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Tuberous Breasts - To Fix or Not to Fix?

 
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I’ve seen postings recently in a feminist forum about tuberous breasts, and whether one would be justified in having plastic surgery to improve them. The woman who initiated the discussion said she wanted to have the procedure to fix her tubular breasts, but felt bad about it. As a feminist, she said she felt “angry” that she was longing for surgery and even that she “wanted to die at the thought.”

If there ever were a condition that might drive a woman who thinks that “plastic surgery, on the whole, is ridiculous” to go under the knife, tuberous breasts would be a good candidate. Named for the fact that the breasts resemble tubers in shape, tuberous breasts (sometimes called “tubular breasts”) are formed when the base of the breast is smaller than usual. This constricted circumference causes the breast tissue to push forward and sometimes down, exacerbated by the fact that the inframammary fold (where the breast attaches to the chest wall) is often higher than normal.

Women with tuberous breasts usually have large areolas as well. When all these factors are present, it’s easy to see why one of the nicknames for this condition is “Snoopy breasts.” Although you may consider the famous Beagle adorable, you probably don’t want to have breasts that remind you of his nose.

In most cases, to create breasts that are more pleasing in appearance requires a bit more work than simply inserting implants. Plastic surgeons often need to make internal incisions to release constricting tissue and expand the base width of the breast. The breast pocket may need enlarging to accept an appropriate implant. Because women with tuberous breasts often have scant breast tissue, it’s often best to place implants below the chest muscle for a natural looking result. For this group of patients, silicone gel breast implants should be considered, as they tend to hold their shape well.

The feminist whose posting I read said that her tuberous breasts were “self esteem shattering” and that she always kept her bra on while having sex. In my view, those feelings are reason enough to feel ok about considering plastic surgery, regardless of which body part is the culprit and how “cosmetic” the procedure might be. In fact, body image is the key. If you happen to have tuberous breasts and aren’t bothered by them, great.

But this woman, who obviously does suffer significant embarrassment, can take comfort in the fact that tuberous breasts are considered to be a true deformity. Dictionaries define “deformity” as a part of the body that’s abnormally formed, “abnormal” meaning not usual or typical, deviating from what’s considered standard. What would you do if you were born with a cleft palate? Webbed fingers? You’d probably have surgery to fix the condition. And you’d probably feel a great sense of relief that you took the plunge.

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Maybe the change should be made to our/everyones' attitude to breasts, then this poor woman wouldn't feel the embarassment that she does and feel forced to have plastic surgery. A good place to start is educating people to learn the difference between correction and mutilation.

October 28, 2010 - 5:07pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

It's not a deformity, it a uniqueness. In ten years when someone shows that is the new "hot". Everyone will be paying for plastic surgery to have Tuberous breasts. To me, I've always found someone of what they had that god graced them with was 10 times better then someone simply buying what everyone else said "was perfect".

October 13, 2010 - 12:45am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I agree 100%. Tuberous breasts aren't "deformed", they're different. Love your boobs whatever shape they have!

April 28, 2011 - 9:05am

Thanks for your comments! I am so glad you found the article helpful. Obviously it stirred up a lot of strong feelings. I guess that's really the bottom line, right? If you feel strongly that you can accept your breasts the way they are--do that. If you feel strongly that you'd like to change them--do that. Do what's right for you, and best of luck!

October 4, 2010 - 9:24am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I am a 23 yr old woman and I have always complained about my breasts, I absolutely hate the way they look. My mum recently heard about tubular breasts and I have just been reading up about it. I have been self-conscious all my life, I have had several partners but have not shown any of them my body until just recently when I met my life partner. He loves me the way I am and is happy to support my decision if I choose to have surgery. For all the people out there who have tubular breasts deal with it the way you want, not the way other people tell you too. After reading some of these comments I feel angry, some people are happy with there life some arent. I found your review very helpful Cathy, I didnt think that you were trying to tell people what to do or what not to do. I know that I will never feel 100% comfortable with my body until I see my gp about it.

October 3, 2010 - 5:38pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I think it's important to note that breasts, which are seperated and small with large nipples are NOT NECESSARILY hypoplastic or weird.

