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Nipple enlargement surgery changes the size, projection or diameter of your nipple, your areola or both. At New York Breast Surgery Center, lead plastic surgeon Dr. David Shokrian and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Mohamed Soliman Ahmed Elfar, handle this procedure for women and men who feel that their nipples look flat, too small or out of balance with their chest.
Your nipple is the raised center of your breast, its focal point, and your areola is the darker ring around it. Treating one doesn’t fix the other. Your nipple correction and areola work is planned separately, according to what your anatomy requires and what your aesthetic goals are.
Some women find that after breast augmentation, their implants added volume, but their nipples now appear too small. The change in overall breast size unexpectedly affected how their nipples appeared. Other women, without any prior surgery, simply want more nipple definition. Regardless of the reason, the first step to correct your nipple size is a consultation, where your plastic surgeon examines your anatomy and makes plans from there.
It’s all about scale and balance. A nipple or areola may look small, depending on the surrounding tissue. Common reasons to consider nipple enhancement surgery include:
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nipple and areola procedures are performed as part of hundreds of thousands of breast surgeries across the United States every year. At New York Breast Surgery Center, you receive the same level of care no matter why you’ve visited, whether you want a full breast revision or a simple nipple enhancement.
Dr. Shokrian explains: “I choose the technique based on what changes we agreed to make. Projection, diameter and areola size don’t all respond to the same fix. So I take stock of each factor, discuss your options with you and build your treatment plan from that point.” For projection and nipple definition, your nipple enlargement options may include:
Standalone procedures are performed after you get local anesthesia. These procedures often take less than an hour. Your surgical team completes all your procedures in their accredited surgical suite on an outpatient basis, so you return home to recuperate the same day with carefully prepared recovery instructions.
Wanting to change something doesn’t always mean you need surgery. Experienced NYC plastic surgeons consider your anatomy, your goals and your health history before suggesting any procedure. Good candidates for nipple enhancement surgery share characteristics that include:
Any previous procedures — such as inverted nipple correction or areola reduction — may change what’s possible. On the other hand, women who’ve had a breast reduction or a breast lift find that nipple enlargement surgery is the last piece between them and the result they’re genuinely happy with.
“I always look at the whole breast,” says Dr. Shokrian. “I can’t design a treatment plan without considering your body contour. What matters is that everything looks in proportion together.”
Plastic surgery is the most direct way to enlarge your areola. Dr. Shokrian uses a skin grafting technique that expands your areola to your target size. Centered circle markings define your new diameter before the first incision. Tissue from a small, discreet donor site then widens that border. This technique works for women and men. Male areola enlargement surgery follows the same skin grafting approach. Reasons to seek areola enlargement surgery include:
Dr. Shokrian adds, “Men don’t talk about this as openly as women do, but it matters to them just as much. I focus on your proportions first, then create a detailed plan and carry it out with precision. I mark your new areola diameter and expand its border with careful skin grafting. I make sure to keep every incision inside your natural pigmented zone so your scars won’t show.”
Right after surgery, you notice a change, but that’s not the final look. It’s normal to have swelling for the first few weeks, which can hide the final result. As your swelling fades, the results start to look clearer. The final changes you see after nipple enhancement surgery include:
Surgical results are permanent. For patients who combined this with breast augmentation or fat transfer augmentation, the breast finally looks like the whole thing belongs together. If you went through breast reconstruction, this procedure brings the process to its natural end. If you had a structural issue, tuberous breast correction addresses that first. Breast asymmetry correction works the same way. Nipple enhancement gets added to those plans when the anatomy calls for it.
“The difference after this procedure is subtle but real,” says Dr. Shokrian. “A lot of patients tell me their chest finally looks finished. That’s the goal.”
The good news is that it’s shorter than you expect. You don’t leave surgery with attached drains, as you do for major breast surgeries. Ans you have fewer restrictions compared to those larger surgeries. Right after surgery, the dressings go on, and they have to stay for seven days. Keep the area dry and don’t let anything press against it. That’s the first week. The tissue needs that time to settle without being disturbed.
You have your first follow-up appointment with Dr. Shokrian at the end of the first week. He removes the dressings and checks the incision. Most patients see a clear improvement in shape and projection at that appointment.
During your second post-procedure week, you can return to most normal activities. You still need approval for any activity that puts compression on your chest. Usually, you’re cleared to return to all normal activities by the sixth week.
“I keep scarring as discreet as possible,” says Dr. Shokrian. “I place incisions along the edge of your areola, where the color naturally changes. Your scar fades to become less and less noticeable as you heal over the first few months.”
Not every practice specializes in breast surgery. New York Breast Surgery Center does, exclusively. That focus is why New Yorkers choose Dr. Shokrian and Dr. Elfar over general plastic surgery practices. Dr. Elfar holds board certification with a FACS designation. Dr. Shokrian has 14 years of dedicated breast surgery experience. Together, they offer proven results.
Visit the Midtown Manhattan or Great Neck, Long Island facility or schedule a consultation. Your plastic surgery nipple enlargement begins with a consultation.
Facility Safety Note: All surgical procedures are performed at our JCAHO-accredited flagship surgical center in Bryant Park, Manhattan (HCO ID: 676295). Consultations, minimally invasive procedures and pre/post-operative care are available at our Bronx and Great Neck locations.
Medical Content: Content on breastsurgerynyc.com is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Use of this site does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.
Results & Imagery: Individual results vary; "Before & After" photos do not guarantee specific outcomes. This site may contain clinical imagery featuring medical nudity for educational purposes.
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