Micromastia

Micromastia
Some societies idealize underdeveloped breasts, such as early-twentieth-century France. In this 1900 French cartoon, two small-breasted women criticize a large-breasted woman for not conforming to this fashion.
Classification and external resources
Specialty	medical genetics
ICD-10	Q83.8
ICD-9-CM	611.82 757.6
DiseasesDB	30612

Micromastia (also called hypomastia, breast aplasia, or breast hypoplasia) is a medical term describing the postpubertal underdevelopment of a woman's breast tissue.^[1] 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^[2]), related to trauma (typically surgery or radiotherapy) 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.

Treatment

The procedure to remedy micromastia is breast enlargement, most commonly augmentation mammoplasty using breast implants. Other techniques available involve using muscle flap-based reconstructive surgery techniques (latissimus dorsi and rectus abdominus muscles), microsurgical reconstruction, or fat grafting.

Another potential treatment is hormonal breast enhancement, such as with estrogens.

See also

• Amastia
• Amazia
• Breast atrophy
• Breast reconstruction
• Tuberous breasts

References

1. eMedicine - Breast Augmentation, Subglandular : Article by Howard T Bellin
2. Poland, Alfred (1841). "Deficiency of the pectoral muscles". Guy's Hospital Reports VI: 191–193.