I Cannot Feel my Right Nipple After Surgery. Will It Affect Breast Feeding in Future?

Hello! Thank you for your question! Your symptoms sound like your
nerves regenerating. Breast procedures such as the
breast augmentation and breast lift/reduction certainly result in a more
shapely,
perky, and fuller appearance of your breasts. With any breast procedure
there is a risk, albeit very small, of change in
sensation to the area. The reported rate of sensation changes
(decreased, loss, or increased) is ~7% for lift/reductions and much
smaller for breast augmentation. In my experience, this rate is
reportedly much lower, but is higher when tissue is excised or the
amount of lift that is needed, so the breast reduction procedure has a
slightly greater risk. It can take up to a year for full sensation to
return. Re-educating your nerves to these areas by using different
textures when showering and putting on lotion often helps.  Your ability to breastfeed should not have changed.  It is one risk of such a procedure, and
one that you must consider, amongst others, as with any surgical
procedure. You should consult with a plastic surgeon well-trained in
breast procedures who will examine and discuss with you the various
risks and benefits of the procedure(s) and assist you in deciding if
such a procedure will be the right decision for you.

Loss of nipple sensation can happen and is a risk associated with any type of breast augmentation. You may have temporary change in sensation that can last a few weeks or months. Permanent sensation loss is very rare. A numb nipple can affect breast feeding, but it is very rare.

Sensation should improve over the next several months. If you had an inframammary incision breast feeding should still be possible in most patients. In general about 75% of women are able to breast feed and 50% of women with breast augmentation can. This data doesn’t really take into account women with implants that hadn’t breast fed first (ie was it possible and now isn’t) and incision location (more ducts are cut with a periareolar incision). For now I would give it time.

There is always a chance that a breast augmentation surgery can affect both your nipple sensation and breast feeding, but the risk is very low. At 5 days, it would be very difficult to know if you have a permanent problem or not. The vast majority of parasthesias (changes in sensation) normalize with just time. If you don't have sensation returning after 3-4 months, then you might have a permanent problem with sensation returning. This could affect breast feeding, but it would be very rare.

Hi Xola,

I don't know what type of surgery you had done so its a little hard to say. A photo could help as well. That said, nipple numbness after breast surgery can occur, especially with only 5 days post op. Sensitivity will most likely return once the swelling goes down and it shouldn't effect breast feeding.

You should still contact your plastic surgeon and let him know about the numbness.

 

Dear xola, Thank you for your post. In general, most women who have a disturbance in nipple sensation, whether it be less (hypo-sensation), or in some cases too much (hyper-sensation), the sensation goes back to normal with 3-6 months. Occasionally, it can take 1 - 2 years to be normal. Extremely rare, the sensation never goes back to normal. This is extremely rare in augmentation alone, more common in lift or reduction but less with a smaller lift like a crescent lift. Signs that sensation is coming back are needle type sensation at the nipple, itchiness at the nipple, or 'zingers' to the nipple. The number of women that lose sensation is much lower than 10%, closer to 1% in a simple augmentation. In some cases the same occurs with contraction where some women have no contraction and some women have a constant contraction of the nipples. Unfortunately there is no surgical correction for this. Massaging the area can help sensation normalize faster if it is going to normalize, but will not help if the nerve does not recover. In women with hyper-sensitive nipples, this will go away with time in most cases. Usually 3 months or so. In the interim, I have them wear nipple covers or 'pasties' to protect them from rubbing. It is unlikely that down-sizing the implant will cause regaining sensation. Down-sizing the implant may cause saggy breasts, however, and may necessitate a breast lift. Physical therapy with de-sensitivity techniques can help with this issue. As far as incisions go, the peri-areolar incision is associated with about twice the incidence of nipple numbness vs. other incisions. At two years, however, it is unlikely to regain sensation.Best Wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Most nipple numbness after breast augmentation is temporary and should return to normal in a few months.  It's very rare that numbness is permanent, but it is a risk.  As for a numb nipple effecting breast feeding, it is possible but again very rare.  At your follow up appointment, be sure to let your surgeon know that your nipple is numb.  ac

At five days I would not worry too much about numbness--chances are you will have a return of normal feeling. 

A permanently numb nipple can interfere with nursing if it interferes with the "let down reflex" though that is not always the case. 

Follow up with your surgeon. All the best.