Tuberous breasts are breasts that are not round in shape. Sometimes referred to as “Snoopy” breasts due to their conical, downward slope, this condition occurs when the connective tissue in the breasts does not grow properly during puberty. Affecting up to a quarter of the general population in varying degrees, tuberous breasts are harmless from a medical standpoint. However, women with tubular breasts are often extremely self-conscious about how they look. This can lead to low self-esteem and severe emotional distress. There are treatment options such as a breast augmentation and/or fat grafting that can improve the shape of tuberous breasts. The right one for you is going to depend on your anatomy and needs.
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Sean Doherty, has extensive experience in treating patients with tuberous breasts. He understands the intricacies of this often complex condition and has both the technical knowledge and artistic eye to deliver an exemplary result. He is also always honest about the fact that improving the appearance of your tubular breasts may take time and multiple steps. His goal is to create the ideal shape and size breast for your unique anatomy.
Do You Have Tuberous Breasts?
Figuring out whether or not you have tuberous breasts always begins with an in-person consultation. During your meeting, Dr. Doherty will listen closely to what bothers you about the shape of your breasts. He will ask about your medical history, family history and history of any prior procedures. How you recovered from the later helps to provide a healing baseline for your individual anatomy.
Dr. Doherty will then perform a thorough physical exam. Signs that point to tubular breasts may include:
- Gap between the breasts that exceeds 1.5”
- Droopy breasts that lack sufficient volume
- Breasts that are tube-like, oval or triangle in shape as opposed to round
- Narrow base to the breasts
- Large areolas
- Downward pointing nipples
- Shorter than average distance between nipple and inframammary fold or crease beneath the breast
- Extreme lack of symmetry between the two breasts
What Causes Tubular Breasts?
A tubular breast can present in one or both breasts and becomes apparent to most during puberty. Women with tuberous breasts typically develop “late”. Breast development is slow since the connective tissue does not form properly so your breasts only partially develop. The underlying causes of tuberous breasts are unknown. Certain studies suggest that it could be due to a hormone imbalance during puberty or a genetic change during fetal development. What we do know is that this is something that can happen to anyone with breast tissue, including men.
Breast Augmentation for Tuberous Breasts in Boston
The most common procedure for improving the appearance of tuberous breasts is a breast augmentation. An appropriate sized breast implant can help provide volume, particularly in the lower half or “pole” of your breast. This will help to create a more round shape, lifting the nipple to a higher plane so that it is more centered on your breast mound. Breast implants may also improve symmetry. In certain patients, Dr. Doherty may use a sizer first to stretch the tissue in the lower pole. This temporary device would be slowly filled with saline in the office every 2-4 weeks until the skin is sufficiently elongated to support your breast implant. The sizer would then be exchanged in the operating room for a permanent implant. In patients with a singular tubular breast, Dr. Doherty may decide to only place an implant in the side that droops. He will often combine a breast augmentation with fat grafting to the breast in order to further improve shape.
Fat Grafting for Tubular Breasts
Fat grafting to the breast is a procedure in which fat is taken via liposuction from an area where you have too much, and placed into the breasts. Generally, this is an addendum to a breast augmentation when treating tubular breasts. However, some patients may be a candidate for fat grafting alone. The important thing to keep in mind with this procedure is while many patients like the idea of their own native tissue instead of a foreign device, fat grafting is a less predictable procedure than a breast augmentation with a breast implant. This is due to the fact that not all of the fat cells will survive which is why it will typically take more than one treatment to attain your desired result. Since the goal of any tubular breast procedure is to harmonize your overall shape and volume, fat grafting is ideal for adding volume and stretching out the tight tissue in the lower pole of the breast.
Areolar Reduction in Tubular Breast Procedure
As mentioned, achieving the ideal size and shape breast for your individual anatomy may take multiple procedures. Treating tubular breasts requires patience. Dr. Doherty will spend considerable time during your initial consultation going through all of the steps that it will take in order to gain your final result. Some patients with a herniated or puffy areolar may require a procedure to reduce or adjust the size of the skin around the nipple so that it fits your new breast shape. Generally, Dr. Doherty finds that it is safest to wait to perform this aspect of the treatment until after you have maintained your desired size and shape breast.
Ideal Tuberous Breast Patient
The ideal patient is anyone in good overall health who is bothered by the shape of his or her breasts. As mentioned, this is a condition that occurs in the breast tissue which exists in both men and women. Generally, women are more aware as breast development is such a huge part of a girl’s transition through puberty. The typical tuberous breast patient that Dr. Doherty sees in one of his Boston area practices is a small chested woman in her 20’s. These patients tend to be well informed about tubular breasts as well as what treatment options are available. Older patients and/or patients who are bigger chested are often unaware that what bothers them about the appearance of their breasts is due to tubular breasts. The lovely thing about the options available today is that no one needs to live with “Snoopy” breasts. This is a condition that can be improved so that you feel empowered, confident and comfortable in your skin.
To find out more about a breast augmentation and/or fat transfer to the breasts with Dr. Sean Doherty at his Boston or Brookline office, contact us today or call 617- 450-0070 to schedule a consultation.
FAQs
If you are unhappy with the shape and/or size of your breasts, schedule an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area. Ideally, you want someone with extensive experience in breast surgery. Figuring out whether or not your dissatisfaction is due to tuberous breasts is best left to a professional.
A breast implant is my typical treatment of choice as it is an effective, predictable procedure for improving breast shape. However, some patients for personal and/or health reasons do not want a foreign device in the body. Fat grafting to the breasts can be another option. It may not deliver the most ideal shape for your anatomy, but this is something that we can discuss in detail when you come in for a consultation.
As long as your weight stays stable, the results from a breast augmentation and/or fat grafting are long-lasting. Certain lifestyle choices such as pregnancy and breast feeding may affect your result, but a breast implant is never a lifetime device. Generally, they’ll need to be replaced every 10-12 years.
The cost of your tuberous breast procedure is going to depend on which treatment option we choose. A breast augmentation will run anywhere from $10,000 to $12,000 depending on the specific implant and type of anesthesia. The cost will go up if you also need fat grafting. The cost for the later as a stand-alone procedure will depend on how many treatments it will take to achieve your desired result. Cost per treatment is $4,000 – $6,000.
Most of my tubular breast patients choose a breast augmentation to improve the shape of their breasts. Recovery from this procedure is uncomfortable, but not generally painful. I will spend time during your initial