Patient's question:
I have inverted nipples, and it has been like this since I was a child.Doctor's answer:
Mild nipple inversion can be initially treated conservatively. Wash the nipples with warm water twice a day, then gently pull the inverted nipples outward. Avoid excessive force during pulling to prevent nipple injury. Alternatively, during bathing, gently lift the nipples outward while rubbing them, repeating the pulling action to make the nipples protrude. If pulling is ineffective, place the thumbs on both sides of the nipples and push them back and forth with force, three times a day, each time making 5 movements in all directions (up, down, left, right). After marriage, the husband can suck on his wife's inverted nipples. This sucking not only corrects nipple inversion but also prevents breast inflammation and can enhance marital harmony. If nipple inversion is not corrected before childbirth, a glass eye-dropper bottle can be used: the thick end is placed over the nipple, the thin end is fitted with a rubber tube connected to a syringe, air is extracted from the bottle to create negative pressure, and the nipple is drawn out. After a few minutes, remove the bottle and manually pull the nipple to prevent it from retracting. This method can be repeated if necessary. Alternatively, a 5 mL or 10 mL syringe can be used to withdraw the plunger, then reversed and connected to an electric suction device with a negative pressure of 400–500 mmHg to draw the nipple. This treatment is performed once a day, with 20 days constituting one course, which can also make some mildly inverted nipples protrude. For severe nipple inversion, surgical correction by a plastic surgeon is required. Under local anesthesia, several small rhombic pieces of skin within the areola are excised, and the fibrous tissue and smooth muscle pulling the nipple inward are cut. The nipple is then made to protrude before being ligated and sutured. Sutures are removed after 7 days, and suction treatment is continued for 1–2 weeks to prevent recurrence.