question about areola pleas read.

[cgeorge1]

i have around 9 percent body fat. i dont look like i have boobs, but my nipples poke out a lot because of the glands. when my nipples grew it looked like the areola actually grew as im sure a lot of you have noticed. my question is. after surgery will the areola tighten up so it looks normal?? i will ask the surgeon but that wont be for a while so i just wanted to know. if you know the answer i would appreciate it.

[mannyman742]

The main reason the areola looks big, it because there is glandular tissue poking it out.  Some have reported that the skin will adapt to anything, and that if glandular tissue is removed, over time, the areola will tighten up and lose that unsightly dark pink tone.  If you are unlucky enough to have had puffy nipples for so long that the areola has actually become enlarged, and not just being poked out, then you need actual nipple reduction.  You would need a surgeon of incredible skill to have the actual nipple circumference reduced.  Pics would help.     

[MSJ108]

removing fat and gland should help flatten the areola out and reduce the size appearance

[johnnybot]

Im pretty sure they would shrink not a dra,astic amount thow

[Gyno 44]

the doc says they srhink around 5-15 percent depending how much gland / fat

[MSJ108]

the doc says they srhink around 5-15 percent depending how much gland / fat

From experience that sounds about right..

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

If you have puffy nipples and or an enlarged areolar width, both will improve with surgery.  An incision at the edge of the areola will enable the surgeon to remove excess gland while leaving some to support the tissue so there is no cave-in.  In the process of removing the tissues which are pushing the areola out, there will be less pressure outward by the tissues and the areolar skin, like any other skin, will tighten by itself.  About 80% of this tightening occurs directly on the operating table in front of my eyes -- the other 20% of the tightening may take several months and is difficult to see since it is a slow process.  BTW, this 1/2 circle scar heals exceedingly well as compared to the areolar width reduction scar.

In my opinion, a surgeon should almost never have do a surgical areolar reduction (with a scar completely around the periphery of the areola) -- the scarring on the surface at the edge of the areola is unpredictable due to the tensions applied.  I have seen some horrendous scars from this procedure and unfortunately, those scars are permanent and there is nothing I can do for it.

Better to be left, if at all, with a flattened (puffiness removed!) but slightly wide areola than to have scars which will forever announce that you had surgery on your chest!

Elliot Jacobs, MD, FACS

[MSJ108]

I hear you doc!