Tuberous Breast Deformity

 
Tuberous breast deformity is a term that I see quite a lot, particularly on blogs and forums.

It is used as a label to encompass quite a wide range of breast deformities.

Patients can get quite upset and anxious when they hear the term and think that there might be something wrong with them when they are given this diagnosis, but it is really just a term used to describe a combination of features of the breast and it is nothing to fear.
In fact, I often see people who have been labelled as having a tuberous breast deformity, when in its mildest forms, it is simply a variation of the normal breast shape.
At the end of the day, it does not really matter what label you are given and as doctors, we are beholden to treat the patient rather than the condition.
This means that if you are unhappy with the size and shape of your breasts it might be possible to do something to improve them, but if you are happy with things it does not matter whether you are told you have a tuberous breast deformity or not and I would suggest you are best off leaving things well alone.

Features Of The Tuberous Breast

The features of a tuberous breast deformity include deficiency in the lower pole of the breasts, so that the line from the nipple to the chest wall is much shorter than normal and the breast lacks the natural fullness in the lower part.
This often goes along with a raised or ill-defined inframammary fold (the fold where the bra sits).
The base of the breast is said to be constricted and the nipple areola complex is often enlarged and herniated, which means that the areola (the pigmented area around the nipple), can look puffy and prominent.
It is also often associated with breast asymmetry. 

Treatment Of The Tuberous Breast

Treatment, as with any form of breast re-shaping is aimed at targeting the patient desires.

In its mildest forms, breast implants alone may restore volume to the breasts and careful selection of shape and profile can restore a natural contour to the breast.
In more severe cases of tuberous breast deformity, expansion of the lower pole may be required.
This can be performed internally by using the same incision as used to put the breast implants in and releasing the lower gland to help the implant to expand the deficient lower pole.
It might also be necessary to perform some scoring internally to help expand the herniation of the nipple areola complex to give a smoother shape to the breast.
There is only so much that can be done by internal scoring and implants, and if a more comprehensive correction of the breast shape is required, then a breast lift can be performed to re-arrange the breast tissue, and it might be necessary to combine this with implants to add the volume.

In order to address the herniation of the nipple areola complex, an areola reduction might be required which is an integral part of a breast lift and this will leave a scar circumferentially around the areola.
It is hard to encompass all of the surgical options for tuberous breast deformity, particularly since in cases of asymmetry, different things may be required to be done to each breast.

Cost Of Correction Of Tuberous Breast Deformity

This means that it is difficult to provide an accurate quote for patients asking about the cost of correction of tuberous breast deformity as I discuss below (starts at 4;04):

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There is no substitute for a personal consultation with a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, and it is cases like these that are often best treated by surgeons who specialise in cosmetic breast surgery.

For more information about finding such a surgeon you can read my book ‘Never Accept a Lift from Strangers‘, which is available from Amazon or my website.

If you have any questions we’d love to hear from you.  You can e-mail us or call us.
Or you can ask our director, Jonathan Staiano, a question LIVE on Facebook at 7 o’clock every Tuesday evening, so feel free to drop in.