How to Enlarge the Size of the Nipple? (photo)

Hello Pjrose-


Inverted nipples can be made to be extroverted with surgery through a horizontal incision across the top (peak) of the nipple. These incisions tend to heal exceptionally well. The entire normal nipple is always present but collapsed inward due to shortened/retraced ducts. I can not detect any sign of an inverted nipple in your photo, but if it presents itself occasionally, you could be a candidate for this surgery.




Enlarging the nipple can be most easily done with injections of fillers in the office. This is a simple and cost effective approach, which is what you might consider trying first. 




Good luck to you.

Thanks for your question. I agree with my colleagues below.  Based on reviewing your photograph, I do not see any signs of inverted nipple as you describe; however, some patient can have a transiently inverted nipple that varies with temperature as well as stimulation.  Some patients can also have flatter or "shy" nipples.  My recommendation is to visit with one or several board-certified plastic surgeons to go over your options for the concerns that you have.  In my plastic surgery practice, I dedicate a significant portion of my aesthetic breast practice to correction of flat or inverted nipples.  I perform this procedure in the office using a small puncture incision at the base of the nipple in order to release the tethered ducts that cause the inverted nipple.  This typically takes 20-30 minutes and patients do great in the office.  Fillers or fat injections can also be utilized to bolster/enhance volume to the nipple as an adjunct.  I hope this is helpful.  Good luck!

Your nipples can be corrected surgically to increase width and diameter if you like. A stent can be placed to do this.

From your photo, you nipple looks completely normal.  However, if it does invert at times or you would like it to be larger or permanently erect, fillers might be a good option to consider.  There is surgery to successfully correct inverted nipples as well, but that does not usually create a larger (diameter and height) nipple - it is done to keep your natural nipple from inverting.   I would seek a consultation with a board-certified PS who specializes in breast and nipple surgery to get options.

It sounds like you may have intermittent inverted nipples, which means your nipples invert sometimes but can become erect and not inverted at other times.  This can be corrected with an inverted nipple repair, which is a straight forward procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia in the office or minor operating room.  The tethering bands causing the nipple to invert are released, and the nipple is sutured such that it stays in the outward position with dissolvable stitches.  The nipple will no longer invert when this procedure is performed successfully. 
Sometimes after inverted nipple repair some patients desire increased nipple projection.  Patients who do not have inverted nipples but just want increased projection also make this request sometimes.  Fillers can be used to increase nipple projection, but they are not FDA approved for this purpose and considered an off-label use.  I would recommend an in-person consultation with a plastic surgeon to allow for a thorough physical examination and to make more specific recommendations for you.
Ziyad Hammoudeh, MD