Patient's question:
My nipples need stimulation to come out. Usually, they are tucked inside, especially when it's cold. Sometimes, when I take off my underwear, they just look like two dimples. I'm worried it might be a disease. Is it related to the underwear I wear? The underwear pushes the nipples in, and over time, they just stop coming out! I want to have a baby, but will this affect breastfeeding in the future?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Nipple inversion is mainly due to the underdevelopment of smooth muscle in the nipple and areola. These muscle fibers pull inward, and combined with a lack of supportive tissue beneath the nipple, it forms nipple inversion. It is primarily corrected through manual traction. The adolescent period is a crucial time for correcting nipple inversion. Regularly pulling the nipples can make the breasts more prominent, several times a day. Over time, the nipples naturally gradually protrude outward. If this doesn’t work, you can first gently push the skin near the nipple outward and then use suction therapy. After pregnancy, applying a breast pump to suction the nipples several times a day can help them protrude due to the negative pressure. Additionally, nipple correctors are used to treat flat or inverted nipples. If these methods are ineffective, surgery may be considered.