AboutAlan M. Engler, MD, FACS Expertise Dr. Engler has answered over 2300 plastic surgery questions for Allexperts. His expertise is in cosmetic plastic surgery including breast surgery (breast enlargement with implants, breast reduction, breast lifts), liposuction, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, facelifts etc.
Dr. Engler has been listed as one New York`s Top Doctors, and as "One of the World's Most Famous Aesthetic Surgeons" (Aesthetic Surgery, TASCHEN Books, Angelika Taschen, Editor). He is the author of 4 books, including "BodySculpture" (a best-selling plastic surgery book on breast surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks), "EyeScapes" (Plastic Surgery of the Eyelids), "Restylane," and "The Slim Book of Liposuction."
Dr. Engler has two US Patents for surgical instruments that he's designed, and has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Tyra Banks Show, The Ricki Lake Show (four times), and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show. Videos of his appearances are available on YouTube (SEARCH FOR "DR. ENGLER"). His website is www.bodysculpture.com.
Experience Dr. Alan Engler is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York and the author of BodySculpture - Plastic Surgery of the Body for Men and Women (ISBN 0966382749) one of the top-selling plastic surgery books on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.
Organizations belong to ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery); ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons); ACS (American College of Surgeons); Clinical Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York
Question I had breast reduction 5 weeks ago, a 1500cc per side removal. I was told it was not a free nipple graft, I have incisions around my areola/under my breasts but no incision connecting the two. My left nipple is darker (looks a little purple and on one tiny spot the size of a pin head looks almost black) than the other (which is more pink). Is this normal? Everything keeps changing colors & I don't know what is normal and what is not. My areolas look puffy at the end of the day & go from yellow to pink to white & back. I have redness, but no fever, on the underside of both breasts. On the outer side on each breast, there is a harder area where the sutures came together, but that is diminishing. My plastic surgeon told me all was normal, but I am still worried I keep checking my breasts because I do not want to miss anything. Does all this sound normal?
Answer Hi Kris,
There's more about breast reductions at www.bodysculpture.com.
It's hard for me to tell what's going on and I have to admit that it does not sound completely normal to me. First of all, it is unusual not to have an incision connecting the nipples with the area under the breasts. Then, to go from yellow to pink to white and black is a lot of color change.
It might be a good idea for you to get a second opinion from someone who can examine you. You could call another plastic surgeon near you, just to get an independent opinion. That might either put your mind at ease or, in the unlikely event that there is some kind of a problem will give you a head start on how to address it.
You can find a surgeon at surgery.org and plasticsurgery.org.
Even if everything's fine, which is the most likely situation, it should make you feel a little better.
