My nipples and areolas are sensitive and slight pain when its touched, is this normal?

Question

My breast aug. was on May 7th so only 4 weeks post op. For the most part topically my breast are still numb feeling and only feel pressure of my hands until I do deep massage for the implants. Also, my implants were placed periareola bottom side of areola. Now it seems my nipples have no feeling or areola except when I press on the areola portion its a slight painful feeling, like touching a bruise. What is this and is it normal? How long before it returns to normal feeling or will it?

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

After you had surgery, it's not unusual to have either numbness or hypersensitivity or anything inbetween.  In most cases this settles over time.  If it is too much for you, speak to your surgeon and he/she could prescribe medication that helps to soothe irritated/healing nerves.

John J. Edney, MD · Answer

Increased sensation (hyperesthesia) in the nipples and the surrounding areola following breast augmentation is not uncommon.  After an implant is placed the surrounding breast tissue and skin stretch.  This stretching can result in temporary alterations in the surrounding nerves . Very often this stretching of the nerves can result in increased feeling in the nipple and the surrounding areola which may be very uncomfortable.  Very commonly patients complain of discomfort with light touch such as their clothing rubbing on the area.  Many patients cover the nipple and the surrounding area some type of bandage to prevent the discomfort.  As the breast heals and swelling diminishes the nerves recover and normal feeling returns.  Recovery is usually complete within 3 months rarely however it might take up to 6 months.

Pablo Prichard, MD · Answer

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. The Peri-areolar incision is associated with increased risk of nipple numbness due to the fact that the nerve is in close proximity.Best Wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Kamakshi Zeidler, MD · Answer

It is very common to have changes in nipple sensation after breast augmentation, and an incision around the areola is most likely to be associated with some of these changes. Numbness can occur because some of the nerve endings are cut - but often times this recovers. Hypersensitivity and pain can sometimes be the most bothersome because even the light touch of a bra can produce an uncomfortable feeling. This is due to stretching of the the nerves from the new implant and usually resolves with time as well. Some surgeons use a nerve blocking type of medication called gabapentin to help soothe the nerves - but a side effect is that it can make you sleepy, so many patients don't want to take it. Both numbness and hypersensitivity can take about 3 months to completely return to normal.

Kevin L. Smith, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Thank you for your question. This is always of great concern to our 
augmentation patients. About 85% of patients experience numbness after 
augmentation - with no relation to the incision placement. By the end of
 a year, all but 2-3% of patients have returned to normal sensibility. I
 believe that the primary cause of numbness is nerve stretch. Therefore,
 the bigger you go, the more likely it is to have decreased sensibility 
for a time. As the nerves re-grow and recover from the nerve stretch, there can often be sensitivity, soreness, sharp pinches, itching or other sensations on the breast despite the skin or nipple/areola being numb. Massage can help "re-train" and desensitize the nerves while the feeling is returning and this usually gets better over time. Keep the follow-up appointments with your surgeon and he/she can discuss this with you. Above all, enjoy your surgical result. Best wishes.

My nipples and areolas are sensitive and slight pain when its touched, is this normal?

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Answer: Nipple sensitivity after breast augmentation

Answer: Nipple sensitivity after breast augmentation

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Answer: Nipple sensibility following breast augmentation

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My nipples and areolas are sensitive and slight pain when its touched, is this normal?

Answers (6)

Answer: Nipple sensitivity after breast augmentation

Answer: Nipple sensitivity after breast augmentation

Answer: Nipple sensibility following breast augmentation

Answer: Nipple sensibility following breast augmentation

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Everything you need to know about Breast Augmentation

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