Can the nipple’s sense of touch be lost from a mastopexy?

The results of a mastopexy, to a large extent, depend on the skills and experience of the operating surgeon. The overriding concern of the operating surgeon must be to ensure that the patient does not suffer from any permanent adverse effects. If the nipple sensation or sense of touch is lost partially or fully, it can severely hamper the individual’s sexual responsiveness. This can cause more harm than good for the patient who has undergone the mastopexy.

The operating surgeon must recognize that mastopexy is an elective surgery. It is not a life-threatening condition but a cosmetic one. The patient’s sole motive is to improve the appearance of the breasts. Therefore, if the patient’s sexual activity and pleasure gets compromised permanently in any way, the outcome of the procedure is regarded as a failure.

A skilled and experienced plastic surgeon ensures that mastopexy does not affect the nipple in any way. Its aim is to tighten the skin around the nipple. A circular incision is made around the nipple, but the nipple is not undermined in any way. It is not taken off and is not altered in any way either. In fact, the more common outcome in a successful mastopexy is that the nipple becomes a little more sensitive than normal in the first few weeks after surgery. This happens because of the new positioning of the nipple and it takes time to adapt to the new position.

A surgery in the safe hands of an experienced surgeon will ensure that the nipples get as erect as they were prior to surgery. If there is a risk of permanent damage to sensation, the surgery is not worth the risk. Therefore, the patients must be discerning in their choice of a surgeon when opting for breast lift surgery.

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