Small boobs - does breast augmentation involve making the areola and nipples small? (Photo)

In most cases, areolar and/or nipple reduction procedures can be done at the same time as breast augmentation.

Breast augmentation may make the areolae appear smaller by changing their proportions.

Areolar reduction can be performed at the same time or later on when tissues have relaxed.

An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon is recommended to discuss your best options and expectations.

Hello, a standard breast augmentation procedure does not involve reducing the size of the areolae, but this certainly could be done at the same time. For example a "donut lift" (perieareolar mastopexy) involves removing a donut-shaped strip of skin around the edge of the areolae to make them smaller. If you seek a consultation with a plastic surgeon with experience doing this procedure, they can advise you on the additional scars, healing time, risks and costs. Thank you for your question and I hope your procedure goes well.

Thanks for your question. No, breast augmentation does not involve making the areola smaller. That would be an areola reduction. Hope this helps. Please always consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Take care, Dr. Moises Salama, board certified plastic surgeon.

Dear pattysmithredditt,

breast augmentation doesn't include reduction of areola or nipples but that can be done at the same time. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.

Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Yes, breast augmentation can be combined with procedures to reduce the size of the areola and nipples if you’re concerned about their appearance. This is often done with a periareolar reduction, where excess skin around the areola is removed to make it smaller and more proportionate to your new breast size. If this is important to you, be sure to discuss it with your surgeon during consultation. They can customize your surgery to address both volume and areola/nipple size for the best aesthetic outcome.

Thanks for your question! We can reduce the areola in surgery. I do think your areola is disproportionately large for your breast and so yes, it can be reduced. I would suggest an in-person consultation. Good luck!

Breast augmentation only involves making the breasts larger. It doesn’t reduce the size of the areolae or nipples. If you’d like to reduce their size, that would require an areola reduction.

From your photo, it’s clear that your areolas are disproportionately large compared to the rest of your breast skin. A breast augmentation alone would likely exaggerate this imbalance, and in many cases, the areolas can appear even larger after implants.

There is a procedure called a periareolar mastopexy (also known as a donut lift) that can reduce areola size. While it has some limitations in how much reduction can be achieved, combining it with breast implants allows for a better overall balance—by increasing the amount of visible breast skin while reducing the areolas, you can create a much better areola/breast balance.

There also appears to be slight breast asymmetry, which can usually be addressed with careful implant size selection on each side.

In summary: Breast augmentation alone may not give you the result you’re hoping for. A combination of a periareolar lift and implants is much more likely to achieve the aesthetic balance you’re looking for.

– Dr. B

Breast augmentation alone does not typically include reducing the size of the areola or nipples. However, if you’re concerned about large areolas or prominent nipples, these can be addressed with a breast lift procedure.
A donut lift (periareolar lift) or lollipop lift (vertical lift) are both effective options that can reshape the breast, lift the nipple to a more youthful position, and reduce the size of the areola at the same time. Based on your concerns and anatomy, combining augmentation with one of these lift techniques may be a great option to achieve the balanced, natural look you're hoping for.
Be sure to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss the best surgical plan tailored to your goals.