Inverted nipples are common and affect up to 10% of the population. Mr Richards specialises in this field and answers some of the most common questions about inverted nipples and Inverted Nipple Correction minor surgical procedure. For more information or should you wish to book a FREE Consultation with our specialist plastic surgeon, please call us on 01844 214362.

Inverted Nipple Correction 2 – Questions and Answers

Hello. My name is Adrian Richards. I’m a consultant plastic and cosmetic surgeon and the Surgical Director of Aurora Clinics. I specialise in inverted nipples and the correction of them. This is part two of a video I’ve done answering questions about inverted nipples. I’m going to run through a few more that I’m frequently asked at this stage.

One of the most important is, will I be able to breast feed? How will they change in pregnancy? The cause of inverted nipples is tight ducts. So if you’re a Grade 1, that means the nipple comes out sometimes and stays out, you may be able to get away with just a lengthening of the ducts and possibly the Niplette suction device. However, if you’re a Grade 2, that’s the nipple comes out, goes straight back in again. Three, the nipple never comes out. I think it’s very unlikely that surgery will be successful unless the ducts are divided because it’s the ducts that are causing the inversion. The answer is after surgery divides the ducts, you will not be able to breast feed. This is a very important consideration if you are thinking about breast feeding following the operation. The thing to remember is that only some people with inverted nipples can breast feed. So about 50% of patients, in my experience, with inverted nipples can breast feed, and the more inverted the nipple the more likely you are not to be able to breast feed.

Next one is, will it be painful afterwards? Well, it’s not that painful afterwards. I would describe it as mild discomfort after. They feel a little bit sore, sometimes a little bit bruised. Normally just paracetamol or a simple analgesic like Nurofen is absolutely fine following the procedure. We normally will give you some of that or give you instructions on exactly what to do after the operation.

If you come from a long way away, I do a lot of girls from abroad or from different parts of England, often they’ll change their dressings themselves a week afterwards. You can remove your dressings and if you have any concerns, e-mail us, talk to us, send us photos. We’ll, of course, be happy to see you, but if it’s more convenient, if you come from a long way away, we can do a remote consultation so we can talk to you either via e-mail or in person. You can forward me photos so I’ll be able to have a look at the exact type of inversion, discuss that with you and come down for the treatment. Then if everything’s okay, we don’t need to see you afterwards. So, really, it’s a one-stop shop for this.

Another question is, can I have the operation under NHS? Absolutely. In some cases you can. It depends on the region you work. So in some regions, the NHS is much stricter than others on what is allowed and what isn’t allowed. The best thing to do is go and visit your GP and ask them their advice. They can always write to the PCT, the Primary Care Trust, to ask their advice.

The other thing is about my technique. Why is that better than others? I don’t know. It’s a very simple technique really. Other people use a variety of techniques involving scars around the bottom of the areola, flaps of tissue to hold the nipple out. Some people even put bits of cartridge in the nipples. I don’t think that’s necessary. I think the secret really is to divide the ducts thoroughly and put the temporary stitch at the base. So I think my technique works really well. It’s under local anaesthetic. There’s minimal discomfort, minimal recurrence rate, and minimal scarring because the stitching is inside the nipple.

So I hope that’s been useful and informative. If you’ve got any questions you’d like me to answer, please e-mail us and I’ll be happy to do that. It’s a very, very common condition affecting 10% of the population to a varying degree. The important thing is you’re not alone with it. Lots of people have it and there is a solution. Thank you for watching the video. Please feel free to get in contact with us either by ringing us or via e-mail at info@aurora-clinics.co.uk if you feel we can be of help. Thank you.