Is There Really a Quick Fix for a Stretched Areola?

Correction of a stretched areola depends on various factors including what (if any) previous procedures have been performed, how large the areola is, whether or not the nipple and areola need to be lifted, whether or not an implant is present, etc.

If the nipple and areola are too high, which is possible based on your description, lowering them may be possible, but is complex.

A real assessment cannot be done without a physical exam, but making the areola smaller should be possible. A short vertical incision may be necessary. Permanent sutures are possible but have some disadvantages.

Don't rush into a revision you are not comfortable with. Discuss this further with your surgeon or obtain a second opinion. You should have options. Good luck.

 

HI,

 

The fix can be failry quick (more like an hour though). What you need is a circumareolar mastopexy that gets rid of the excess areola and closes the skin down to a smaller areola. The key is that a "purse-string" stitch with a permanent suture needs to be used. This will help ensure that the areola doesn't stretch out again. This can be accopmplished under local anesthesia.

 

Regards,

 

D. Medalie, MD

Thank you for the question.

As you can imagine, it is not possible to give you precise advice without direct examination and a full discussion of your goals.

Based on your description, it sounds like you may benefit from a circumareolar ( incision all the way around the areola).  This operation can be done under local anesthesia and will serve to reduce the areola size and improve circularity. However, every operation has its potential risk/complications;  make sure you discuss these with your plastic surgeon as well. For example, unsatisfactory scarring and/or recurrent “stretching” of the areola may occur. Further surgery may become necessary.

Ultimately, you will need to  develop confidence (see examples of your plastic surgeons work)  before proceeding.

Best wishes.

Hi Nikki,  It sounds like the areola that was treated has either stretched out (relative to the other one) or it has not regained it's normal contractability.  If the original operation was January 2012, and the areola which is large, is still is not contracting normally, you may want to wait 6 more months and see if the contractability returns.  If it does, the normal contraction in the areola may reduce the diameter and "puffiness" dramatically.  If this occurs it will often make the areolas more symmetrical.  If the contraction and sensation in the larger areola is normal already, then you could procede on with the peri-areolar mastopexy that your surgeon is most likely recommending.  It is a small procedure done under local where the diameter of the larger areola is reduced and the excess skin is tightened around the new, smaller areola with a perminant suture in a purse string fashion.  This perminant suture prevents the areola from stretching out at a later date.  He will match the location and size of you "smaller areoal".  I hope everything goes well. 

Please post a photo. If one areola is simply larger than the other, then it would be a simple office procedure to reduce it in size. If the size is reflective of sagging or another condition (for example, if the height of the nipple is different than the other side), then you may need more surgery Best of luck.