Is it possible to avoid lowering the inframammary fold if I get nipple repositioning surgery too? (Photos)

Your photos show your concern clearly. Because there’s a short distance between your areolas and the current inframammary fold, placing an implant in the correct position—centered behind the nipple —will require lowering the fold to accommodate the implant properly.

This isn’t about adding lower pole fullness, but rather about creating enough space for the implant to sit in the right place relative to your nipple. The larger the implant, the more the fold typically needs to be lowered. Choosing a smaller or moderate-sized implant can help limit how much change is necessary.

Nipple repositioning wouldn’t solve the issue in your case. Your skin is tight, and your breast tissue doesn’t have any droop, so you neither need a breast lift, nor will it produce a good result without excessive scars.

In summary, to center the implant behind your nipple and achieve a natural result, some lowering of the inframammary fold is needed.

– Dr. B

The only way to get nipple/areola higher in your chest wall is through breast lift. Implant augmentation should be done after that with a goal to preserve current position of IMF. It can be done in a single or two surgery procedures. This is something you need to discuss with your surgeon ahead of time. Good luck.

Thank you for your query. You can certainly get a lift of your nipples with breast implants if you do not wish to have a lowering of your infra-mammary fold. The most important thing , in my opinion, would be choosing the correct size and shape of the implants as well as their placement. Please find an experienced board certified Plastic surgeon who can examine you and help you with all your concerns. All the best!

From your photographs, it seems that any surgical attempt to move your nipple position would achieve very little movement. You may get a very nice result with just a breast implant. Perhaps over the years you will develop a bit more of a lower pole which may allow for some tissue manipulation and allow a modest elevation of the nipple areolar complex.

I recommend an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and be measured. After I measure and discuss goals with my patients, we then look at pictures of women (my patients) with similar measurements with different size and style breast implants. They also get to see what they would look like when the breasts have fully dropped and fluffed and in clothes. You get to see actual results and the surgeon's experience and not a virtual idea of what can be achieved. Women tell me that this process is very helpful in determining what size and style breast implant is right for them. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Raising your nipples is a possibility but there are scars involved and I’m
Not sure they’re worth it in your case

It is YOUR body, you choose. YES, if you like your IMF (inframammary fold) location, keep your IMF location. YES, nipple-areola complexes can be lifted with sensory function and ductal continuity preserved. (Almost) anything can be achieved, but reconciliations are always involved.

Thank you for your inquiry and photos. Your question is a good one but not easy to completely answer without an evaluation in person by a board certified plastic surgeon. We all know what a pretty breast is supposed to look like and there is no justification for placing a scar around your nipple/areola. Since your inframammary fold is currently not well defined, your plastic surgeon will want to recreate the inframammary fold to define the bottom edge of your breast, which is where the incision for implant insertion should ideally be placed.

The ideal breast will have a nipple to fold length of approximately 8-10 cm, and the distance from your suprasternal notch to the nipple can be a yea here from 17-22 cm.

My recommendation is to find photos of Womens breasts you consider to be “ideal” and share those with your plastic surgeon. Make sure your plastic surgeon is someone with whom you feel comfortable and whose results resonate with your aesthetic concepts. Best of luck to you.

Some women, like you, have breasts sitting somewhat low on your chest. the bases cannot be moved, and your nipples should not be moved. Measurements are needed to see if the fold should be lowered. Once the augmentation is done and if the fold is not moved, then the nipples can be adjusted later if needed.

Thank you for your question and photo. In some cases, nipple repositioning (often through a mastopexy/lift) can help create a more balanced appearance without significantly lowering the inframammary fold (IMF). However, when there is minimal natural breast tissue and low nipple positioning, achieving proper implant placement and aesthetic fullness—especially in the lower pole—may still require some adjustment to the IMF for the most natural result.
A personalized evaluation with your surgeon will help determine the best approach based on your anatomy and goals.