LOSS OF NIPPLE SENSATION ???

[bchesnut]

I am planning to have the surgery and I was curious if I will lose the sensation in my nipples that I (and my wife) really enjoy in our sex life.  My case is very moderate and I actually thought about not having the surgery when I heard there was a chance that I would lose this sensation.  So what I would like to do with this post is start a mini-survey of sorts.. If you have had a successful surgery then please just answer and let me know if the sensation in you nipples has come back or not.
PS.  After visiting two surgeons, the consensus seems that my incision will be around the bottom of my areola.  The whole (smallish) gland will need to be removed along with moderate lipo.  The last surgeon told me he would use the "Rotor"(?) method wich is a cutting tool that incorporates chopping and lipo at the same time. He was receommended to me by a satisfied customer.

Thanks for your responses!!

[cecly]

You will loose nipple sensation to begin with from the surgery, it will then slowly come back over a few months, in most cases it doesn't come back to how it was before the surgery but you will still feel some sensation. In other cases you wont get it back at all. It also depends on a lot of other things than the surgeon too.

Myself, I have lost a lot of sensation in my right nipple, but have got most of it back in my left. The surgery benefits though outweight this minor side effect.

[noobs101]

I am 24 day post op and I have lost all sensation on my right nipple but my left nipple I don't think I've lost any sensation at all.
I'm not really worried has I'm confident that it'll come back.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Temporary loss of fine sensation of the nipples and surrounding skin is a normal consequence of gyne surgery.  The return of fine sensation is extremely variable -- it depends on the extent of the surgery and what techniques were utilized.  It takes many months for full return and it usually progresses from the peripheral skin of the chest towards the nipples -- the nipples are usually the last area to regain full sensation.  And yes, there are rare cases in which full sensation does not return to the nipples.  There are, unfortunately, no tricks or treatments that we doctors have to return sensation to the nipples if it has been permanently lost.  But again, this is very rare.

It is important to differentiate what we mean as "sensation."  There is something called "protective sensation" in which your skin can feel pressure exerted upon it.  That is usually preserved.  What can be lost temporarily, is "fine sensation," in which very light touch cannot be appreciated.  That is the "numbness" that is talked about on these boards.

Some of the common symptoms after surgery (ie tingling, itchiness, super-sensitivity of the skin/nipples, a sharp shooting pain that comes and goes) is actually a sign that the nerves are "waking up" and beginning to re-attach themselves to the skin and to provide more normal feeling.

Dr Jacobs

[bchesnut]

Temporary loss of fine sensation of the nipples and surrounding skin is a normal consequence of gyne surgery.  The return of fine sensation is extremely variable -- it depends on the extent of the surgery and what techniques were utilized.  It takes many months for full return and it usually progresses from the peripheral skin of the chest towards the nipples -- the nipples are usually the last area to regain full sensation.  And yes, there are rare cases in which full sensation does not return to the nipples.  There are, unfortunately, no tricks or treatments that we doctors have to return sensation to the nipples if it has been permanently lost.  But again, this is very rare.

It is important to differentiate what we mean as "sensation."  There is something called "protective sensation" in which your skin can feel pressure exerted upon it.  That is usually preserved.  What can be lost temporarily, is "fine sensation," in which very light touch cannot be appreciated.  That is the "numbness" that is talked about on these boards.

Some of the common symptoms after surgery (ie tingling, itchiness, super-sensitivity of the skin/nipples, a sharp shooting pain that comes and goes) is actually a sign that the nerves are "waking up" and beginning to re-attach themselves to the skin and to provide more normal feeling.

Dr Jacobs

What about errogenous sensation?? That is my main/only concern. Right now they are extremely sensetive when it comes to this...

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Interesting question from a strictly medical point of view.  Doctors test all types ot sensation -- pressure, fine sensation, two point discrimination, etc -- but there is no medical test for "erogenous sensation."  Reason?  Probably because it is so extremely variable and is so closely associated with a person's mind-set and emotions. 

There are many men who derive none or minimal pleasure from nipple stimulation -- and just as many in whom it is extremely important. 

In any case, there are no scientific studies to document change in "erogenous sensation" after gyne surgery.

Dr Jacobs

[bchesnut]

Interesting question from a strictly medical point of view.  Doctors test all types ot sensation -- pressure, fine sensation, two point discrimination, etc -- but there is no medical test for "erogenous sensation."  Reason?  Probably because it is so extremely variable and is so closely associated with a person's mind-set and emotions. 

There are many men who derive none or minimal pleasure from nipple stimulation -- and just as many in whom it is extremely important. 

In any case, there are no scientific studies to document change in "erogenous sensation" after gyne surgery.

Dr Jacobs

Right, that's why I thought I'd post this little "survey"... but the responses are less than I would have hoped, and to add, I'm not really sure if some of the ones who did answer are clear about the ERROGENOUS part of the question.  Hopefully some more people will respond and answer strictly to that.....
thanks for your input though

[Gone]

It's a LONG time since I last posted something here. I had surgery 1,5 year ago (lipo + excision through the cut under aerola).

I can't accuretely remember how sensitive my nipples were before the surgery, but my left nipple is definitely more sensitive now than the right one. My estimates compared to the before sensitivity are left nipple at least 90 % and right nipple around 70 %. And yes it feels great when I get some nipple treatment from my girlfriend. Especially to the left nipple, right feels a little numb sometimes.

Conclusion: The little loss of sensitivity was nothing compared to the positive things I gained from the surgery. Altough I had very mild case of gynecomastia.

[The_G0rn]

I am 9 months post operation and have completely lost sensation in both nipples.  Had excision + lipo...mild case.

It doesnt seem to be coming back either...nipples feel as numb today as they did right after the op.

Maybe it will come back in later years but I'm not really fussed about it to be honest.

[john_loren]

If erogenity is so important to you, why would you want to mess with mother nature?