Inverted nipple: Cosmetic problem or medical concern?

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.