Your nipples’ surrounding pigmented patches are known as areolas.
Areolas differ greatly in size, color, and shape much as breasts do.
It’s entirely common to have areolas that are huge or varied in size.
There is a chance of a decrease if you’re uncomfortable with the size of your areolas.
Your areolas’ diameters can be decreased by an easy process called areola reduction surgery.
It can be done independently or in conjunction with breast augmentation, breast reduction, or a breast lift.
Continue reading to find out more about the process, rehabilitation, and other topics.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✅ Any man or woman who is dissatisfied with the size of their areolas has the option to undergo an areola reduction.
✅ Surgery for areola reduction has a rather rapid recovery time.
✅ You can typically return to work in one or two days, despite the possibility of some swelling and bruising.
Who can receive this treatment?
Any man or woman who is dissatisfied with the size of their areolas has the option to undergo an areola reduction. If you’ve lost a lot of weight and have stretched areolas as a result, this surgery works well for you. It also functions well if your areolas changed as a result of breastfeeding or pregnancy.
Additionally, those with puffed-out or projecting areolas make for excellent candidates. When an areola is asymmetrical, some people elect to have it reduced to match the other.
Areola reduction surgery for women should wait until the breasts have finished growing, typically by the late teen or early 20s. Male adolescents may be eligible for this treatment at a younger age.
What’s the average price?
The price of areola reduction surgery is influenced by a number of variables, including your location. The type of procedure you receive has the most impact on pricing. The price will go up if you decide to combine it with a breast lift or reduction. Areola reduction surgery alone might cost between $2,000 and $5,000.
Surgery to reduce the areola is a cosmetic technique that is not insured. It will be paid for out of pocket by you. You might be able to afford treatment if a facility offers payment arrangements.
Selecting a plastic surgeon
It’s critical to select the best surgeon for your areola reduction procedure. Choose a plastic surgeon who has earned American Board of Plastic Surgery certification.
Cosmetic surgeons are not held to the same standards as board-certified plastic surgeons. Plastic surgeons with board certification have completed at least six years of surgical training, including at least three years of plastic surgery-specific training.
Make sure to request to see the surgeon’s portfolio before choosing one. This might assist you in identifying the outcomes you’re aiming for as well as the work the surgeon is capable of.
How to get ready for your surgery
After choosing a surgeon, you’ll schedule a consultation appointment to go over the following steps. You can anticipate the following from your appointment: Your doctor will evaluate your breasts, pay attention to your aesthetic issues, and go over your surgical alternatives. They will request your whole medical history, together with a list of your current medications.
Your doctor will explain the procedure to you if they decide you are healthy enough for surgery. They can also show you where scarring is likely to occur. After your operation, they’ll give you a general concept of how your breasts will look and make sure your expectations are reasonable.
You’ll be offered a date for your procedure after your consultation. You will receive detailed preparation instructions from the doctor’s office. This can entail, refraining from taking certain drugs for a week before your operation dates, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
Setting aside time off for your surgery and recovery and arranging transportation to and from your treatment. If general anesthesia will be used, abstain from food the day before surgery, and, on the day of surgery.
Avoiding mascara and other cosmetics the day before surgery, taking off all body jewelry, and dressing comfortably in loose-fitting clothing are all recommended.
What to anticipate throughout the treatment
Areola reduction surgery is a relatively easy procedure that takes around an hour to accomplish. A nearby hospital or your doctor’s surgical clinic may host your procedure. Your nurse will ask you to put on a hospital gown when you get there. You can keep wearing your underpants but you will have to remove your bra.
They will also check your blood pressure. Other things will include:
- Set up a line for intravenous fluids. One medicine may be used to help you unwind, while another may be used to help you fall asleep.
- Use electrodes to track your heart rate while having surgery.
- Verify your fasting, if necessary.
You’ll meet with your surgeon ahead of time to discuss any last-minute queries or worries. You will either receive a local anesthetic from your anesthesiologist or be made ready for general anesthesia.
Throughout the process:
- Your doctor will remove a portion of tissue in the form of a doughnut from your areola.
- To help the scar blend in better, this circular incision will be created along the edge of your existing areola.
- A permanent suture placed deep within your breast will hold your new areola in place. The areola won’t stretch thanks to this suture.
- To close the location of your incision, they’ll use dissolvable or repositionable stitches.
Your doctor might apply surgical dressings or equip you with a special post-surgical bra.
If a local anesthetic was used, you’ll be allowed to leave the hospital very quickly. If you underwent general anesthesia, your physician will keep an eye on you for a while before releasing you.
Potential dangers and issues
Although areola reduction surgery is very safe, there are dangers involved with any operation. These could be:
- Sensation loss. To lessen the chance of sensation loss during areola reduction surgery, the center of your nipple is left in situ. During the healing process, you can have a momentary lack of sensation, but this is rarely permanent. dependable source
- Scarring. Your areola will have a scar around the outside of it, and this scarring can range in severity. The scar can be highly prominent at times, and at other times it can fade to the point where it is almost unnoticeable. Scars can differ in color from the skin around them. Areola tattooing can help some scars appear less noticeable.
- Being unable to breastfeed. The milk ducts may sustain damage if your doctor removes a portion of your areola. There is a potential that you won’t be able to breastfeed your baby in the future, even though this is uncommon.
- Infection. If you carefully follow your aftercare recommendations, you can significantly lower your risk of infection.
What to anticipate during recovering
Surgery for areola reduction has a rather rapid recovery time. You can typically return to work in one or two days, despite the possibility of some swelling and bruising.
Your doctor may advise you to refrain from sex for the first week, refrain from physical chest contact for three to four weeks, refrain from lifting heavy objects or engaging in strenuous cardio for the first few weeks.
Expect an increase in pain during your first postsurgical period. Take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil).
What is the prognosis?
Before you can fully appreciate the outcomes of your areola reduction surgery, it can take a few weeks. Results are frequently obscured by an initial stage of swelling and bruising.
Your breasts will fall into their final place when the swelling goes down. Your areolas will seem more focused and smaller as a result.
A ring-shaped scar will also be seen around your new areola. The recovery time for this is up to a year.
One to two weeks after your operation, you will have another appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will assess your healing and, if necessary, remove the stitches. Additionally, your doctor might prescribe topical drugs to assist lessen the visibility of scars.
Immediately call your doctor if you suffer any of the following:
- abnormally delayed healing
- fever
- extreme redness or inflammation
- a rapid increase in pain
- pus oozing from your incision site