Can My 15 Year-Old Son Have Nipple Reduction Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have read about nipple reduction surgery and think that it is what I want to have. I am 45 years old but have long had nipples that stick out too far. There is barely any type of shirt that I can wear that hides them. My teenage son who is 15 years old has the identical problem (bad gene!) and I don’t want to see him suffer as I have over the years when there appears to a good solution. Would he qualify for this surgery? Also since we are from out of town can we have a consult and the surgery the same day? Thanks!

A: With parental consent, your son would qualify so there is no concern with that issue. Consults can be done by phone, Skype or e-mail so there is no reason to come for in for ani nitial evaluation when the problem is so visually obvious. I would just send me a picture or two of your and your son’s nipples for my assessment. Obviously they are too long and protruding but it would be nice to see them anyway in advance.

Usually nipple reductions are done under local anesthesia as a simple outpatient procedure. They should not be confused with more complex procedures like gynecomastia reductions.Whether a 15 year-old could handle that or not under local anesthesia I do not know although I suspect so. The toal cost of the procedure is $1500. You would just book the procedure(s) through our office after I have evaluated the pictures so it would be a one-time visit. Dissolveable sutures are used so there is no return follow-up needed.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana