Inverted Nipples Treatment

Avent Niplette for Flat or Inverted Nipples

What are flat or inverted nipples?

Flat or inverted nipples are caused by short milk-bearing or lactiferous ducts in the nipples. These can cause problems if you decide to breastfeed. The only permanent way to correct this used to be by surgery, which is expensive and means that you cannot breastfeed afterwards. Now Avent Niplette is proven to correct flat or inverted nipples permanently.

What is Avent Niplette?

 The Avent Niplette is a simple and very effective product that uses gentle suction to pull the nipple outwards. Overtime and with daily 8-hour wear the Niplette will lengthen the lactiferous or milk bearing ducts that are holding the nipple in.

When is it recommended that you use the Avent Niplette?

Avent Niplette is suitable for use in the following situations:

• If you are concerned in case you may have a problem with breastfeeding should you become pregnant. Ideally, it is recommended that you start using the Avent Niplette before you become pregnant
• If your breasts and nipples are not too tender or sensitive during pregnancy, you may use the Avent Niplette during the first six months of pregnancy only
• To correct flat or inverted nipples which have developed during puberty, or due to hereditary factors
• Where a patient has had corrective surgery for inverted nipples, but this has been unsuccessful; it is advisable to confirm this with your surgeon
• For cosmetic reasons if you would like to correct inverted or flat nipples
• For the first few days after having your baby, just for a few minutes before each feed if you feel this helps to draw the nipple out making it easier for your baby to latch on. After a few days when your milk has come in fully, the Niplette will not stay on the nipple properly. However, your baby should be used to pulling the nipple out by themselves at this point. It is important to remember that babies are breast-fed, not nipple fed; the baby takes not only the nipple into their mouth but also the areola surrounding it while breastfeeding.

When should you NOT use the Avent Niplette?

Do not use Avent Niplette in the following circumstances:

• For long periods when breastfeeding; however it is fine to use it for a few minutes in the first few days of breastfeeding, before the baby latches on, to help draw out the nipple and make it easier for your baby to feed
• During the last trimester of pregnancy
• If inverted nipples develop later on in life - consult your doctor first.

How does the Avent Niplette work?

The Avent Niplette consists of a small transparent cup or thimble which is placed over the nipple. One end of a tube is attached to this cup; the other end is attached to a syringe, which does not have any air in it. The air is sucked out of the small cup or thimble by the syringe, and by doing this the inverted nipple is drawn into or sucked into the cup/thimble.

The degree of suction is controlled by how much air is drawn out via the syringe - this is totally monitored by the woman who gauges her own comfort level. Initially it may be better to just take out some air, so there isn’t any discomfort on the nipple. Once the woman gets used to the feeling, more air could be drawn out. This gentle drawing out of the nipple causes the milk-bearing or lactiferous ducts in the nipple to become stretched, using the principle of tissue expansion. In other words, the sustained suction action of the Avent Niplette gently stretches these ducts in the nipple which were the cause of the nipple being held in.

Once the nipple has been drawn into the cup, the syringe can be removed from the cup, leaving the cup in place over the extended nipple with the tube still attached. You can then discreetly wear the Niplette under your clothes. The Niplette is also supplied with two disposable breast pads that can be used for added discretion under your clothes.

To achieve permanent correction of inverted or flat nipples, it is recommended that the Avent Niplette be used in the following way:

• daily for between one and three months
• for 8 hour periods of time, either by day or by night. The Niplette can be worn discreetly inside your bra, making it suitable for wearing during the day.

The speed at which the permanent correction of inverted nipples works depends on a number of factors:

• The initial degree of inversion of the nipple
• How responsive the woman’s muscle tissue is to being stretched
• How often and for how long the woman wears the Avent Niplette.

If the nipple starts to retract again sometime after it has been corrected, you can just re-use the Avent Niplette again in the same way as before.

How to use the Avent Niplette

• Apply nipple ointment sparingly over the nipple and areola area before applying the Niplette cup; you may also apply the ointment to the base of the Niplette suction cup
• Push the closed / empty syringe into the open end of the valve
• Hold the thimble or small cup part of the Niplette over the inverted or flat nipple with one hand; pull out the syringe with the other hand. This will apply suction to the air in the cup part of the Niplette and then draw the nipple out.
• Pull out the syringe gently and firmly; stop if you have any discomfort
• Once you can see that the nipple has been drawn out or sucked into the Niplette cup, remove your hand from the Niplette cup then carefully remove the syringe from the valve
• You can now wear the Avent Niplette for the recommended 8-hour period; it can be hidden in your bra and you may use one of the included breast pads for added discretion.

To remove the Avent Niplette, simply re-attach the syringe to the valve to release the vacuum.

The Avent Niplette is delivered the next day from our warehouse in Dublin.

© 2010 Inhealth Ireland