Inverted breasts - a problem or not?

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Breasts with inverted nipples are not such a rare pathology. According to statistics, one in ten women encounters her. And if some of them care about this problem only as an element of aesthetic imperfection, others begin to worry about the inverted nipple during pregnancy or lactation.

Undoubtedly, such a pathology complicates the process of breastfeeding, but mammologists also warn of more serious consequences. It is worth figuring out whether a nipple problem requires treatment, and what measures need to be taken by women who first encountered this.

General description of the problem and symptoms

There are several types of inverted nipples, among which the main ones are hidden and inverted:

• The lurking nipple moves out of the areola when exposed to an external stimulus, such as finger stimulation or when a baby grabs the breast.
• In an inverted shape, the nipple never leaves the areola. The pathology has serious causes and requires correction.

To speak about the type of anomaly more confidently, a woman needs to do a little research. To do this, grasp the base of the nipple with two fingers and squeeze it slightly. Normally, the nipple should move forward, if there are deviations, it should be pulled inward. The form of this flaw can be absolutely any, have a general retraction, a flat and long appearance, and other manifestations.

How do you know if the nipple is pulled inward? There is nothing difficult in identifying symptoms, the nipple is either located at the same level with the areola, or is completely hidden inside. Such phenomena should be attributed to physiological abnormalities that require specialist advice. These questions are within the competence of a mammologist.

As already noted, such nipples entail difficulties during feeding, the defect can lead to subsequent complications - this is the maceration of the areola, the presence of fat in the cavity, and so on.

Causes of the problem

The factors leading to such a delicate problem as inverted nipple should be listed. The causes of the clinical picture can be varied, ranging from malnutrition in adolescence to genetic disorders.

1. Heredity and congenital pathologies.
2. Disorders of sexual development, provoked by a variety of factors and resulting in the malformation of the mammary glands.
3. The use of substandard or inappropriate underwear. Women are let down by models of bras that squeeze or tighten their breasts too much, do not fit the shape of the mammary glands.
4. Infectious diseases of the tissues of the mammary glands or lactiferous ducts.
5. Oncological diseases.

For most women, the nipple is pulled inward for these reasons. Even if the pathology is inherited by them, it is dangerous. According to mammologists, such a flaw always carries the risk of developing a dangerous inflammatory process known as mastitis.

Treatment methods

What to do with inverted nipples? There are several opinions on this matter. Some experts advise not to do anything before the first pregnancy, since after the birth of their first child, the problem disappears for most women by itself. Others recommend special diagnostics to determine the optimal methods for correcting pathology. In any case, a woman will need the advice of a qualified specialist.

Medicine provides two main methods of treating a defect - therapeutic and surgical. Nonsurgical treatment consists of several simple techniques, including special exercises and stimulation. Surgical intervention takes place by radically changing the shape of the nipple. Let's discuss the techniques for correcting the anomaly.

Non-surgical methods

Conservative treatment includes the following ways to deal with the defect:

• Performing a set of exercises.
• Use of special "helpers", including vacuum cups for inverted nipples, silicone breast pads.

Exercises for nipple correction

1. The essence of the exercises is reduced to active stimulation of the nipples with the help of the phalanges of the fingers. As observations show, often the retraction of the nipple turns out to be false, then the stimulation induces the nipple to take its place above the areola in this way.
2. If pathology is indeed present, complex stimulation helps to form the correct reflex of the breast skin in response to external stimuli, as a result of which the problem goes away over time.
3. The basis of the exercise is rhythmic squeezing of the chest at the very tips with two fingers, lasting for several minutes. The procedure is performed at least 3 times a day for a couple of months.

Such stimulation has been found to be quite effective, but it is prohibited to use it during pregnancy. The fact is that stimulation of the nipples provokes the release of the hormone oxytocin, which tones the uterus and triggers the mechanism of childbirth. Thus, in order to avoid the risk of miscarriage or premature birth, a woman is forced to resort to other methods of correcting breast pathology.

"Helpers" for the chest

What to do with inverted nipples if you are pregnant? If a woman decides to breastfeed and does not want to resort to surgical methods for correcting the nipples, modern devices will come to her aid. There are various nipple formers that not only help correct the pathology, but also facilitate the breastfeeding process by helping the baby to latch onto the breast.

There are two main adaptations for young mothers of the 21st century:

• Silicone breast pads. They help to get rid of cracks faster in the first days of feeding, but also make it easier for the baby to latch on to the breast. More expensive and advanced models offer women ventilated nipple shells with silicone membranes for added stimulation.
• Vacuum cups for inverted nipples. They are used for daily exercise, while not only shaping the nipples, but also massaging the breasts, opening the milk ducts completely.

Surgical methods

If a specialist has decided on the need for surgical intervention, there is nothing to worry about. Plastic surgery to correct inverted nipples is performed using a local anesthetic and takes little time. It is performed in most modern clinics, but it is not cheap. Other disadvantages include postoperative swelling and soreness, as well as the risk of complications.

Nevertheless, surgery is the most effective method for correcting breast defects. The problem is solved quickly and radically, after which the woman can safely breastfeed and feel comfortable aesthetically.

Prevention measures

It is quite difficult to prevent the development of inverted nipples and there are no specific measures for this. The main activities are reduced to an attentive attitude to one's own body, which guarantees early detection of pathology.

Regular visits to the mammologist and carrying out the necessary diagnostics allows you to start treatment in a timely manner and prevent any complications.