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Combining Breast Lift and Areola Reduction?

I'm interested in getting a Breast lift and areola reduction. Are these procedures usually done together? Would I have scars or lose sensation in the areola afterwards?

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16 Doctor Answers | Asked by 1b in Cambridge, UK

Doctor Answers (16)
Community Comments (1)

These are part of the same operation

An areola reduction is usually part of a breast lift. There are sacrs all of the way around the areola and unless there is an implant inserted, the scars usually extend down the middle of the breast and sometimes in the crease below the breast. Almost all patients will trade the shape improvement for the scars as long as the shape is excellent. This is what separates one surgeon from another - their ability to sculpt and shape the breast in a lift varies widely. Check the photos in the... more

Types of Breast Lifts

There are many types of breast lifts performed and in general the areola reduction is part of any type of breast lift. Breast lifts can involve an incision just around the new small areola, or they can be the lollipop, which goes around the areola and then down the breast, and lastly around the areola, down the breast and then under the breast fold (full lift). Loss of nipple sensation is higher when an implant is performed with a lift.

Areola reduction scar can be the ONLY scar in a lift

Depending on how much sag you have or how large your breast is, the areolar reduction incision can provide all the necessary skin excision to give you a lift without any scars other than that delineating the areola. My personal opinion is that the "inverted T" (also known as "Wise pattern scar", "anchor" scar) is no longer necessary as there are alternatives that cause less scarring. Good luck!

Breast Lifting and Areola Reduction?

Thank you for the question. Areola reduction is usually part of any breast lifting operation performed. The location and degree/nature of scarring will vary from one patient to another. Loss of sensation is always a risk with breast surgery. Generally breast lifting incisions are placed around the areola, vertical breast incisions, and transverse incisions (“anchor”). Most patients (If properly selected and who are doing the operations and the right... more

Areola production with a breast lift

It is very common to change the shape and size of the areola at the time of a breast lift. In our practice, almost all breast lift surgeries involve incision around the perimeter of the areola. This incision allows us to access the breast tissue and re-create a pleasing breast mound, to remove excess or sagging skin, and to change the shape or contour of the areola into a smaller and beautiful circle.

Areola Reduction and Breast lift

Every breast lift operation has a periareolar incision, and as such, you will be modifying the size of the areola. You should ask for a breast lift, and just tell your surgeon what size areola you like - it should not be billed as an additional procedure.

Areola reduction is usually part of breast lift / mastopexy.

Most breast lift procedures include reducing the areola. The goal is an areola that is appropriately sized for the reshaped and lifted breast. Women's natural areolas vary greatly in diameter. Most patients seeking breast lift desire a smaller, more compact size. The lift moves the nipple and areola to a higher position on the breast, so there is always a scar around the areola. The areola and nipple are not commonly removed from the breast, so breast-feeding and nipple sensation... more

Areola reduction and breast lift can be done together

The brief answer to your question is yes. They can be done together. However, therea are many different options for breast lift incisions and the choice depends on the degree of ptosis (sagging). Depending on the size of the areola certain outcomes may occur which may necessitate the need for a two stage procedure.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Areola reduction is an automatic part of a breast lift.

Hi! You always get reduction of the areolas with a well performed breast lift. In New York, we do breast lifts with either a scar around the nipple only. or a lollypop scar, depending on your anatomy. You do not lose nipple sensation with a breast lift.

Breast lift and areola reduction

A breast lift and an areola reduction are commonly performed as part of the breast lift. The loss of sensation of the nipple areola complex is multifactorial. It can happen but it is not common.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Procedures are often combined

Many patients who have large breasts or sagging breasts also have had the areola stretch out. Ideally, the areola should be about 4 cm(less than 2 inches) in diameter. Breast lift procedures and breast reduction procedures involve removing tissue around the areola ,and when the areola is larger than 4 cm, the tissue that is removed includes the periphery of the areola. Some lift procedures require placing a purse string suture around the new areolar site, in order to keep the areola from... more

Mastopexy choices

There are several options for mastopexy and you may hear such terms as concentric or donut mastopexy, short scar or vertical mastopexy and full mastopexy with a wise pattern (anchor type scar). Each of these are designed for greater degrees of ptosis or drooping and you should seek an experienced surgeon to decide which is best for you.

Areolar sensation not affected by mastopexy

Breast lift or mastopexy is all about nipple position and the location and size of the nipple will determine the type of mastopexy which would give the best result. The most minimal amount of droop of the breast is often corrected by a round block mastopexy. In this procedure the scar line will go around the nipple with a reduction of the surrounding skin and of the areola itself if needed to firm up the breast and lift and elevate the nipple position. For a greater amount of droop and... more

They usually go together

Any breast lift usually addresses the size of the areola in relation to the overall size of the breast. Areolas vary greatly in diameter and shape and you should discuss with your doctor any specific requests you may have. There is a limit on how small an areola can be made from a blood supply and safety standpoint. Most patients are very happy with their new, smaller areolas. Best of luck.

Breast Lift and Areola reduction is commonly combined

Combination of breast lift and areola reduction commonly happens. When you get cut on your skin, you will get scar. There is no way to cut skin and not get scar, but the point is where to put incision to make consequent scar less visible or ideally invisible. For nipple sensation change, that depends how advanced is breast sagging and depends to surgery technique as well. nipples might be more sensitive or less sensitive for a while, but they will get back to normal. If you ask if there is... more

Breast Lift and Areola Reduction Go Together

The goal of the breast lift is to restore the breast shape and position into a more youthful appearance. When the breast sags, it is usually because there is too much loose skin. In order to remove the loose skin and tighten the breast, incisions need to be made which will allow the extra skin to be removed. One of these incisions has to go around the actual areola. Since the incision has to go around the areola, it is very easy to reduce the areola size as you do this. Thus, a breast lift... more

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Comments (1)

RNMommyof2 15 Sep 2012

I had a BA, BL, and aReola reduction on 5/30/12. I did lose sensation, but have regained quite a bit. I think it takes awhile or some never lose it or some never regain it. I had no feeling right after surgery from my nipples to about 2 inches out around my nipples into the breast. Now i have complete feeling in breasts and some in nipples. I can only speak from experience that my loss of sensation continues to get better with time. It has taken a long time though and I'm still not "back to normal." For me, it was still worth it. I never really had super sensitive nipples anyway. Hope this helps!:)

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