Tubular Breast Correction is surgery that reshapes breasts that developed with a narrow base and a puffy, enlarged areola. The goal is a wider, rounder breast with a lower fold and a smaller areola. Treatment can involve releasing the tight tissue at the base of the breast, adding volume with fat, or reshaping the areola. The right combination depends on how your breasts formed and how you want them to look.
Our practice was founded around breast implant removal. It is led by Dr. Shaher W. Khan, who is double board-certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and General Surgery. Many women who come to us for implant removal first received implants years ago to correct tuberous breasts. Because of this, the condition plays a large part in how we plan breast surgery.
Tuberous breasts, also called tubular breasts, are a difference in how the breast develops. A band of tight tissue at the base limits how far the breast can spread, so it grows forward rather than outward. The result is a breast that looks narrow and tall, often with an underdeveloped lower half. Breast tissue frequently pushes into the areola, which makes it look puffy or dome-shaped.
The condition can affect one breast or both. When only one side is affected, the difference in size and shape is usually easy to see.
Tuberous breasts are considered uncommon, but many cases are never named. Milder forms are easy to mistake for small or uneven breasts. Many women first hear the term at a surgical consultation, even after years of noticing that their breasts look different.
The exact cause is not known. The shape forms during puberty, when breast tissue grows. A ring of tight connective tissue at the base of the breast appears to keep the tissue from spreading across the chest wall. The tissue then grows forward into the areola. Tuberous breasts are not caused by anything a person did, and they are not a sign of disease.
Common features include:
A narrow breast base with a wide gap between the breasts
A breast fold that sits high on the chest
Little fullness in the lower half of the breast
An enlarged or puffy areola
Breasts that point downward or outward
A clear size difference between the two sides
Having one or two of these features does not confirm the diagnosis. A physical exam by a plastic surgeon is the way to know for sure. During an exam, Dr. Shaher W. Khan assesses the width of the breast base and the position of the fold. He also looks at the size and shape of the areola.
Tubular Breast Correction aims to give the breast a natural, rounded shape. That usually means widening the base and lowering a tight fold. It can also mean filling out the lower half and reducing a puffy areola. Volume may be added at the same time, but shape is often the bigger concern. When one breast is more affected than the other, better balance between the two sides is a common goal.
Good candidates are adults whose breasts have finished developing and who are in good general health. Non-smokers heal more predictably. It helps to know which parts of your breast shape bother you most and to have realistic goals for change.
Correction is elective. Tuberous breasts do not harm your health, and some women decide that padded bras or shaping garments are enough. These options change how clothing fits. Only surgery changes the breast itself.
Women who already have implants placed for tuberous breasts are a separate group. Some now want their implants out because of symptoms they connect with breast implant illness. Others want to return to their natural size. Removing an implant from a breast that was tuberous to begin with takes careful planning, since the original shape can show again once the implant is gone.
There is no single operation for tuberous breasts. Surgeons combine techniques based on how tight the base is and how much volume is missing. The main approaches fall into two groups: releasing and reshaping the existing tissue, and adding volume. Most plans use something from both groups.
Dr. Shaher W. Khan explains which approaches fit your anatomy and which are part of the care our team provides. Our breast work centers on breast implant removal and breast reconstruction, which uses your own tissue rather than implants.
Fat grafting moves fat from one area of the body, such as the abdomen or thighs, into the breast. Because it uses your own tissue, it can add volume and soften uneven contours without an implant. It is especially useful in the lower half of a tuberous breast, where tissue is often lacking.
Fat grafting suits women who want a modest increase in volume and have enough fat to spare. The body absorbs some of the transferred fat, so more than one session may be needed. Women who want a large size increase may need a different approach.
The Rigottomy is a needle-based method for releasing the tight bands that restrict a tuberous breast. The tissue is loosened through tiny punctures rather than a long incision. It is usually paired with fat grafting, since the released tissue creates space for the new fat.
PALF stands for percutaneous aponeurotomy and lipofilling. Like the Rigottomy, it releases tight tissue through small punctures and then fills the expanded space with fat. It is designed for patients who want to avoid implants and visible scars on the breast.
RAFT stands for reverse abdominoplasty and fat transfer. It combines lifting loose upper abdominal skin toward the breast fold with fat grafting to the breast. Because it reshapes both areas at once, it may suit women who have loose skin above the belly button along with breast volume concerns.
Planning starts with a conversation about what you want to change. Dr. Shaher W. Khan reviews your health history and examines your breasts. If you have implants, he also reviews your implant history and any symptoms you have noticed. You leave with a clear understanding of which techniques make sense for you and what result to expect.
In the weeks before surgery, our team gives you written instructions. These typically cover stopping smoking, adjusting certain medications and supplements, arranging a ride home and planning time off work. Following them closely helps your body heal well.
Our surgeries take place at Valley SurgiCenter. How long surgery takes depends on how many techniques are combined and whether implants are involved.
Anesthesia depends on the techniques in your plan. Dr. Shaher W. Khan performs The Khan Procedure™, his own approach to breast implant removal, under deep sedation known as Twilight Anesthesia for a smoother recovery. For explant surgery, we also offer Exparel, a long-acting numbing medication used for comfort after surgery. Your anesthesia plan is confirmed before your surgery date.
On the day of surgery, you check in at the surgery center and meet with our team before going into the operating room. Dr. Shaher W. Khan reviews the plan with you one more time. Afterward, you rest in recovery before going home with a responsible adult.
For women with tuberous breasts who are having implants removed, The Khan Procedure includes en bloc capsulectomy whenever surgically appropriate. This means the implant and its scar capsule come out as one intact unit. Every capsule is sent for both pathology and microbiology. The procedure uses a drainless technique. A natural pseudo lift can restore contour without a separate lift procedure or extra incisions into the breast tissue. Our 100/100/0 Rule™ provides photographic proof that 100% of the implant and capsule are removed, 100% of the time, with 0% of the capsule left behind.
Most patients feel sore and tight for the first several days. A supportive surgical garment helps control swelling. Light walking is encouraged early. Lifting and hard exercise wait until Dr. Shaher W. Khan clears you. If fat was taken from another area, that spot may feel bruised for a couple of weeks. Patients having explant surgery with our team recover without surgical drains, which many find makes the first week easier.
Swelling fades gradually over the first few months, and breast shape continues to settle during that time. Depending on your plan, results can include a wider base, a lower fold, a fuller lower half and a smaller areola. When fat grafting is used, the final volume becomes clear once the body has absorbed what it will. Expect a clear improvement in shape and balance. Perfect symmetry is not realistic, since no two breasts are identical.
Released tissue and transferred fat are long-lasting. Your breasts will still change over time, especially with weight changes or pregnancy. Implants are not lifetime devices, and some women eventually choose to remove them. If that time comes, Dr. Shaher W. Khan can plan the removal around your original tuberous shape, with the aim of a natural contour.
Tuberous breasts form when tight tissue at the base keeps the breast from growing outward. Tubular Breast Correction can widen the base, fill the lower half and reduce a puffy areola, often by combining tissue release with added volume. For women who already have implants from an earlier correction, removal needs a plan that respects the original breast shape. Dr. Shaher W. Khan, our double board-certified plastic surgeon, can assess your anatomy and explain the options that fit your goals.
About the Author
Dr. Shaher W. Khan, MD
November 9, 2026
Learn more about breast implant illness, breast implant removal, or meet Dr. Shaher Khan.
