breast surgeries have the potential to disrupt or interfere with milk production. However, as a highly skilled and expert cosmetic breast surgeon, Mr Pieri will carefully preserve milk ducts and blood supply to the nipple region to ensure you can breastfeed safely after the procedure. Although many patients can successfully breastfeed without complications after an areola reduction, it is based on your body and surgical requirements. It’s recommended that you discuss any concerns with Mr Pieri during your initial consultations to determine if this is the right surgical option for you.
What scars will I have after my areola reduction treatment?
The simple process of reducing an enlarged areola or nipple will leave behind minimal scarring around the incision sites. Mr Pieri makes a circular incision around the areola, which often blends with the natural colour transition between the skin and the pigmented outer brown area around the areola. While initial healing takes place over the first few weeks, your scars from the incisions can take up to two years to fully mature. This will vary from individual to individual, so it is essential to follow the advice given by Mr Pieri during your post-operative check-ups.
How much can my areolas be reduced?
Areola reduction is a bespoke surgery tailored to each patient, and it is not a one-size-fits-all procedure. Mr Pieri will understand your aesthetic goals and determine the best approach in reference to your breast’s proportions to provide natural and beautiful results. Therefore, the degree of reduction will vary based on your contours and individual preferences.
When will I see results from my areola reduction procedure?
After your surgery, you will see an immediate change to your areola shape and size. During the first post-operative check-up, Mr Pieri will remove the stitches, which will allow you to see a visible improvement in your breasts and the areola area in particular. However, it will take up to 6 months to see your final results as it will allow for all swelling to dissipate and breast tissue to settle. Additionally, it can take up to one year for the incision points to fade and heal so that you can appreciate the final results.
Can this be done with another procedure?
An areola reduction can be performed simultaneously with another cosmetic breast augmentation procedure. In your consultation, Mr Pieri can give you an idea of the options you have to either solely address problems with your areolas or explore other ways to enhance your chest. Then, during your face-to-face consultations, Mr Pieri will understand your cosmetic desires and marry these expectations with a bespoke treatment plan. This procedure can be combined with an implant augmentation if you want to increase your breasts’ volume and improve their shape or symmetry with Motiva implants. A combined areola and breast reduction will be the best solution if you have larger breasts with excess breast tissue. Alternatively, a breast lift with areola reduction is a suitable option if you have sagging breasts or breast ptosis.
How much does nipple reduction surgery cost?
The cost of your procedure will depend on a variety of factors, and your surgeon can discuss this with you during your initial face-to-face consultation, which costs £200.
Are there any non-surgical alternatives to areola reduction surgery?
Currently, there are no procedures that can reduce the size of your areolas without surgery. However, there are other procedures you can choose to change the appearance of your nipples, such as cosmetic tattooing of semi-permanent make-up to change the colour or extend the size of the circular area of skin surrounding the nipple. This approach won’t reduce the size of your areola but can enhance the look of the nipple area.
Book Your Areola Reduction Surgery Today
Mr Pieri performs nipple reduction surgery at his Newcastle practice, located at The Royal Victoria Infirmary. Additionally, you can book private and NHS consultations at his other North East locations, including Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, and Carlisle.
If areola reduction surgery is something you have considered for a while, complete this online form to speak with Mr Pieri and schedule your free virtual consultation.
