Areola Reduction

Areola reduction and areola surgery are procedures for making changes in the size, shape, and symmetry of the areola. This is the pigmented circular area of the breast with the nipple in the center. There is a broad spectrum of many different colors, sizes, and shapes of areola. They may be very light in color with an indistinct border and flat, all the way to very dark, irregular and puffy and with many degrees in between. The areola may also be very puffy as in the tubular breast. Areola surgery involves reduction of the size (the diameter) of the areola, or making different size areola the same, or making puffy areola flatter. This is a relatively small procedure that can be done under local anesthesia and is very rewarding to the patient. It is often performed on men and women alike. Most patients are disturbed and live with these features for years and did not realize until now that areola deformities could be treated.

THE TYPICAL PATIENT

• Desire for a smaller diameter and rounder and more proportioned size of your areolae.
• Reduction of the puffy or large or bulging areola that you would like flatter.

THE PROCEDURE

• Usually a very light general anesthesia, and the procedure takes about two hours.
• The procedure involves an incision around the areola edge and a smaller incision with removal of the excess tissue in between, like a donut.
• The incision is very inconspicuous and located around the final edge of the areola.
• Dressings and a light gauze bandage are worn for several days.
• This can be combined with other plastic surgical procedures.

THE RECOVERY

• You can go home after several hours.
• You can shower the next day.
• There is only minimal pain that is mostly gone by the second or third day and easily controlled by medications.
• Minimal or no swelling is the usual.
• Minimal or no bruising is the usual.
• You can resume most activities within the first week.
• The stitches are removed at seven days.
• Expect to be off of work only two days or less.

THE RESULT

• Beautiful, balanced and proportioned contour and size and shape to the nipples and areola.
• Lasts the rest of your life and always looks better than if you didn't do it.
• Natural and presentable appearance in the first week that just gets better over the next three to six months.

For before and after images of this procedure click here

Please call or contact the office for any further information or to schedule an appointment.