Do I have tuberous breasts? Will I need more than just a regular breast augmentation? (photos)

Hello,
Thank you for the question.
Based on your photos, you do not appear to have a classic tuberous breast deformity but you do have underlying breast asymmetry with restricted lower pole and higher breast fold on the left. You should be a a good candidate for breast augmentation.
Implant size discussion and implant selection is one of the most important steps during your consultation with plastic surgeon. The decision-making process depends on patient’s desires, as well as breast and soft tissue dimensions.
I suggest that you seek an in person consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in order to discuss your goals and concerns for the best cosmetic results. 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.
Best regards,
Dr. Irena KaranetzBreast Fellowship-TrainedBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hi, thank you for sharing your question. You have a mild tuberous deformity of the left breast which can be corrected with implant placement alone. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon in person to discuss your options.

Tuberous breast deformity is a wide spectrum of breast aesthetic appearances related to tight constricting fascia of the breast. When this fascia is too tight (in varying amounts), it can result in a wide range of nipple herniation/asymmetries/bulges and high riding/constricted breast folds with small lower poles. The method of correction is the same in most of these patients. This includes placing a highly cohesive silicone gel implant below the muscle with a proper dual plane augmentation and releasing any constricting fascial bands to permit the implant to exert its effects on the breast. These can be highly challenging surgeries. You need to find a highly experienced American Board of Plastic Surgery Certified Surgeon with extensive aesthetic breast surgery experience.

It does appear that you have some mild constriction of tissue around your nipples. This constricted tissue may need to be released before the breast implants are inserted.

Good morning,
Although your breasts are a little pointy, they aren't really tuberous. You are an excellent candidate for a submuscular augmentation with saline or silicone implants, depending on your preference, through a nipple or crease incision. We would determine the exact size and profile when I measure your chest, we review photos together, and you have an opportunity to try on the implant sizers here in the office!

Unfortunately, surgeons have created the term tuberous breasts, a fact which causes unnecessary concerns for women. Many women just have different sizes and shapes and in my opinion shouldn't be labeled. I recommend an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and be measured. After I measure and discuss goals with my patients, we then look at pictures of women (my patients) with similar measurements with different size and style breast implants and they choose what looks right for them. They also get to see what they would look like when the breasts have fully dropped and fluffed and in clothes. You get to see actual results and the surgeon's experience and not a virtual idea of what can be achieved. Women tell me that this process is very helpful in determining what size and style breast implant is right for them. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Based on these photos, you seem to have regular, small breasts. Breast augmentation with implant would be a way to improve shape and size. In person evaluation with a board certified plastic surgeon with good reputation in breast augmentation is recommended. Good luck.

Your left breast has slight constriction and mild herniation of tissue under the areola. Hard to say without an exam, but probably no special techniques would be needed for a good augmentation.

The main issue that goes wrong in smaller breasts lie your with limited skin availability is selecting an implant of the proper volume, height, and width (or base) that matches the ability of your tissues to hold.

Thank you for your question and photos. An examination in person would be required to provide you with definitive recommendations but it does indeed appear that you indeed have some of the characteristics of tuberous breast in that your areolae appear to be slightly widened and protruding, and you have a relatively short nipple to fold distance. That said, an experienced board certified plastic surgeon should be able to achieve a very pretty enhancement for you with a fairly standard breast augmentation. You would need to discuss with your plastic surgeon whether or not you wish to reduce your areolar diameter, which would require an incision (and scar) around the areola. In my own practice I prefer to introduce the implant through an inframammary incision rather than through the areola.

Be sure to select your plastic surgeon based on whether or not his or her aesthetics seem to align with your own when viewing the Before and After gallery. I recommend to all my patients to find results from the website that appeal to them and use those as examples to share with your plastic surgeon. Best of luck to you.

Dear Sandra91,
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.The type of surgery best for you will depend on the severity of your condition.My preferred technique for tuberous breast correction involves a multistep procedure where the breast tissue is released in a radial pattern to prevent herniation into the areola and placement of a custom implant size is in the breast to allow appropriate expansion of the breast in the restricted dimensions. This can often be done in a single procedure but sometimes may require two surgeries.That said, it is best that you visit a board-certified plastic surgeon for an in person examination. 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