What Are Tuberous Breasts?
Board Certified Female Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Beverly Friedlander
Breasts do not come in one make or model. They may be large, small or in between in size. They may be two different sizes. Or they may be different shapes. Regardless, they are normal. All tuberous or constricted breasts have two things in common.
They are vertically deficient, meaning that there is less breast tissue inferiorly, and the inframammary crease begins higher and more laterally, meaning that there is less breast tissue centrally creating what appears to be a wide gap between the breasts. The cause of this developmental problem is unknown. There are bands which develop in utero that restrict the expansion of the breast tissue, distorting its shape. As the severity increases, the breast tissue is forced centrally beneath the areola creating a tubular appearance and puffy enlarged areola that can cause the breasts to appear underdeveloped. Tuberous breasts range from a small tight breast to a tubular-shaped breast that looks as though it is hanging off the chest. Sometimes one breast can be located higher on the chest than the other, making a person’s frame appear unbalanced. Most cases of tubular breasts are mild and go undiagnosed.
