Following breast augmentation, it is normal to experience some changes in the look of your nipples. While some women mistakenly refer to the entire coloured area in the centre of the breast as the nipple, this area is actually comprised of two features: the areola and the nipple. The areola is the pigmented circular area that surrounds the actual nipple, which is the portion that typically protrudes from the centre of the areola. There may be some changes to both of these structures immediately following surgery for breast implants in Toronto.
There is an extensive network of nerves connected to your nipples. These nerves cause your nipples to become erect when it is cold or when they are stimulated. These nerves also assist with the release of milk during breastfeeding. As you can imagine, placing additional tissue beneath this network can result in excessive stimulation of the nerves.
As the nerves are being continuously stimulated due to the force of surgery, the pressure of the implants and any swelling that may occur as a natural part of the healing process, this can decrease or increase the sensations that you feel in your nipples. The most common issue is reduced feeling, but other concerns may include intermittent pain, tingling or increased sensation in your nipples. In most cases, normal feeling will return once the healing is complete. However, many patients claim to have an enhanced sensitivity to stimulus following the surgery.
Depending on the placement of your implants, your nipples may appear to sit lower on your chest wall than they originally did. This is usually due to the position of the implants during healing. Over the course of the next few weeks or months, the implants will drop, and your nipples will return to their original position.
Following breast augmentation, you might notice that one or both of your nipples are pointing upwards or downwards. They may even be pointing in different directions. While this can be concerning, it is generally caused by swelling or the initial placement of the implants. After the breasts have settled into their permanent position and the swelling has dissipated, your nipples should return to their original position as well.
Excessive stimulation of the entire breast area occurs during surgery. This effect can last for several weeks following your breast augmentation. As such, your nipples may remain hard and erect for some time. Once any initial swelling has subsided and the nerves adjust to the extra pressure from the implants, your nipples should soften and return to normal.
During hormonal changes, such as breastfeeding, your nipples and areolas may increase in size. When it comes to breastfeeding, your nipples should return to normal once your body stops producing milk. In addition, weight gain can cause your areolas to stretch and become larger. Consequently, they may not shrink back if you lose weight.
Because nipple size is determined mainly by genetics or hormonal factors, it is unlikely that breast augmentation will alter the size of your nipples. If you are unhappy with the current size of your nipples, you should speak with your surgeon before any procedure to see if anything can be done during the implant surgery to change the size or shape of your nipples.
Because the areolas are pigmented areas of the skin, it is possible that they can appear larger as this portion of skin stretches from increased filling of the breasts following the placement of implants. If the incisions were made at the areolas, you may notice extra coloring from the scars that could add to the appearance of the circumference of the areolas. Additionally, if your areolas tended to stick out a bit before your surgery, corrective measures can be taken by your surgeon to flatten this area. In this case, the areolas will appear to be larger as they are flattened out.
It is important to note that in most cases, an enlargement of the areolas for the first few weeks following breast augmentation is due to increased swelling beneath the skin and around the implants. After healing is complete, the areolas should return to their original size. If your implants increased the size of your breasts substantially, the areolas may stretch a little, and this result can be permanent. However, you can rest assured that the areolas will not stretch too much, resulting in a completely natural look.
Erect nipples after breast augmentation are a common occurrence following this type of surgery. Because the nerves beneath the region of the areolas and nipples are stimulated during the placement of implants, this results in the possibility of the nipples remaining erect for quite some time following the procedure. Once healing is complete, which can take up to several months, the nipples should return to normal.
If you are concerned about the areolas having a pointy appearance, this can be common immediately following breast augmentation. After the implants settle into position, which is often referred to as drop and fluff, your areolas should flatten out to normal appearance. If your areolas were somewhat pointed to begin with, talk with your surgeon before surgery if you would like to have this corrected.
If you have any concerns over the healing process or the appearance of your nipples following breast augmentation, let’s talk. We are here to address your questions and provide guidance should you require further assistance.
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