Will breastfeeding always cause nipples to become deformed and elongated? Can they be surgically reduced in size?

After breastfeeding, the nipple may become elongated or deformed. [The following is a possible alternative:] Use [the appropriate medication/method].Areola/nipple cosmetic surgeryRestore small and delicate nipples.

Many mothers, after enduring the hardships of childbirth, face the next challenge: breastfeeding. Before their bodies have fully recovered, this process can affect the sensitive and delicate nipples. During breastfeeding, the constant sucking, pulling, and biting, coupled with the discomfort and pain experienced by the baby, can be distressing and damaging to their self-confidence if they see enlarged, longer, and darker nipples and areolas after this difficult period.

Will breastfeeding always deform the nipples? Why?

During breastfeeding, under the influence of hormones, the nipple and areola will enlarge and darken. In addition to secreting milk, this is also to make it easier for the baby to find the nipple to drink milk (because the baby's vision is poor at birth, only 0.01, and can only see black and white). Then, the friction from wearing a bra can also affect the nipple's shape, including enlarging, darkening, lengthening, or sagging.

The most common cause of nipple elongation and deformation is the way the baby feeds. When the baby can't get enough milk, they may pull on the nipple forcefully. If the skin is broken from being bitten, the scar tissue will continue to increase, and the nipple will become darker and even deformed.

Why does my baby bite my nipple while breastfeeding?

If a baby keeps biting the nipple, it could be due to the following reasons:

Attract attention

If a mother is constantly distracted while breastfeeding, looking at her phone, talking on the phone, or doing other things, the baby may feel ignored and bite the nipple to get attention.

Teething discomfort

When babies are teething, their gums are often swollen and uncomfortable, and they will subconsciously bite on things to distract themselves and reduce the pain. Mothers can give their babies a teething ring to chew on before breastfeeding to relieve the pain.

Nose blocked

If your baby has a cold or a stuffy nose, they may open their mouth and bite because they have difficulty breathing. If this happens, you can hold your baby upright and breastfeed them in an upright position.

Incorrect breastfeeding posture

When a baby is latching on to a breast, the nipple and areola should be taken into the mouth together. This stimulates the lactiferous sinuses and allows the baby to suck in milk. If the baby only takes in the nipple, the baby may bite hard because the baby cannot get milk. This can cause the nipple to be stretched and deformed, and the skin may break due to excessive friction.

How to prevent nipple deformation and nipple pulling during breastfeeding?

1. Don't introduce a bottle to your baby too early.

If babies start drinking milk from a bottle too early, it will affect their drinking habits. Because the opening of a bottle is relatively large, they can drink very quickly and take in a large amount of milk at a time. When they then drink from the mother's nipple, the amount of milk may be smaller, which may make them feel uncomfortable. They may then pull hard on the mother's nipple in order to suck in more milk.

2. Take the nipple and areola into your mouth and suck.

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to express milk, it won't come out, and it's very painful. That might be because you're expressing in the wrong place! Structurally, milk is stored in the lobules of the breast, then travels through the mammary ducts to the milk column, and finally reaches the baby's mouth. An important part of this process is the "lactary sinus," located below the areola, which connects the outlet to the junction of the mammary ducts.

The important thing about the lactiferous sinus is that it has many receptors that act as the switch for the milk ejection reflex! So when you want to express milk, you can try gently squeezing this area. This is also why it is recommended that when the baby is nursing, they should take the areola into their mouth and suckle together, which will make it easier for them to get milk.

Will nipples that have become deformed naturally recover?

Will nipples return to their original shape after weaning? Actually, no, when...After weaning, because the mammary glands and milk ducts have been stretched, the chances of them returning to their original state naturally are not high. If you want to shrink your nipples, it is recommended to use surgery, which is more effective.Arsty ClinicDr. Hsin-Yu Chen的乳頭手術可以進行縮小乳頭的設計，如太長縮短、太寬縮窄However, before the surgery, you need to consider whether you will continue to breastfeed, understand whether the breast-related surgery you are about to undergo can remove the mammary ducts, and have a detailed communication with the doctor before the surgery so that the doctor can make an appropriate surgical design based on your needs and conditions.

Surgical methods for reducing deformed nipples:

1. Overly long or even drooping nipples (preservation of mammary ducts)

After determining the appropriate nipple height, the excess skin is dissected in a circular motion, and the wound is then sutured parallel to the skin, thus shortening the nipple length. Because the blood vessels, nerves, and mammary ducts in the center of the nipple are carefully preserved, the nipple sensation is normal after the surgery, and breastfeeding function is not affected.

II. Overly wide nipples

Appropriate incisions are made on the top and sides of the nipple to remove excess or overly protruding tissue, which is then sutured together to form a new dome. This not only reduces the width of the nipple but also corrects local irregularities. However, if the nipple is reduced to a large extent and a significant amount of tissue is removed, it may affect some breastfeeding function.

3. Overly long and droopy nipples

The two methods mentioned above are combined to create a composite flap design, which also shortens the nipple and makes it smaller and more delicate.