Addressing Areola Position during Gynecomastia Surgery is a concern that many skin surgeons get. The surgeon must address areola size and position beforehand if a patient is undergoing surgery. This blog will address this topic in detail and explain why addressing the Areola position can be easy in some cases and more challenging in others.
What is Areola?
The Areola is a general name for any nipple-like part of the breast. The Areola can be in a different place on every individual boob (i.e., not centered on the middle of each mound and can go upwards or down). For this reason, it is essential to look into the size and position of the Areola before moving forward with operations that involve it.
Areola Before/After Gynecomastia Surgery
Before addressing and correcting the Areola, we need to look at how the Areola has changed after gynecomastia surgery. After a male breast reduction, the Areola and nipple should become smaller. This does not imply that it will shrink by 90%; instead, it should decrease in size. For example, if the diameter of a previously large areola was 2 inches (5cm), then after reduction, it can be reduced to 1 inch (2).
How can a Gynecomastia Surgery impact the Areola?
In gynecomastia surgery, there are two ways to affect the size of the Areola. Some surgeons may go internal and dissect a portion of tissue (commonly referred to as a “cone”). If a surgeon does this, it must be done correctly, or it can lead to some painful deformities. The other option involves going external on the Areola and moving skin from another area.
External breast reduction involves removing the Areola to make the nipple more conical. This can leave a severe scar in the form of a dark line that runs down one side of both breasts. The scar will look like a vertical line that runs from the top of your breast down to your Areola.
Can you keep the Areola?
The answer to that question is quite simple: yes, it is possible if you find a skilled surgeon who can adequately do this; learn more at leaplasticsurgery.com. Before starting surgery, a skilled surgeon will examine the areola and nipple size and position. They will effectively look at how much work needs to be done on the nipple and the surrounding tissue to achieve a flat areola while keeping the nipple position natural.
What Is The Best Time to Correct Areola?
Most plastic surgeons will tell you that it’s best to correct the areola size and position simultaneously. This is because the best time to address these concerns is during gynecomastia surgery. However, this does not mean that you can only do it at that time; in some cases, it may be more convenient for the patient to address these concerns separately.
Does the Size of the Areola affect the Nipple Position during Gynecomastia?
To get this question answered, we need to look at two things: the nipple position and the diameter of the Areola. An adequately positioned nipple will be behind a flat vertical line, and the Areola should sit below the horizontal line on both sides. In addition, a limited amount of tissue must be removed during surgery. Doing so will preserve both the nipple position and areola size.
In most cases, an areola that’s too large to keep can be reduced by the surgeon at the time of surgery. Even though the Areola can be reduced during surgery, it is still not advisable if a patient has been seen many times by plastic surgeons or has had multiple surgeries in other areas of the body. This is because afterward could lead to deformities.
How much Areola Should I have Reduced?
The answer depends on how much tissue was removed during the first surgery. In most cases, the Areola will be reduced in size during the initial surgery. If it was reduced by a little bit and the surgeon feels that it can still be reduced more, they can do so. It is not uncommon for a surgeon to reduce the areola size by 50% if they feel it can be done without any problems or deformities. However, this is not something you want to do unless you have consulted with a board-certified plastic surgeon beforehand.
What Is the Best Way to Reduce Areola
The best way to reduce an areola depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If a patient has a large areola and wants to reduce it in size, you may want to consider going external. You can also go internal to reduce the Areola size after removing some tissue from inside. If you’re trying to make the Areola smaller, so it is more conical, you need to go external. The surgeon can do this by placing a cone or by using expanding or retracting tissue. Your board-certified plastic surgeon will help select the best way to do this.
Areola Reduction Techniques
You might be wondering how a plastic surgeon can reduce Areola. Some of the techniques used to do this include:
Expanding and Retracting Tissue – The tissue around the nipple is expanded and
Retracted towards the center, leaving more significant gaps at the sides. This brings the Areola closer to a conical form.
Cone Technique: The Areola is reduced by removing tissue from its sides and making it flat.
Lopsided Technique – The Areola is reduced by creating a larger cube shape.
Conclusion
Areola Position during Gynecomastia Surgery can completely change the look of your chest. It decides how high the nipples are placed and how much your Areola fills any space. If you feel that you want to change this, it is best to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has experience in dealing with gynecomastia. They will also be able to guide you on the best choice regarding size and position for your Areola. Make sure that you know your options so that you can choose what works best for you.