Do I Need to See a Specialist for my Tuberous Breast Augmentation?

Board certification in general surgery and plastic surgery shows your prospective surgeon did not take any shortcuts in his or her training.

Usually treatment of a tuberous breast in our practice Involves some treatment of the areola, and special implants and careful measurement.

You should talk to several doctors and, in experienced hands, you will usually hear the same advice.

Far more important than the technique is the skill and experience of your plastic surgeon. Choose your surgeon rather than the technique and let them explain why one technique may be better than another.  See the below link on some suggestions on finding the most qualified Plastic Surgeon for a Breast Augmentation.  Always insist on a board certified plastic surgeon.

Hello!  Thank you for your question!   Given your photos, it does appear that you have a mild tuberous breast/constricted breast deformity with significant breast asymmetry as well.  The standard procedure would be placement of an implant (or tissue expander, depending on the lower pole of your breast) as well as a circumareolar breast lift.  These modalities would correct the issues with tuberous breast: constricted breast at the inferior pole, via breast prosthetic; scoring of the tissue to release the bands; lowering the inframammary fold; correcting the herniation of breast tissue into the areolae; and decreasing the overall size of the areolae.  These are the hallmarks of tuberous breasts.  You could likely get great results with an implant and possible breast lift.Consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in breast surgery is a great recommendation - discuss your goals and expectations.  If you wish, consult with a few - then you can decide who you feel most comfortable with as well as his/her plan and care afterwards.  S/he will then be able to examine and discuss the various options and assist you in deciding which decision os the right one for you, given your desires.  I would expect a very pleasing result for you!  Hope that this helps!  Best wishes for a wonderful result!

Complex breast issues are within the scope of board certified plastic surgeons from a training perspective.  You should look at photos from each plastic surgeon you consult with and be prepared for secondary surgeries/touch ups which are not unusual with asymmetrical breasts.  If possible, speak with their patients about the overall experience with the surgeon and then choose the one you are most comfortable with. Good luck!

While I know of no plastic surgeons that specialize only in correction of tuberous breasts, I do recommend that you seek a plastic surgeon experienced in treating patients with tuberous breast deformity.  These are the qualities you should seek in your plastic surgeon:

1.  Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

2.  Experienced in breast surgery and breast reconstruction

3.  Has before and after photos of previous breast augmentation and tuberous breast deformity patients that you like and are comfortable with the results

Good luck and don't hesitate to get a second opinion if you are having doubts...

Jaime Perez, M.D.

Breast Augmentation Specialist in Tampa, Florida

Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa, Florida

Yes, you need a specialist and should be evaluated by a board certified plastic surgeon.  I see you live in Minnesota.  I would suggest going to the plastic surgeon division at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  They do hundreds of complex breast surgeries and reconstructions each year and they should be more than competent to handle your case.  

 

Good Luck

Your photos are a bit confusing because they are mostly reversed mirror images. Your concerns are valid because the breasts are asymmetrical with the right being smaller than the left with a less discrete inframammary fold on the right and nipples at different levels. It is also unclear from the photos if the nipples diverge from the midline or are pointed directly forward.

Your first decision to pick a well trained surgeon is a good one. Unfortunately your case is more complex than usual so you will need to do more work in choosing a surgeon than most and realize going into this that cleavage and perfect symmetry are not achievable. After checking surgeon training and credentials as you have you are going to have to see more than one surgeon. After doing so you will need to make yourself a check list of such things as your comfort with the doctor, the doctor's assessment of the current problems or diagnosis and their treatment plans etc. Only after comparing these checklists will you be able to comfortably choose a surgeon. You need to know that different surgeons may have different approaches and an approach that works for one surgeon may not work as well for another.

I hope you realize that this format of posting questions and receiving answers lacks the face to face direct communication required for you to make an informed decision regarding your surgery.

My response to your question/post does not represent formal medical advice or constitute a doctor patient relationship. You need to consult with i.e. personally see a board certified plastic surgeon in order to receive a formal evaluation and develop a doctor patient relationship.

FFM in Minneapolis:

As you have read from my colleagues, board certification is a good start. Experience with this issue is very important as well. Augmentation alone is appropriate in some cases and correction of the tuberosity is needed in others. I would also suggest asking to speak to patients of this surgeon to discuss their outcomes. Getting a second or even a third opinion is also a good idea. We have a large base of experience performing augmentations on women with various degrees of tuberous breasts. I would be happy to give you my opinion. Our consultations are complimentary. Please feel free to contact us at your convienence. By the way,  we usually refund a patient's fees for procedures not performed. Please check the link below. Good luck.

You should consult with a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in this type of breast surgery.  Based on your photos, you may need a tissue expander placed in your right breast first, followed by expansion of the skin, then an implant placed at another stage. Your left breast will likely not require a tissue expander, just an implant and some modification of the breast shape around the areola.

Meet with a few plastic surgeons in your area before deciding.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

Many patients considering breast augmentation are seeking to not only enhance the volume of their breasts, but to also enhance the shape and/or improve the symmetry of their breasts. Essentially all breast shape and symmetry issues can be improved during breast augmentation, and with most of them it is possible to make significant improvements and produce an aesthetically desirable breast profile. Accurate preoperative evaluation, appropriate surgical planning and attention to detail during the surgery are all crucial elements in achieving this goal.

Tuberous breasts tend to be narrow at the base and are overly projecting for their size, and this phenomenon may occur on one or both sides. In its mildest form, the lower pole of the breast is underdeveloped or may even appear constricted - sometimes referred to as a 'constricted lower pole'. In severe cases the breast is conical in shape and is sometimes described by the patient as looking like a 'torpedo' or a 'Snoopy dog'. Regardless of the degree of tuberosity, it is possible to dramatically improve the appearance of the tuberous breast during augmentation surgery using a number of specialized surgical techniques.

Many patients with severely tuberous breasts have said that they have never removed their bra in an intimate setting. Careful patient assessment, thoughtful planning and attention to detail during the surgical procedure can produce a dramatic and life-changing improvement for most patients with tuberous breasts.

 

Be sure to view many before and after photos of patients with tuberous breast correction to help determine the appropriate surgeon for you