What should women do if their nipples are inverted?

　　Nipple inversion is mainly congenital, but can also be caused by trauma or surgery, breast tumors, and post-mastitis fibroplasia. The main cause of congenital nipple inversion is poor development of the smooth muscles of the nipple and areola. These muscle fibers are pulled inward, coupled with the lack of supporting tissue under the nipple, resulting in nipple inversion. Invagination usually occurs bilaterally at the same time, but may also occur unilaterally. If the inverted nipple can come back with a little squeeze or pull, it is considered as mild nipple inversion, which can also be called reversible nipple inversion. This type of nipple inversion can be corrected through non-surgical conservative treatment. The best time for treatment is before marriage or early pregnancy. Specific methods include manual traction and instrument traction.

　　Technique traction: Push the nipple out of the skin by yourself, pinch the nipple horizontally or vertically with your thumb and index finger, and pull the nipple outward continuously or intermittently for about thirty minutes each time, alternating the nipples on both sides. 3-5 times a day. Instrumental traction: that is, using a manual or electric breast pump to suck out the nipple using the principle of negative pressure, and also sucking and pulling the nipple continuously or intermittently for 30 minutes each time, alternating both sides, 3-5 times a day. The above two correction methods can achieve better results after two months.

　　Surgical correction: Irreversible nipple inversion, that is, severe nipple inversion, can only be corrected through surgical surgery. The surgery is to completely release and stretch the inverted muscle fiber bundles, and fill the surrounding tissue under the nipple to enhance the support of the nipple, make the nipple bulge and reshape it. The surgery is generally performed under local anesthesia. There are various surgical techniques, which can be selected according to the specific situation. The surgeries are all performed within the areola. The surgery is small and will not leave obvious surgical scars. Under normal circumstances, the nipple will not be damaged. nerve , so after surgery, it will not hinder the normal feeling of the nipple. Surgery generally does not damage the breast ducts, so it will not cause breastfeeding problems.

　　It is worth mentioning that after surgical correction of nipple inversion, there is still the possibility of recurrence. Therefore, 5-7 days after the operation and after the sutures are removed, manual traction of the nipple is required for 1-2 months. If conditions permit, instrument traction can also be used to consolidate the curative effect and prevent recurrence of nipple inversion.