Service
Areola and nipple correction
An areola can be reduced when it is too large or stretched, and an inverted nipple can be drawn out and fixed in place. Both procedures are done on their own or along with other procedures on the breast, in women and in men.
What concerns does it address?
Areola reduction
The incision runs around the areola, at the edge where the skin colour changes, and the excess areola is cut away. It is often done along with a breast lift or breast reduction, because those procedures go through that incision anyway.
Inverted nipple
The nipple is held inward by short milk ducts. In the correction they are released and the nipple is fixed in the drawn-out position. Depending on the technique, breastfeeding after the procedure can be made more difficult — tell us at the examination if you are planning it.
When is the procedure not suitable?
Correction of an inverted nipple is planned with care in women who want to breastfeed — with a higher degree of inversion the milk ducts have to be cut, and with them the ability to breastfeed; this is decided at the examination. A nipple that has turned inward recently, on one side, with discharge or a change in the skin, is not corrected before a breast specialist has examined it. After breastfeeding, we wait at least six months.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — a change in the sensation of the nipple, the nipple turning inward again, widening of the scar around the areola.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Inverted nipple correction | €800–1,000 |
| Areola correction | €1,500–1,800 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Breast lift — a lift goes through the incision around the areola anyway, so the areola is reduced in the same procedure.
- Breast reduction — a reduction goes through the incision around the areola anyway; the areola is reduced and moved in the same procedure.
- Breast asymmetry correction — asymmetry correction is often combined with areola correction, in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
What can be corrected? An inverted nipple (one that does not protrude even when touched or in the cold), an overly large or overly long nipple, an overly wide areola and asymmetry between the two sides.
How is a nipple reduced? The nipple is shortened, or its circumference is reduced with a circular incision, while sensation is preserved.
Does sensation change? In most people sensation is weaker in the first weeks and returns; a lasting change is possible, more often with correction of a higher degree of inversion.
When are the stitches removed? The stitches dissolve by themselves or are removed in seven to ten days. A sports bra is worn for two to three weeks.
Can an inverted nipple come back? It can, in some women — especially when the ducts have been preserved. The correction is then repeated.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.