What is the Real Deal with Fixing Inverted Nipples/ Sensitivity Loss?

An inverted nipple repair is a fairly straight forward procedure and can be done under local in the office.  You should not lose much sensation at all from the procedure.

Usually patients maintain nipple sensation following repair of inverted nipples. If there decreased sensation at first, it typically improves over time.  There is some risk of diminished sensation, but it is not common.

Dear Anne, You should not loose sensitivity to you nipples. Inverted nipple repair can be performed while preserving many of the ducts and nipple sensation. We are publishing our data on our experience with over 190 nipple repairs, many of which were able to breast feed and most maintain sensation after. We do not have the data to know just how many though as our study was a chart review and not tracking down the patients to answer these two specific questions. We plan on doing a follow up study to answer them soon. Despite the fact that most patients do preserve sensation, there is a small risk that you could have a change of sensation, either increased, decreased, complete loss of sensation. Best wishes.

Inverted nipple is usually the result of a short milk duct, that tether the nipple internally. The procedure can be done under local anesthesia at any age as long as you are not planning on breast feeding. It consist of a tiny incision at the base of the nipple allowing to release the contracted ducts and placement of a small tissue strip in throught the incision. This will prevent the duct from retracting again. You should not experience any sensitivity loss.

Inverted nipples come in two types:  the type that responds to stimulation and the type that doesn't.  The type that doesn't is a truly inverted nipple that is tethered down by small bands within it. Correcting this problem is fairly easy and can actually be done under local anesthesia in an office setting.  It involves making a small incision at the base of the nipple.  A small pair of scissors is then inserted through this incision to cut the tethering bands.  Unfortunately, the milk ducts are also cut during this process and will probably prohibit the patient from breast-feeding from that breast afterwards.  Once the bands are cut, the nipple can be everted.  A stitch is passed through the base of the nipple to maintain the eversion while the tissue heals.