Mari:

      the first reference in the medical literature of the uses of "shells"
for inverted nipples was in 1946. (Waller -Arch Dis Chile 21:1-12) There is a
spattering of referenes to thier use after that. In 1987 Jo Alexander ( Brit
Med Journal 1992 304:10030-32) did a study with 96 women comparing shells to
the hoffman technique... She found " no good evidence that recommending breast
shells conveys any benifit in terms of anatomical change..." She readily
admitted to the limitation of the study due to the small numbers.  The
important piece in her study ( from my perspective) is the advise that one
should weigh tthe potential usefulness of a device against the potential off
putting that using the device may have.

   I have seen mothers in mother practice experience pain and bleed with the
eversion of an inverted nipple. much depends on the type of inversion -
invaginated nipples are believed to be "held down" by adhesions or bands.

          Patricia