Inverted Nipples nothing to be Shy about!
Aurora is now part of The Private Clinic, a nationwide group of clinics with over 35 years of experience specialising in Cosmetic Surgery and Skin and a Trust Pilot 5 star rating. For comprehensive information, before and after photos and costs on Inverted Nipple procedures click here
If you saw ‘The Joy of Teen Sex’ on Channel 4, Weds 26th Jan, you may remember a young lady called Melissa. She came to see Aurora’s very own Mr Adrian Richards because she was ashamed and worried about her ‘shy’ or Inverted Nipples.
Melissa’s nipples had always been inverted but she had never told or shown anybody because she felt she was a freak and would be bullied. She had not heard about other people with similar conditions, so was completely unaware of how very common it really is.
Melissa is not alone: Mr Richards says patients with Inverted Nipples are incredibly conscious of this problem – they are a lot shyer than, say, women with a small bust.
They don’t like talking about it to friends and family; they are embarrassed about changing in public or in front of others which has impacted on their relationships; it has undermined their enjoyment of life, such as holidays with friends; it has even affected their careers.
In fact, Inverted Nipples affect around 10-20% of the population (both male and female)! The term simply means that, instead of protruding from the areola (the darker shaded area in the centre of the breast), the nipple turns inwards instead.
This usually happens due to shortened milk ducts, present from birth. In some cases, however, Inverted Nipples can be caused by trauma to the breast, mastitis, male gynecomastia (man boobs), pregnancy and breastfeeding. In rare cases, where a nipple suddenly turns inwards, this can be an indication of breast cancer so you should always get it checked out by a GP.
There are 3 grades of Inverted Nipple, categorised according to how easily the nipple can be pulled out (everted) and for how long it remains to protrude before turning inwards again:
- Grade 1 Inverted Nipples can be everted quite easily and look normal. After a period of time, however, they do invert again.
- Grade 2 Inverted Nipples can also be everted but immediately invert again.
- Grade 3 Inverted Nipples are the most severe type and are so tethered to the underlying breast tissue that they cannot be everted at all without surgery.
For minor Nipple Inversion, a device called the Avent Niplette is often very effective. It is a little suction device which, over a matter of weeks, can gently pull the nipple out. Most GPs and good Plastic Surgeons will recommend patients trying the Niplette before considering surgery to Inverted Nipples.
For more severe inversions, however, the Niplette is unfortunately unlikely to be enough. In such cases, surgery to correct Inverted Nipples is relatively straightforward, quick and effective.
It can usually be carried out under Local Anaesthetic, as a walk-in, walk-out case and is fairly inexpensive, at around £800 for one nipple or £1500 for both.
Mr Adrian Richards is, in fact, a pioneering surgeon in Inverted Nipple surgery, having developed it into a much simpler but effective technique. In Mr Richards’ procedure, patients are left with just one small stitch and instant results – an amazing possibility for that 10-20 % for whom their condition is a constant embarrassment and concern!
For Melissa, however, simply being reassured that she was not abnormal was enough to make her content with her Inverted Nipples; she decided not to have surgery for the time being.
This was largely due to the risk of being unable to breastfeed following Inverted Nipple Correction; a downside that Mr Richards emphasises on the show and to all his prospective patients.
It must be remembered, however, that many ladies with severely Inverted Nipples would be unable to breastfeed successfully anyway, so the potential benefits of this life-enhancing operation should be carefully balanced against the negatives.
There are a selection of before and after pictures of Inverted Nipple corrections on our website.
Inverted Nipple Surgery at The Private Clinic
The Private Clinic sees over 15,000 new patients every year and performs over 10,000 procedures, with one of the highest –patients’ satisfaction in the sector, Trustpilot 9.4, 5-star rating, 93% would recommend us to their friends and family. We are a multi-award winning provider and have been voted the Aesthetic award for Best UK Clinic Group 2017. The Private Clinic prides itself on its commitment to Medical Expertise, Patient Care and Satisfaction, Honest advice and most importantly Results. We are above all committed to Quality. Please feel free to contact us for any advice or to book a consultation with one of our expert Breast surgeons.
At The Private Clinic, Nipple Surgery is one of our specialisms, and we have a number of BAAPS registered surgeons who offer the treatment. For more information on any of the nipple surgery procedures above, or to book a consultation, please contact us on 0333 920 2471 or use our online contact form.