What are tubular or tuberous breasts

What are tubular or tuberous breasts?

Tubular breasts, as the name suggests, have the appearance of a tube. They are shaped like a narrow cone, with a small, constricted base, tubular skin envelope and prominent large nipples and areola.

Date: 11th December 2020

Last reviewed: 8 April 2024

Tubular breasts, as the name suggests, have the appearance of a tube. They are shaped like a narrow cone, with a small, constricted base, tubular skin envelope and prominent large nipples and areola. This condition can affect one breast (unilateral) or both breasts (bilateral).

The usual causes of tubular breasts include the early growth of the breasts being limited, resulting in an abnormal breast shape and underdeveloped breast tissue. Tubular breasts are also known as tubular breat disorder, pendulous breast, areola hernia or breast hypoplasia.

How Common are Tuberous Breasts?

Tubular breasts are fairly common, with up to 48% of women being affected. Women with a tuberous breast shape find that their breasts are more conical than round in shape. This condition occurs during puberty and mainly affects young women.

There is nothing medically wrong with tubular breasts, but they can cause a woman to feel self-conscious about her body and have a negative impact on her mental health. Anyone who feels this way should consider making an appointment with one of our experts at the Cadogan Clinic to discuss the options available.

What are the causes of tubular breasts?

Some doctors believe that tuberous breast disorder results from something that happens whilst still in the womb, but it is not really known what causes the condition.

Tubular breasts don’t become clear until puberty. Often insufficient breast tissue develops during puberty and in virtually all cases of tubular breasts, the ring of tissue that connects the areola to the rest of the breast isn’t shaped in the expected way. This leads to a droopy appearance.

Can tuberous breasts be fixed?

The only treatment for tuberous or tubular breasts is surgery. Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we can effectively treat tubular breasts via Breast Enlargement surgery. The procedure is quick, safe and effective and can help restore body confidence.

What is Tubular Breast Correction?

Breast Augmentation (also known as breast enlargement) involves either the insertion of a silicone breast implant into the body, or fat graft, in order to change the size, shape and texture of the breast. This procedure is the most effective method of tuberous breast deformit correction.

During a pre-operative consultation at Cadogan Clinic, one of our specialist consultants will measure key areas of the breast and chest and make note of your nipple position, skin tissue quality and laxity. A decision will then be made on the shape of the implant to use, which will depend on you are hoping to achieve through tuberous breast correction. Your surgeon will also show you a range of tuberous breast before and after examples from previous surgeries so you can understand the results you can expect from your procedure.

We also offer Fat Transfer Breast Enlargement procedures. For this treatment, fat is extracted from areas of the body, using Liposuction, before it is injected into the breasts in order to enhance the size and shape of conical breasts. This can be performed in conjunction with breast implants or as standalone Breast Augmentation surgery.

Breast Augmentation recovery time is relatively swift and after one week patients will be well enough to return to work. This may take longer if they have a particularly active occupation. Your surgeon will give you specific recovery instructions. A compression garment will have to be worn for a minimum of six weeks to ensure the best results.

Breast Augmentation is the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure carried out in the UK, with over 4,000 surgeries carried out in 2023. Our specialist surgeons at Cadogan Clinic have performed this operation thousands of times, since the clinic opened, 20 years ago, in 2004.

Treatments mentioned in this article

Breast Surgery

Breast Enlargement

Breast enlargement and augmentation aims to cosmetically enhance the size and shape of your breasts.

Fat Transfer

Fat Transfer to Breast

Fat transfer for breasts allows for natural breast enlargement by using your own fat stores.

Get in touch

One of our friendly staff will be delighted to help with your enquiry.

0207 901 8500

Or send us an enquiry

Meet Ellie

Our Lead Patient Advisor is here to support with any queries you may have