Inverted nipple: Cosmetic problem or medical concern?

What causes an inverted nipple? Should I be concerned?

- Cheryl / Illinois

Mayo Clinic breast-health specialist Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

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Inverted nipple

If you have always had an inverted nipple, it is probably not a medical concern. However, a newly inverted nipple can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, such as breast cancer, and should be evaluated by a doctor. Other causes of an inverted nipple include:

Prior breast surgery involving the nipple or the areola, the dark skin around the nipple
History of an infection of the ducts beneath the areola (periductal mastitis)
Widening (dilation) or inflammation of the milk ducts beneath the nipple (mammary duct ectasia)

If an inverted nipple is a cosmetic concern, outpatient surgery to correct the inverted nipple may be possible. However, it's important to note that complications, such as altered nipple sensation and the inability to breast-feed, are possible.