Do You Lose Nipple Sensation With Breast Reduction
Breast surgery can be a difficult and painful process. While many women consider breast reduction as a solution to manage their heavy, super large breasts and restore their body confidence, research shows that this procedure may cause loss of nipple sensation for some women. However, we find out that there are ways to help minimize or even reverse the effects of it in the long term.
In this guide, we find out Do You Lose Nipple Sensation With Breast Reduction, do nipples lose sensitivity with age, loss of nipple sensitivity menopause, and nerve regeneration after breast reduction.
Do You Lose Nipple Sensation With Breast Reduction
You’re probably wondering if there’s any point in having breast reduction surgery if you are a man. You’re also likely concerned about what it means for your nipple sensation. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s possible to have both an improved quality of life and a better body image after undergoing breast reduction surgery as a man.
With breast reduction, there are three main incisions that are made.
The three incisions are made at the following locations:
- One is placed around the outer edge of the nipple and areola. This is done so that it can be closed with stitches.
- The second incision extends from the edge of your nipple down to your fold underneath your breast, which will be closed with sutures.
- The third incision runs from under your breast along its fold where it meets your chest wall, which will also be closed with sutures.
One of the incisions is placed around the outer edge of the nipple and areola.
One of the incisions is placed around the outer edge of the nipple and areola. This incision can either be made horizontally or vertically, depending on your surgeon’s preference and how much skin needs to be removed.
The other incision is placed under each breast, along an imaginary line between your nipples; a small portion of tissue from underneath each breast is removed to give you that long-sought-after perkiness.
The second incision extends from the edge of the nipple down to the fold underneath the breast.
The second incision extends from the edge of the nipple down to the fold underneath the breast. The skin and tissue are lifted off of the chest wall, then trimmed to match your desired size and shape.
The result is a smoother contour and smaller, firmer breasts that sit higher on your chest.
The third incision runs from under the breast to the fold where your breast meets your chest.
The third incision runs from under the breast to the fold where your breast meets your chest. This is where excess skin and fat are removed. It also moves the nipple up higher on your chest, which can make it look and feel more natural than it did before the surgery.
The final incision is made across your inframammary crease—the fold between your breasts—and this is used to bring together any remaining tissue after the other cuts have been made. They will also use this cut to suture together any skin that’s left over after removing all of the excess skin/fat from above or below (depending on what you had done).
Sometimes, not always, there will be a vertical scar running down from your nipple to your fold.
You may have a vertical scar running up from your nipple to your fold, which is usually a result of the nipple being moved up higher on your chest. The scar is not always noticeable and can be hidden by your bra or makeup. If you’re concerned about it, talk to your surgeon about options for reducing it.
Your plastic surgeon may have to remove fat, glandular tissue and excess skin in order to achieve a more desirable size and shape for your breasts.
As you have seen above, breast reduction surgery is performed by removing excess tissue from the breasts in order to reduce their size. This tissue includes fat, glandular tissue and skin.
The nipple may also be moved higher on the chest as part of this procedure. The nipple itself is not removed during breast reduction surgery; however, it may take some time for sensation to return.
The reason this procedure is effective is because it removes excess glandular tissue while moving your nipple up higher on your chest.
The reason this procedure is effective is because it removes excess glandular tissue while moving your nipple up higher on your chest. Not only does this reduce the overall size of your breast and improve its shape, but it also makes it easier for you to wear clothes that fit correctly.
do nipples lose sensitivity with age
Buds turn into full-blown breasts
You may not remember when you went from having childish swellings on your chest to bonafide breasts, but did you know your ladies probably kept growing even after that initial growth spurt, even if you couldn’t tell? “Breasts usually continue to grow for at least five years after you first get your period and enter puberty, though it varies,” says Alexes Hazen, MD, associate professor in the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. When you start developing breasts has no bearing on how large they’ll ultimately be.
Your breasts in your 20s and 30s
Once your boobs are fully developed, they look and feel about the same throughout your 20s and into your early 30s. The round mounds are covered in tight, smooth skin and they may feel firm because of the dense tissue that makes them up. Find out 13 things your breasts aren’t telling you.
They may temporarily swell
Even though your breasts are as big as they’re naturally going to get by the time you exit your teens, they can still fluctuate in mass during hormonal changes such as your period, pregnancy, or general weight changes. “One big influencer on breast size is hormonal changes. Weight gain and weight loss throughout life can also make a big difference; some people gain weight directly in their breasts, so they grow larger and then shrink once you lose the weight,” says Dr. Hazen. If your boobs balloon while breastfeeding, they usually go back to their original size once you’re finished. Read up on the reassuring reasons behind breast tenderness.
Your nipples can change
Besides growing larger because of hormones and all that milk, pregnancy can also alter the color of your areola (it darkens) and enlarge your nipples. “A lot women first know they’re pregnant by the fact that their breasts are little bigger and look different,” says Dr. Hazen. Post-pregnancy, your areola should lighten back to its natural shade; and while the nipples typically revert to a more normal look they can sometimes remain larger permanently. However, some nipple or breast changes could be a sign of breast cancer.
They may get softer
By the time you pass 30, you’ll probably notice your breasts feeling softer. While it could happen with weight gain, it’s probably just aging. “They go from feeling really firm to much softer because that dense connective tissue is replaced with breast fat,” says Dr. Hazen.
They can droop
If you’re approaching or past menopause, don’t be surprised if you see changes in the shape of your breasts. “As we age, skin stretches out and sags, so that’s why there’s that droop and they hang down lower, even if they’re not necessarily that big,” says Dr. Hazen. “People think of large breasts drooping but smaller ones will sag over time, too.” If it’s a concern to you, try wearing a soft, comfortable bra at night; this provides support as you sleep.
They may lose volume and skin grows looser
“Skin loses elasticity and the thickness of the dermis, which allows for a lot of tightness, thins out and becomes looser,” says Dr. Hazen. “And, after menopause women’s estrogen levels decrease, which can cause them to lose breast volume.”
They’re sensitive to the sun
If you want to protect your breasts, don’t forget your chest when you’re slathering on sunscreen. “If some breast skin is exposed it will age just like any other skin on your body that is exposed to sun. It can get wrinkly,” says Dr. Hazen.
They may lose sensitivity
“Sensations you feel around the nipple and areola comes from nerves inside the chest,” says Dr. Hazen. “If you have small breasts, the distance to the nerves is really short, so you may have more sensitivity. As they grow or droop over time, though, that nerve gets stretched out and the sensation may lessen.” Though some changes are unavoidable, there are still things you can do to keep your breasts healthy and decrease your chance of breast cancer.
loss of nipple sensitivity menopause
Hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness – low estrogen during menopause can cause a lot of uncomfortable changes. Most of us know about these common symptoms of menopause. However, low estrogen may also cause our breasts to change as well. Learn about some common breast changes during menopause and how your hormone doctor may be able to help.
How Low Estrogen Can Change Your Breasts
Low estrogen levels can decrease the amount of fat and tissue in your breasts, leaving them smaller and less full than they used to be. Additionally, mammary gland tissue typically shrinks during menopause, which also may leave your breasts looking different. Your breasts may also begin to sag as your estrogen levels plummet, as the connective tissues in your breasts start to become dehydrated and lose elasticity.
In addition, low estrogen may cause changes in your nipples and areolae. During menopause, you may notice that your nipples start to turn slightly inward. Your nipples and areolae may also start to shrink. However, some studies suggest that hormone replacement treatment may help prevent these changes.
The Role of Hormone Replacement Treatment In Breast Appearance
In 2012, a group of researchers set out to find how some environmental factors can influence breast aging, including hormone therapy. To do so, they studied 161 pairs of identical twins and assessed several different metrics of their breast appearance. The study found that the women who received hormone therapy after menopause had higher scores in many different elements of breast appearance. Some areas where these women scored higher included:
The results of this study suggest that hormone therapy for menopausal women may play a role in how your breasts change. While low estrogen levels can cause many unwanted symptoms during menopause, your hormone doctor helps bring your hormones back into balance. This may help reduce breast changes during menopause. However, as Johns Hopkins notes, estrogen replacement treatment won’t improve breast ptosis if they were saggy before menopause.
nerve regeneration after breast reduction
A 40 year old lady who had undergone bilateral breast reductions some 8 weeks previously was seen in the Pain Clinic. The surgery and post operative course had been uneventful. However, approximately 2-3 weeks following the surgery, she started to experience sharp, stabbing pains like ‘lightening strikes’ in either breast, specifically near the scar sites.
This pain gradually increased in intensity until it was extremely severe and disabling. The pain was resistant to regular analgesics such as Paracetamol, Diclofenac, Tramadol, Dihydrocodeine and Codeine, both alone and in combination.
On examination, she was found to have extreme hypersensitivity in both breasts, particularly around certain areas of the scar sites, on either side. In both areas, she had allodynia (pain produced by light touch), and hyperalgesia (pain produced by pain out of proportion to a painful stimulus). She also had sudomotor signs including increased redness and swelling again, near the scar sites. The initial differential diagnosis included cellulitis/ wound infection and neuropathic pain post surgery.
The painful areas were ultra-sounded and no collections of oedema or pus were located. The patient was started on a Gabapentin titration pack over a 2 week period and taken off other analgesics. The Gabapentin was continued at the full dose of 600 mg t.d.s. for a further 2 weeks. At the end of the 4 week period there had been a dramatic resolution in pain and sudomotor symptoms. The sudden electric shock-like pains had completely disappeared and the hypersensitivity had settled. The patient had stopped the medication on her own without consulting medical advice.
However, thankfully she did not require taking these any more and had a complete resolution. The lady had a revision of her original surgery. Prior to the surgery, the Anaesthetist was contacted and Gabapentin was started 2 days before the operation at a high dose, and continued for 3 weeks into the post-operative period. This combined with the regular analgesics given post operatively including Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Codeine and a Morphine PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesia device) during the first 2 days meant that she did not have a repeat of the initial neuropathic episode.