Our commitment to keeping you safe
We have never taken for granted the sacred trust you place in us to care for your child, and today we are more grateful than ever for that privilege. To learn about all the ways we are working to keep you, your family and our team members safe, visit our COVID-19 updates page.
Congenital athelia is the absence of the nipple and areola on a child’s breast.
Athelia is a rare, congenital (present at birth) condition in which a child’s breast doesn’t properly develop and is missing the nipple and areola (small ring around the nipple). It can occur on one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) breasts.
The main sign of athelia is a breast with no nipple and areola. Additional symptoms may develop if the child has a genetic condition, which will be specific to that disease.
Athelia can be caused by several genetic conditions that affect a child’s DNA and development, including: