Micromastia (also called hypomastia, breast aplasia, breast hypoplasia, or mammary hypoplasia) is a medical term describing the postpubertal
underdevelopment of a woman's
breast tissue. Just as it is impossible to define 'normal' breast size, there is no objective definition of micromastia. Breast development is commonly asymmetric and one or both breasts may be small. This condition may be a congenital defect associated with underlying abnormalities of the pectoral muscle (as in
Poland's syndrome), related to trauma (typically
surgery
Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...
or
radiotherapy
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radia ...
) or it may be a more subjective aesthetic description.
Self perceived micromastia involves a discrepancy between a person's body image, and her internalized images of appropriate or desirable breast size and shape. Societal ideals over breast size vary over time, but there exist many conceived ideas involving breasts and sexual attractiveness and identity across different cultures.
Causes
Micromastia can be a
congenital
A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can ...
or
acquired disorder
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...
and may be unilateral or bilateral.
Congenital causes include
ulnar–mammary syndrome
Ulnar–mammary syndrome or Schinzel syndrome is a cutaneous condition characterized by micromastia, nipple and breast hypoplasia or aplasia. Features of UMS can be mild to severe and can vary significantly from person to person, even within the s ...
(caused by
mutations in the
TBX3 gene),
Poland syndrome,
Turner syndrome, and
congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
There is also a case report of familial hypoplasia of the nipples and athelia associated with mammary hypoplasia that was described in a father and his daughters.
Acquired causes of micromastia include
irradiation in infancy and childhood and surgical removal of prepubertal
breast bud
Thelarche, also known as breast budding, is the onset of secondary breast development, often representing the beginning of pubertal development. It is the stage at which male and female breasts differentiate due to variance in hormone levels; howe ...
.
Treatment
The procedure to remedy micromastia is
breast enlargement, most commonly
augmentation mammoplasty
Breast augmentation and augmentation mammoplasty is a cosmetic surgery technique using breast-implants and fat-graft mammoplasty techniques to increase the size, change the shape, and alter the texture of the breasts. Augmentation mammoplasty is ...
using
breast implants. Other techniques available involve using muscle flap-based reconstructive surgery techniques (
latissimus dorsi
The latissimus dorsi () is a large, flat muscle on the back that stretches to the sides, behind the arm, and is partly covered by the trapezius on the back near the midline. The word latissimus dorsi (plural: ''latissimi dorsorum'') comes from L ...
and
rectus abdominis muscles),
microsurgical reconstruction
Microsurgery is a general term for surgery requiring an operating microscope. The most obvious developments have been procedures developed to allow anastomosis of successively smaller blood vessels and nerves (typically 1 mm in diameter) which ...
, or fat grafting.
Another potential treatment is hormonal breast enhancement, such as with
estrogens.
See also
*
Amastia
*
Amazia
*
Breast atrophy
Breast atrophy is the normal or spontaneous atrophy or shrinkage of the breasts.
Breast atrophy commonly occurs in women during menopause when estrogen levels decrease. It can also be caused by hypoestrogenism and/or hyperandrogenism in women in ...
*
Breast reconstruction
*
Tuberous breasts
References
External links
{{Congenital malformations and deformations of breast
Congenital disorders of breasts