When it comes to insecurities about your “girls,” a number of issues could be influencing your disdain – including the areolas.
What exactly is the areola? Isn’t it the same as the nipple, you ask?
To be precise, the areola is the brown area of breast skin surrounding the nipple. Problems with this area of the breast include it being too large – often a byproduct of breast – feeding or weight gain – and doming or puffiness.
Since we are discussing areolar abnormalities, it is important to know exactly what is considered normal.
The areola should be round and an average of 4.5 centimeters in diameter – a number that correlates with breast size. The larger the breast/nipple, the larger the areolar and vice versa.
Oversized areolas
If your areolas appear to be disproportionately large compared to your nipples and breasts, we use a relatively simple technique to provide you with balance and symmetry.
With the use of local anesthetic, a rim of areolar skin is removed, leaving a central area of approximately 4.5 centimeters. The surrounding skin is gathered toward your new areolar rim with dissolvable sutures, much like a purse string. This is a very effective procedure and is performed often at our practice.
The only downside to this procedure is a remaining pale scar around the areola. However, this pale line at the juncture of your new areolar rim and normal breast skin can be hidden with medical grade tattooing. This essentially fills the scar in with pigment so it looks natural.
Misshapen areolas
If your areolas are irregular in shape or different sizes, a nearly identical procedure as discussed above is used. The only difference is instead of taking an equal width of areola skin from the entire circumference, the surgeon now has to be strategic with how much skin he removes from what area around the areolar to correct its shape.
“What’s also nice about the two previous procedures is that the same incision can be used to perform a number of other procedures at the same time; breast augmentation, a breast lift and even a reduction,” says Dr. Shain Cuber, a New Jersey breast implant specialist.
Domed or puffy areolas
The best way to deal with this condition is to address the problem (excess tissue beneath the areola) and we do that with liposuction or simple excision of the underlying tissue. By reducing some of the tissue beneath the areola, it will lie flatter. If this procedure is combined with areolar reduction, the same circumferential incision used for reduction can be used, if performed alone, only a small incision along the bottom rim of the areola is required.
Depending on your unique problem, there is a procedure at Associates in Plastic Surgery that can provide you with effective results with little to no scarring. To add to your final result, you might consider adding a tummy tuck or breast augmentation in New Jersey. Call today for a free initial consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon.