My breasts look like what a lot of people would describe as tubular or turberous. But they DO change--they get bigger according to my cycle, and fuller and rounder. My mother has the same kind of breasts, and successfully breast fed three children with them titties! What's more, they did grow during pregnancy.

This is my problem--people jumping on the "I'm deformed" bandwagon, when most are just individuals. I saw a video of a girl with more "normal" looking breasts than mine going in for surgery because her breasts were tubular. There was not a damn thing wrong with them. I am CERTAIN that plastic surgeons will put that name on quite a lot of breasts and call them deformed just for the dollars.

September 29, 2010 - 12:12pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

doctors dont say you have something to get money. the doctor who told me, did not tell me i had to do anything about my breasts either. was just relived that the lump seems to be nothing to worry about. she just informed me i have what called tubular breasts. its where the base is thin and has not devolped breast and the line of the breast is higher, its a medicial condition.
if someone wishes or wishes not to have surgery than thats there choice. why do you judge someones choice on what they do when it is a known medicial condition. if your denist said braces are needed would you judge that person the same way as some as these women are getting judged?? i dont think u would.
let us love are breasts , surgery or no surgery

September 30, 2010 - 9:04am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I'm not judging people who get plastic surgery because they aren't satisfied with the way they look. It wouldn't be my personal choice, but what do I care if people want to change the way they look?

But it is absolutely WRONG to toss around the word deformity. Because what it is is a judgement on people who DON'T get their breasts fixed--because it says they are choosing to keep their deformity. Whereas, people with other breast variations--of which, the variations are endless--aren't making a choice, they are just being.

And when plastic surgeons use words like "deformity" for things, it makes people question something they otherwise wouldn't. It makes perfectly healthy people feel that they MUST get plastic surgery to conform to a COMPLETELY MADE UP STANDARD. Because breasts come in all varieties.

If your breasts developed on your back or something--THAT would be a deformity. But they're in the right spot, they've got all the parts, and they work? That is NOT a deformity.

And this is something they made up in recent times, because standards for breasts have changed. Look, as an example off the top of my head, at the movie All That Jazz from the 70's. There's a scene where the main character has a date with a dancer in the show he's directing. She says "Let's go to bed" walks up the stairs while taking off her shirt. And that chick has what people describe as tubuler or tuberous breasts. She's supposed to be some sexy little dancer that this director wants to bang--and that's exactly what she is--BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HER BREASTS. They simply aren't trendy in this day and age. That actress would not be cast in 2010.

So yeah, I think it's wrong to confuse being out of fashion with a medical problem. Because it's not. It just simply is not. You want plastic surgery because you don't like your breasts? Absolutely no judgement here. But using the word deformity judges us all.

October 4, 2010 - 10:11am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

went to breast clinic today to check lump today which is fine.
to be told by the doctor i have tubular breasts . so it is a condition. i always knew my breasts wasn't right but thought to myself noone has normal breasts. its nice to know i have name for it now, at the age of 31, and finally relise that why i was always conistantly breast feeding my kids but i did stick with it

September 29, 2010 - 11:46am

I am 32 years old and have just found out that I have "tubular" breasts. I am pregnant with my first child, and my midwife picked it up when I mentioned that my boobs hadn't changed much yet, even though I am half way through my pregnancy.

So I Googled "tubular breasts" (after promising my midwife I wouldn't!) and was quite amazed to see MY breasts staring back at me! What a revelation. I always used to whinge that my boobs were weird, and everyone told me I was being silly; so to see them singled out on a "normal breasts forum" in the context of "every other shape, size and configuration of breasts and nipples is normal except for THIS" has actually quite upset me! To be totally honest, I don't actually think the example of tubular breasts on that forum are anywhere close to being the least attractive or most bizarre of all the different variations pictured!! In other words, "normal" boobs can be really weird looking too!

Like other posters, I am shocked and appalled by the use of the word "deformity" to describe what is obviously a reasonably common genetic variation in the human population. The fact that there are so many women here, and on other webpages fretting about their tubular breasts speaks for itself.

I'm not coming on here to get really angry about people advocating plastic surgery by any means, but I just want to make a few comments:

Firstly, it really worries me to see young girls (under 25) talking about their "abnormality" and wanting to get it "corrected" as soon as possible with surgery. I hated every part of my body in my late teens - I think it is a fairly normal (if counterproductive and socially imposed) way for young girls to feel. I reserved particular hate at that time in my life for my boobs, which I did feel at the time were a bit freakish COMPARED TO THE BOOBS I SAW ON MODELS AND IN PORN, WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT'S "NORMAL." And it's possible at that age if I'd been told I had a "deformity" and it could be fixed with surgery I would have leapt at the chance (and thrown in a liposuction, full face transformation and permanent hair straightening to boot).

But then I got a boyfriend, got my top off, and realised (eventually) that boys are so excited to see a girl in the nude (of any kind, shape, size, or haircolour) that the particular shape of your boobs really does not factor into it that much. Human attraction really is not down to the relative attractiveness of funny appendages that are covered by clothes 99.9% of the time, just ask testicles. Quite a few of my friends were too frightened to expose their breasts at the same age, and I'm pretty sure that they did not all (or even mostly) have tubular breasts like me - but they just thought they were too small, too big, asymmetric, or funny looking. It's sad, but normal to feel that way. Others tried desperately not to let boys see their bum/hips/feet/stretchmarks. For most people, the awkwardness and vulnerability of exposing your naked body to another person seriously does go away with a bit of experience, and a bit of perspective about what is really important in life. And this may come as a shock to some of you, but most boys have something about their bodies they're not that happy with either.

Despite my boob-related angst in my teens and early 20s, these days I HONESTLY barely spare a thought for my boobs. I always wear padded/rounded bras because that's what suits me - the same as wearing bootleg jeans rather than skinny jeans because of the shape of my legs and hips, or green instead of red because of my skin tone.

So if you are quite young and considering surgery, please give yourself time and space to get past the normal teen awkwardness about nudity!! You may find that in 5 years that your tubular breasts are just not something that worries you anymore.

Please also keep in mind that no matter what, surgery or medical intervention of any kind comes with a set of RISKS. Anaesthetics have risks. There will be scarring - have a look at some of the before and after pictures online - I don't actually think all the after pictures are aesthetically better than the befores. On another forum a woman has discussed how she wishes she had never had surgery due to hardening of the tissue around her breast, loss of feeling in her nipples, the implants needing to be replaced/refilled etc.

Also, I don't think people's immediate reaction to their "corrected" breasts necessarily means that they will be happy with their decision long term. I have a friend who had a breast reduction in her mid-20s for very large (non tubular!) breasts - and yes, she was delighted with her new boobs to begin with. But then she gained weight, and her breasts are almost back to the size they were to begin with, but with permanent scarring, reduced sensation in her nipples, and the knowledge she will never be able to breastfeed. That wasn't important to her 6-7 years ago, but is NOW. The surgeon probably thinks he did a great job and had a happy client. He did 5 years ago, now she wishes she'd left her boobs alone.

Finally, cosmetic surgery does not correct the only thing that really justifies tubular breasts being labelled as a "deformity" in my opinion - lack of function for breastfeeding. In fact, I would suggest (without ANY authority) that surgery might actually have the potential to reduce this function FURTHER.

I guess in conclusion I DO (really!) understand why some women would consider cosmetic surgery to correct tubular/tuberous breasts if they are very unhappy with their appearance and can't move past it. I can also understand why women who have "normal" non-tubular breasts that they are unhappy with (which no doubt comprise the majority of breast cosmetic surgeries!) might also have surgery to make theirs bigger/smaller/rounder, if they are also very unhappy and it affects their confidence.

But I think that it should be made clear that the "deformity" part of tubular breasts is down to FUNCTION, which cannot be fixed with cosmetic surgery! And I cannot emphasise enough that the decision should be made as a MATURE ADULT after the awkwardness of early sexual experiences and fear of the reaction of the opposite sex has passed - because that kind of thing usually does pass!! I think that the potential risks/side effects of surgery, including long-term effects of cosmetic surgery and the realistic life-span of implants should also be fully disclosed in articles such as this one.

September 10, 2010 - 7:02am
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