Tubular breast is a condition where the breast tissues do not proliferate properly during the puberty phase. This condition is also known as tuberous breasts or breast hypoplasia. This condition is not very common or rare as many women do not seek treatment but live with it. It does not cause any threat to health but some women seek treatment to correct it. This condition can cause problems for women who are looking forward to breastfeeding.
Symptoms of Tubular Breasts
The diagnosis of tubular breasts is done base on their appearance. Researchers are still learning about this condition. The common thing that you will see in tubular breasts is the lack of breast tissue in vertical as well as horizontal direction. There is a gap between both the breasts that is greater than 1.5 inches. The area surrounding the nipple might look as if it has collapsed and the dark area of the areola looks enlarged.
You will notice that tubular breasts lack symmetry so, one will look bigger than the other. Instead of round in shape, they will appear to be oval, pointed or square-shaped.
Causes of Tubular Breasts
The cause of tubular breasts is not clear. Some of the doctors have theories that state that it is caused because of something that happens in the utero. You will only notice tubular breasts once you hit puberty. In the majority of the cases, the ring of the tissue that connects the areola to the breast does not have the proper shape. This makes it look droopy.
How to Correct Tubular Breasts?
AT this moment, the only treatment for tubular breasts is cosmetic surgery. If you decide to go for cosmetic surgery to change the way tubular breasts look then you should make sure that the doctor thoroughly checks your breasts and he has proper knowledge about this condition. Make sure that they follow the modern surgery because the traditional cosmetic surgery will not be successful in fully changing the appearance of tubular breasts.
Surgery for Tubular Breasts Augmentation
The surgery process for the correction of the tubular breasts takes place in two steps but for most of you, you might only require one step. In the first step, you will undergo surgery for releasing the constricted tissues of the breasts. This procedure is performed in the hospital by a cosmetic surgeon. They will make a small incision in the breast to insert a tissue expander or a breast implant. This is done by putting you under general anesthesia. You need to stay in the hospital for at least one night to recover from the surgery. You might experience some discomfort from the incisions but your doctor will prescribe painkillers to help you get some relief.
In a lot of cases, when a surgery is done for the correction of tubular breasts, there is a follow-up surgery that is required to be performed. In that, they will remove the tissue expander and is replaced with a breast implant. Some people also choose to change the appearance of their nipples in the procedure. This process is known as mastopexy.
Cost of the surgery
Since this is a cosmetic surgery, it is likely that your health insurance will not cover it. You will have to pay at the minimum $4000 from your pocket for the surgery of changing the appearance of your breasts.
What to do in the aftercare?
After you get any kind of augmentation, you should remember that you need to restrict your activities for a while. You will have to be very careful and make sure that you avoid any scenario that will cause any type of infection. So, avoid the sauna and hot tubs. You will have to stop doing your cardiovascular exercise for 12 weeks. You will experience puffiness and swelling for 3 to 4 weeks after the surgery but most of your pain will subside.
Cosmetic breast augmentation is performed many times and is safe. It is one of the most popular surgery in the United States and around 300,000 surgeries are performed in a year. Though it is safe, it does have a risk of bleeding, infection, anesthesia, and scarring. Some of the people may lose sensation in their nipples. You should go to a good cosmetic surgeon because a lot of times the breast implants are kept in the wrong place or they are faulty. So, be careful while choosing your cosmetic surgeon.
