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Drooping Nipples After Breast Lift and Implants

asked 3 years ago by 1jengrace in lakewood ca
Latest answer by Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Question viewed 5,448 times

I just had implants a week ago. I had a circumareolar lift and implants. I wanted my nipples moved, but they don't really seem to be moved. My implant is high right now and have the band, and am doing the message method my doctor said. When the implants settle, will my nipple come up a little more? My nipples seem to be pointing straight downward, not upward?

16 answers to Drooping Nipples After Breast Lift and Implants

Periareolar lift and augmentation

Periareolar lifts generally give a small amount of nipple lift compared to lollipop or anchor type lifts. One week after surgery, however, is a tough time for the patientas it is, and much too early to be assessing the final result! Very close and frequent communication with your surgeon may help you through this tough phase. Hopefully your implants will settle to the point you are happy with the nipple position. Occasionally, patients find that their nipple position is too low after... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Nipple Position After Implants

It sounds like the implant volume is still very full high on the chest. As the skin and muscle in the lower pole of the breast relax, the volume in the implant will shift downward: this is what we call implants "settling." As the "implants settle," the nipples will rotate upward.

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

www.pzwiebel.com

Give this some time

You need to give this 4 months of healing and settling to know where your result will wind up. Be patient during this time. If it doesn't improve, talk with your doctor, you might have needed more than just a circumareolar lift as this is a very minimal lift.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Nipple position after breast lift with augmentation

In the early post-operative period, such as 1 week, after breast lift with augmentation, it is not uncommon for the implants to appear high and therefore the nipples pointing downward. This is particularly true if the implants are placed under the muscle. Implants will "settle" over the first few weeks and this will correct the appearance of nipple position.

Olivia Hutchinson, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

You are likely to need a more extensive lift and a possible repositioning of the implant to above the muscle

It sounds to me like your surgeons' choice of lift is inadequate for the nature of your breast anatomy.To place the nipples in a higher location a lollipop or anchor lift is needed. i will also assume that your implants have been placed beneath the muscle and this placement is the reason the implants appear high. It is possible that in the next few months your implants will descend and come into a better relationship with your nipples. However, even if the implants settle... more

David A. Ross, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Nipple position after breast lift with implants

After a breast lift with implants, the patient should expect to see swelling and malposition of the breast implants initially. Depending on the technique that was used many times the implants can appear to be much higher than where they will ultimately settle. This is common after a breast augmentation as well. Be sure to closely follow your plastic surgeon's postoperative advice. Many plastic surgeons will recommend using a special compress abroad with a bra band to... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implants and nipple position

Most likely the nipples are in a good position. They are pointing downward because the implants are high They should come down and the nipples should look ok.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

With settling of the implants the nipple position will improve

You should notice improvement with the nipple position as the implants settle. This is because the implants should drop down so the nipples will be better centered over the implants. However, if you post pictures, we may be able to give you more specific advice. Good luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

They will improve

A circumareolar mastopexy is a great operation if the nipple only needs to be move 2-2.5cm. If greater movement is needed than a circumvertical mastopexy is needed. When an augmentation is performed with a mastopexy the implant helps to move the nipple vertically about 1cm. In the operating room the implants are placed then the nipple position is determined and the mastopexy is performed. Although the breasts will look greast "on the table" postoperatively the implants will... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

www.hessplasticsurgery.com

Many of these issues will resolve.

To reiterate: you had an augmentation and a lift through an areolar incision. The implants were put in through this incision. You are now concerned because the implants are high and the nipples point down. The implants will come down and the nipples will corespondingly come up. There may be a bit of laxity in the the nipple/areolar tissue which may (or not) resolve. Time will tell. I agree that a bit of patience (2 to 3 months) is advisable. All the best.

Talmage J. Raine, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Too early to tell

I think it's too early to tell what your final result will be, but the liklihood is that thiongs will look a bit different once the implants settle into their final position. In general, I would not expect a dramatic difference in the position of your nipples with a circumareolar mastopexy, but you should see some improvement. At the moment, I would recommend letting things heal and keep in close contact with your surgeon during this time.

Shahram Salemy, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

You get limited "lifting" with circumareolar lift, but you are early.

Hello, I would give things time to settle as you are early, but limited breast lifts lift less than the larger scale breast lift procedures. You should expect less lifting with the benefit of less scarring with the modified circumareolar lift as compared to the full "anchor scar pattern" lifting operations. This is the way I describe them to my patients anyway.

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

Too Soon To Tell

What you are describing is quite common and there will be significant changes in most cases during the healing period of about 3-6 months. Your plastic surgeon should quide you through this period and explain to you what is going on. Just be patient and things will change. After 3-6 months you should get some idea if your surgery has achieved what you have wanted.

John P. Stratis, MD
Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon

Nipple position post augmentation

Dear Ms. J. Grace it is difficult to assess the status of your recovery by email. Implants do settle after surgery- this can take several weeks. the amount that they will settle and the end result of your breast shape is dependent on several factors- your original shape, the tightness of the skin at the lower portion of the breast, the implant size and the placement of the implants. If you do not notice any change in postion of the implants and the postion/shape of the nipples then return... more

Trevor M. Born, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon

Relative rotation of the nipple will help

Whether or not you will be happy with your breasts when your implants settle is not predictable but there is usually an improvement in nipple position as the implants moves down. Right now, the nipple is probably on the bottom half of your implant and breast mound. As the implant lowers, the nipple, even when stationary, will start to move toward the upper half of the implant. If your implants is too wide and the dissection of the bottom of the pocket not low enough, your nipple can still... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

One week is too early to judge

Hello At one week, it is way too early to judge any final result. Let the swelling go down ad the implants settle. All that takes a couple of months, so don't worry too much right now. At our Santa Rosa plastic surgery practice, we tell our patients to wait three months before evaluating their final result. A circumareolar mastopexy does not give much of a nipple lift, but it does help with the shape of some breasts. Nipple position is only one of the many variables in breast... more