Can the Size Of The Nipples Be Reduced In Men?

Q: I want to know if my protruding nipples can be reduced on size and made to lay flat. I am a 23 year-old guy that has gotten big nipples just in the past several years. I never noticed them before but now that really bug me. I am very conscious of them and have to be careful as to what type of shirt that I wear or they will be sticking out and obvious. I want them to be flat and smooth with the rest of my chest. I have read that women can have their nipples reduced but can’t find that it is done in men.

A: Nipple reduction can be done just as easily and simply in men as it is done in women. In fact, it is actually easier in men because there is no effort needed to preserve nipple sensation or any height of the nipple. Also, men rarely have the degree of protrusion of the nipple that many women have making it, by comparison, an easier problem to cure.

In men, nipple reduction is done by a wedge-excision approach. This will completely eliminate the nipple and will make a seamless color transition into the areola as it is that tissue which is actually closed over where the nipple was. This will always make the nipple completely flat and eliminate any chance that it will ever protrude again. While nipple sensation will be lost that is rarely a concern for most men. It is a simple procedure done in the offiec under local anesthesia. There is no recovery or restrictions any activities afterward. Tiny dissolveable sutures are used and one can shower the very next day.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana