Breasts exist in different shapes and sizes. Constricted breasts are shaped in a way that makes the patients think their breasts are abnormally different than the breasts of other women. The condition is also found in men; however, men are relatively less sensitive about how their breasts appear.
The development of constricted breasts starts at puberty as a result of a congenital abnormality. A constricted breast means the breast develop in a tubular shape. The condition can affect one or both breasts. A tube-like breast appears drastically different from common and normal round or teardrop-shaped breasts.
This type of breast is often extremely narrow. The breast crease is mostly positioned very high. Most patients having constricted breasts also develop close-fitting tissue strips around the areola and nipple. As a result, the breasts look bulging, and the areola appears swollen.
Since a constricted breast has a higher crease, the nipples would be hanging or pointing downward. The condition is mild in some patients and chronic in others. Mildly constricted breasts are commonly found in women.
Apart from having an extremely high inframammary crease, constricted breasts may also have an abnormally shaped inframammary crease. The breast shows an abnormally narrow base, abnormally wider space between the breasts, lesser breast tissue, and pigments around the nipples. Women with constricted breasts may also experience difficulty when breastfeeding. The milk glands may not develop enough to create milk.
The exact factors that cause constricted breasts are yet to be discovered, but a 2011 study on breast cells indicated that patients with constricted breasts actually suffer from a genetic disorder related to the collagen.
Women having constricted breasts often experience lower self-esteem because their breasts look aesthetically unpleasant. The condition may trigger psychosexual problems in girls in early puberty and lead to psychological issues in their youth.
Constricted breasts can be treated via breast augmentation, breast lift, or tissue expansion. What treatment would be suitable for you depends on the severity of the condition and the anatomy of the breasts, apart from your aesthetic goals. In some cases, breast implant surgery is used in association with breast lift surgery to treat the condition.
During the intervention to treat constricted breasts, the constricting bands of tissue are discharged from within the breast so that the skin can inflate. The inframammary crease is also lowered to a position where they look normal and enhance the shape of the breasts. The breast implants would make the breasts fuller and shapelier.