The areola is a central anatomic component of the female breast. With age, the size of the areola may become enlarged, leading to a size mismatch between the native breast and the areola. In most cases, the areola loses symmetry and may become eccentric and elongated. Treatments to decrease the size of the areola are usually made as part of a breast lift procedure in our Beirut Lebanon plastic surgery center.

During your consultation with Dr. Karamanoukian in his plastic surgery office, the areolar dimension will be measured and compared to the contralateral breast. The measurements of the breast, including breast width, nipple position, eccentricity, and other important anatomic parameters will also be made. The degree of breast ptosis, or droopiness, will also be assessed by Dr. Karamanoukian. These measurements will help determine whether an additional corrective breast lift should be performed at the same time as the areolar correction.

Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is a double board certified plastic surgeon with registration in the United States and in Lebanon. His academic and educational profile have helped him earn an international reputation in cosmetic breast surgery.

Areolar reduction is a safe procedure that does not readily compromise the breast tissue, nipple sensitivity, or breast shape. It can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation or under general anesthesia. In minor cases, it can also be performed as an outpatient office procedure under local anesthesia. The surgery is designed to provide increasing symmetry to bilateral breasts or to provide a more aesthetically pleasing shape or dimension to the breasts. When an areolar reduction is combined with breast lift surgery, the procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia.

Dr. Karamanoukian is a dedicated plastic surgeon and will discuss your options for areola reduction during your consultation. The surgery involves excision or removal of redundant areolar and/or breast tissue using standard plastic surgery techniques. The pattern of excision and suturing may vary from patient to patient depending on the degree of breast droopiness and the overall quality of the breast skin.

Often, patients with large areola also have laxity of the breast skin that needs to be corrected. These are patient specific parameters that should be discussed with Dr. Karamanoukian and his team before surgery. Options for breast lift vs. breast reduction vs. areola reduction will be given to you in great detail once the examination and consultation is complete. A lot depends on the size of your current breasts, your anticipated breast volume, and the amount of stretch marks and redundant skin around your breasts. 

The areola reduction surgery has minimal downtime. It is recommended that patients refrain from strenuous activity for at least two weeks after surgery, however, normal activities of daily living and work can be resumed in as little as two days after surgery. Most patients will experience a very quick recovery, with resumption of work and home duties within a short period of time. 

Scars from areola reduction are closely monitored by Dr. Karamanoukian after surgery, including during all of the postoperative visits. Scars should be managed aggressively in the postop period to optimize wound healing after areola reduction and to optimize the cosmetic appearance of the breast.

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Can I reduce the size of my areola under local anesthesia? The decision to perform nipple or areola surgery under local anesthesia depends on your medical condition and your tolerance for surgery. During your consultation for nipple surgery or areolar reduction in Beirut Lebanon, Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian will go over the options of local anesthesia, iv sedation, or general anesthesia for your case. Dr. Karamanoukian performs areolar reduction at Kare Plastic Surgery as an outpatient surgical procedure.

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Is areola reduction the same as a mastopexy? Not quite, as areolar surgery is a form of mastopexy surgery. Although there are variants of a mastopexy that primarily involve areolar reduction, a true mastopexy reduces the size of the areola in addition to the breast skin. Dr. Karamanoukian is a breast lift expert and will discuss these surgical options with your during your consultation in his plastic surgery office in Lebanon. Dr. Karamanoukian performs all aspects of mastopexy surgery including the areolar reduction, traditional mastopexy, and short scar mastopexy.

Areola surgery can be performed in an outpatient surgery center under anesthesia or in a clinic setting with local anesthesia. If you are considering areola surgery, areola reduction, or nipple reduction surgery, please call our office to schedule a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, a board certified plastic surgeon practicing in Beirut Lebanon and  Los Angeles, California. You can contact our office by calling by emailing us at bruinmd@yahoo.com .