Areola Reduction

If you’re uncomfortable with the size of your areolas (the pigmented/brown areas around the nipples), reduction is possible. Areola reduction surgery is a relatively simple procedure that can reduce the diameter of one or both of your areolas. It can be performed on its own, or together with a breast lift, a breast reduction, or breast augmentation.

Areola reduction surgery is performed by removing a circular area of the outer brown area of the areola. The skin surrounding this is then brought inwards in a purse string fashion to surround the areola by placing a so called round block purse string suture.  This is a surgical suture passed as a running stitch in and out along the edge of a circular wound in such a way that when the ends of the suture are drawn tight the wound is closed like a purse.

In order to cut the areola in a perfectly rounded fashion, a special instrument called Freeman areola marker is used. The areola marker actually resembles a cookie cutter and is available in different sizes (diameter of 36, 38, 40, 42 mm). 

I prefer to use the smallest available size, as the areolar skin is extremely thin and has the tendency to stretch over time, leading to widening of the areolas.  

Areola Reduction

If you’re uncomfortable with the size of your areolas (the pigmented/brown areas around the nipples), reduction is possible. Areola reduction surgery is a relatively simple procedure that can reduce the diameter of one or both of your areolas. It can be performed on its own, or together with a breast lift, a breast reduction, or breast augmentation.

Areola reduction surgery is performed by removing a circular area of the outer brown area of the areola. The skin surrounding this is then brought inwards in a purse string fashion to surround the areola by placing a so called round block purse string suture.  This is a surgical suture passed as a running stitch in and out along the edge of a circular wound in such a way that when the ends of the suture are drawn tight the wound is closed like a purse.

In order to cut the areola in a perfectly rounded fashion, a special instrument called Freeman areola marker is used. The areola marker actually resembles a cookie cutter and is available in different sizes (diameter of 36, 38, 40, 42 mm). 

I prefer to use the smallest available size, as the areolar skin is extremely thin and has the tendency to stretch over time, leading to widening of the areolas.