Breast Contouring

Female breasts refer to the glandular organ present on the chest. At the centre of the breast is the nipple, composed mostly of smooth muscle fibres. Surrounding the nipple is a pigmented area of skin termed the areolae. Every woman would like to have beautiful breasts. Ideally full and round breasts are most preferred, but the overall beauty of the breasts also includes the size and shape of the nipples and areola. Your nipples can be flat, protruding, or inverted. Many factors can alter the appearance, shape, or texture of your nipple and areola. Sometimes these changes are temporary due to hormonal shifts, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Possible permanent changes of the nipple or areola are often due to surgery, weight loss, and aging.

Everyone has a differently shaped areola and nipples. Although the ideal female nipple size has not been established, the reported average areolar diameter, a pigmented circular area around the nipple, for Asian women is 3-5 cm. Normally nipple raised around 0.5-1 millimeters above the surface of the areola and point outwards. Inverted nipples are nipples that point inward or lie flat, rather than point out. It is normal for nipples and areolas to change in size and color during puberty, certain stages of your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

If you are uncomfortable with the size of your areolas and/or nipples, talk to our doctor to see if surgical modifications is possible.

Areola Reduction

Areola reduction surgery is a relatively simple day surgery procedure that can reduce the diameter of one or both of your areolas. Your doctor will cut a doughnut-shaped piece of tissue out of your excessive pigmented areola by a circular incision so that a smaller and more appropriately-shaped areola is achieved.

This circular incision will be made along the border of your existing areola, where the scar can be easily hidden. The operation only takes 30 to 60 minutes, and it takes about 2 weeks to recover. It is an effective and safe way to reduce areola that you find too large.

Nipple Reduction

Nipple Reduction Surgery involves adjusting the amount of resection to adjust the height and width of the nipple to an appropriate size for individual patient. There are three types of surgical methods: Circumcision, L-shaped incision and V-shaped incision.

For reduction of length: Circumcision of hypertrophic nipples removes a collar of skin while all ductal elements and the tip is preserved. A circumferential incision at the base of the nipple can be performed for reduction to conceal scars.

For reduction of diameter: The L-shaped incision method is a method of reducing the nipple width by incising partial area of nipple in an L shape and then close using stitches.

For reduction of nipples: V-shaped incision method can reduce both overall size and length of nipples by incising the tip of nipple in a shape of the letter V and then close using stitches. The disadvantage of this method is possible destruction of the ducts.

Surgical risks for nipple reduction surgery are minimal and sensation is preserved. The surgery takes a short time and the recovery is fast.