What Causes Breasts To Shrink And Invert Nipples?

Posted on Wed, 2 May 2012

Question: I am 29 have 2 children youngest 16 mths - never breastfed my brease have always been small but have shrank a lot in the last couple of months my right nipples seems to be starting to invert but can pop back out and if i push on my breast it seems to dimple. is this just post pregnancy breasts of something else

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (21 minutes later)

Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

The size of breast has got nothing to do with the capacity to breast feed. Even small breasts can produce enough milk to feed two babies.The slightly inverted nipple if it is not associated with any kind of lump in your breast or hardness in the nipples or any abnormal discharge except for a clear fluid then there is nothing to worry.

The most common causes of nipple inversion are:
1.Breastfeeding
2.Trauma causing fat necrosis, scars or it may be a result of surgery
3.Breast Sagging or Drooping
4.Breast carcinoma

If previously your nipple was absolutely normal in appearance and now it has got inverted then it would be better to see a Gynecologist for a breast examination to search for any lumps or any other causes. A self examination of breast can also help you. Investigations like mammography, are helpful in identifying the cause. It is clinically evident that 5-10% of such cases are harmless.

Hope I have answered your query. In case of doubts, I am available for the follow ups.

Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar