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.
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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 - 7:02amThis Comment
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