Hagopian Plastic Surgery: Thomas Hagopian, MD
99 Krog St. NE, Unit C110
Atlanta, GA 30307
Phone: (404) 885-8542
Tuesday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Do oversized, puffy areolae or long, droopy nipples cause you to feel self-conscious about your breasts? Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Hagopian offers nipple and areola reduction at his Atlanta practice to help give you the balanced, proportional look you want. Women primarily seek this safe and relatively quick procedure, but Dr. Hagopian can also perform nipple and areola reduction for men, too.
Nipples and the dark areas around them, called the areolae, that appear out of proportion with your breasts can be embarrassing for some people. The size of areolae is determined by genetics, but other factors can affect their size and the appearance of the nipples. Weight gain, breastfeeding, and aging can all change the size and appearance of the nipples and areolae, causing you to feel uncomfortable exposing your breasts. Changes include:
Nipple and areola reduction surgery can address each of these issues.
Both nipple and areola reduction surgery can be performed as a standalone procedure or combined during a single operation. Dr. Hagopian performs both procedures in most cases using a local anesthetic, unless the surgery also includes another breast enhancement procedure.
During a nipple reduction procedure, Dr. Hagopian makes an incision around the nipple, removes any excess tissue, and reshapes the remaining tissue to reduce the size of the nipple. A key element of the procedure is ensuring that the nipples are symmetrical.
To perform areola reduction surgery, Dr. Hagopian makes 2 circular incisions. One is within the areola and the other on the edge of the areola. This creates a doughnut-shaped layer of excess tissue that he removes. He then sutures the incisions, resulting in a smaller areola. Because the incision is made along the edge of the areola, is typically well hidden.
Plastic surgery is the perfect field for Dr. Hagopian, who has a knack for fixing things and helping people. He’s a former firefighter/paramedic, and he had a business building highly sought-after custom taillights in medical school. He met his wife, Nurse Hagopian, at Emory University, and they bonded over many shared interests, including a commitment to exceptional patient care.
Meet Dr. Thomas Hagopian
Nurse Hagopian is an Atlanta native, a self-identified nursing ethics nerd, and an ANCC board-certified adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. She’s passionate about studying informed consent, empowering fellow nurses to use their voices, and collaborating with people in addressing their aesthetic care needs.
Meet Nurse HagopianSome patients combine nipple and areola reduction with other cosmetic breast procedures, including breast reduction, breast lift, and breast augmentation. You can discuss your concerns and goals with Dr. Hagopian during your consultation, and he will create a surgical plan designed to achieve the outcome you want.
The cost of nipple and areola reduction surgery in Atlanta varies, depending on the specific procedure performed, if it’s combined with other cosmetic breast procedures, and several other factors. We will give you a personalized pricing estimate as part of your consultation.
Both nipple and areola reduction procedures require minimal downtime after your surgery. If you have nipple reduction surgery, you won’t necessarily miss any work, but you should expect your nipples to feel tender and sore for about a week. You will have some swelling, and full healing could take up to 6 weeks. You can manage discomfort with over-the-counter medication.
The recovery is similar for areola reduction, although you’ll probably need to take a day or 2 off from work. Again, it likely will take about 6 weeks for swelling and numbness to resolve completely. In both cases, it’s important to closely follow the postoperative instructions we provide.
If you would like to learn more about nipple and areola reduction surgery, please call our Atlanta office at (404) 885-8542 or request a consultation online.
