Will I Lose Sensitivity in My Nipples when I Have a Breast Lift?

Loss of sensation in the nipple/areola is fortunately an uncommon occurrence.In my experience, permanent loss of of sensation may be due to stretching of the sensory nerves by using very large implants causing a stretch injury or pressure on the nerves, extent of dissection which can damage the nerves, and the size of implant. I find that the location of the incision is not usually the reason for loss of sensation.Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon is important when considering surgery, as it will lower your chances of complications.

All surgical procedures carry some degree of risk. Any breast
operation can result in changes in sensation. This happens less with lifts than
reductions but is still possible Occasionally, minor complications occur and do
not affect the surgical outcome. Major complications associated with this
procedure are rare. The suitability of the breast lift procedure and specific
risks may be determined during your consultation.

Sensation changes are generally considered temporary and will go away in about a year. If the sensation doesn't return in two years, then it probably won't return to how it was before surgery.

Hello! Thank you for your question! Breast procedures such as the breast lift and breast reduction certainly result in a more shapely, perky, and fuller appearance of your breasts along with raising of the nipple-areolar complex to an appropriate position. Since there is an incision made around the areola along with some rearrangement of tissue of the breast, 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%. 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 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.

         Permanent loss of
sensation is unusual following breast lift surgery. In the vast majority of
patients who have decreased sensation following breast lift, sensation returns
without treatment.

 

         Under these
circumstances, decreased sensation is related to swelling and stretching of the
nerves during surgery. It’s not unusual for patients to have pins and needle
sensations known as dysesthesia following surgery. This resolves with time as
well.

 

         Rarely permanent
loss of sensation occurs following breast lift surgery. Although the exact
incidence is unknown, most surgeons would estimate the incidence at about one
to five percent.

The poteintial for loss of nipple sensation will depend on the extent of the surgery and the use of implants. More extensive lifts will have a higher risk whereas smaller lifts would be highly unlikely to cause diminished senstivity.

Hi there-

The risk of nipple sensation exists with any operation on the breast, and will be greater as the complexity of the operation increases, but when well-executed by an experienced surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery, the risks should be acceptably low.

Nipple sensation should be gauged before surgery. Most patients will retain nipple sensation, some will have higher rates of sensation, and a small percentage may have diminished sensation.  It all depends on the surgery that was performed. 

If done correctly, in a well though out and safe manner, the risks of permanent sensation loss should be around 0.1%.   Complications can happen, but if you avoid disrupting the breast architecture as much as possible, then the rates should be extremely small.  You will have temporary nerve sensation changes for 2-3 months, but everything should come back to normal.  I hope this helps.

Thank you for the question.

Yes there is a risk of loss or change of nipple/ areola sensation with breast lifting surgery. Exact percentages are hard to come by but my estimation would be 5 to 10% risk of a decreased or complete loss of sensation with this operation.

Patients must weigh this risk (along with many others)  against the benefits of the procedure when contemplating breast lifting surgery.

I hope this helps.