Do I have tubular breast? Is it severe? What can I do about it? (Photos)

Question

I have symptoms such as: -Widely space breasts -Little breast growth during puberty -No breast growth during pregnancy or postpartum -Cone shaped breasts -Large, bulbous areolae -Low milk supply that's barely enough for baby. -I've always felt something is "different" or "wrong" about my breasts during adolescence. -Herbal tea such as "Traditional Medicinal Mother's Milk" help boosts milk supply. Does this mean my condition may be hormonal? Please see photos for more information. Thank you!

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

You
have tuberous breasts and would benefit from a modified Benelli lift.  This technique will reshape your breast
tissue creating upper pole fullness without implants, elevate them higher on
the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage.  This is done through a circumareola incision
and vertical scars are avoided.Best Wishes,Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Leila Kasrai, MD, FRCSC · Answer

It does appear you have constriction of your breast tissue around your areolae, giving you a tuberous breast shape. Cosmetic breast surgery can release the constricted tissue to give you rounder breasts and your areolae can also be reshaped. Implants may be used if you’d like more volume.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  Based on
your photographs, you do appear to have tuberous breasts.  You are a great candidate for a breast augmentation with release of lower pole constriction bands and periareolar mastopexy.  The size, profile, and shape of the
implant is based on your desired breast size/shape, your chest wall
measurements, and soft tissue quality.  This decision should
be based on a detailed discussion with equal input from both you
and your surgeon.   Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Robert M. Tornambe, MD · Answer

tc321.   It appears from your photographs that your breasts are tuberous with some asymmetry and ptosis. However nice improvement can be attained with breast lift/areolar reduction  with implants and release of the tight tissue of your lower breasts. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon with lots of experience with tuberous breast surgery.  Good luck!

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear tc321,tuberous breasts are not simply small or underdeveloped breasts. The appearance of the breast can range from mild to severe, and typical traits include: enlarged, puffy areola, rather wide spacing between the breasts, very little breast tissue, sagging, higher than normal inferior breast fold, and narrow base at the chest wall.If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

William Andrade, MD · Answer

Hello, your breasts do have some tuberous features, as you have correctly identified (such as the shape of the breasts and areolae).  I think it would be correct to state that the causes of this condition are not fully understood.  If your breast appearance is a concern there are a number of different procedures that can be done to correct the tuberous appearance.  A common procedure would be to insert an implant to add more fullness to the breast and simultaneously do an areolar reduction.  It would be best to seek an in-person consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss the options in detail.

John Rosdeutscher, MD · Answer

Yes you have tuberous breasts. Expansion of your breast base with augmentation (implant) along with peri-areolar lift ("donut mastopexy") would help reshape your breasts.
Best of luck & hope this helps!

Eric YK Li, MD · Answer

Based on your photos, you have tuberous breasts, since you have deficient upper and lower poles, pseudo-herniation of your breast tissues through the areolas, and enlarged areolas.  The treatment to improve shape, size, and symmetry is to perform a breast lift with augmentation and scoring of your constricted breast tissues.  Hope this helps!  As always, seek proper consultation before treatment and best of luck!

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question and pictures.
I think your breast photos do demonstrate some of the characteristics seen with tubular (constricted) breast. For example, the distance from the areola to inframammary folds seems to be tight and relatively short. Your inframammary folds seem to be widely spaced from the midline of your chest. The areola do demonstrate some features associated with tubular breast such as an increased width and “puffiness”.
Generally, correction of tuberous breast anomalies involves breast augmentation with areola reduction / mastopexy procedure. The distance from the inframammary fold is increased (to create a more rounded out appearance). Proper implant positioning improves the distance (cleavage) between the breasts. The areola reduction helps to treat the pointed and "puffy" appearance of the areola.
In your case, if the appearance/shape/size of the breasts are a concern, you may be an excellent candidate for corrective surgery.
When you are ready, please make sure you consult with well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons who have significant (demonstrable) experience with this type of surgery. There are a lot of factors to consider when making recommendations; for example your life circumstances ( planned pregnancies, psychosocial situation…) and tolerance for scars are factors that should be taken into consideration by you and your plastic surgeon.
I hope this helps. Best wishes.

Diego Franco, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hola tc321!
To answer your question yes, you do have tuberous breasts which is a congenital abnormality. Your case appears to be severe however it isn’t without remedy.
Aesthetically you are a candidate for a mastopexy with adjustment to the breast pocket to reduce the spacing between the breasts which will give you a look that may meet your expectations.
In regard to whether this is hormonal or no the answer is no. This is an anatomical variation of the mammary gland tissue combining constricting rings and the density of the gland itself.

Do I have tubular breast? Is it severe? What can I do about it? (Photos)

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