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Understanding the Condition - Tuberous/Tubular breast, Asymmetry, Additional Nipples, and Poland Syndrome
When does tuberous breast condition typically become apparent, and are there different degrees or types?
How common is breast asymmetry and how common is it to have more than two nipples?
Recognition and Diagnosis
Why do you think so may people have never heard of these conditions?
How often do patients come to you already knowing that they have a recognized developmental condition versus simply believing that their breasts developed differently or that something is "wrong" with them?
Why do you think tuberous breast condition and other breast developmental differences are under-recognized or diagnosed late?
Are pediatricians and other healthcare providers generally trained to reconize them?
During adolescence, when would it be appropriate for a girl or her parent to ask a healthcare provider about a breast development concern, and where should they start?
Impact on Teen Girls (and who are now adults)
What effects have you seen these conditions have on teen girls beyond the physical difference itself, for example; self esteem, body image, activities, relationships, or emotional well being?
Do you think earlier recognition and accurate information could make a meaningful difference if treatment does not occur immediately?
Treatment and Insurance
What treatment options are available for tuberous breast condition, and how do you determine whether treatment is appropriate and when it should occur?
From a medical perspective, how is reconstructive treatment of a congenital or developmental breast condition different from elective cosmetic breast surgery?
For someone who has never heard of it, how would you explain tuberous/tubular breast condition and how does it differ from normal breast development?
Treatment for tuberous breast condition is usually classified by insurance as cosmetic. What do you think insurers and others making coverage decisions should understand about the condition and the reasons a patient may seek correction?
Wrap-up ~ What Should Change
If you could change one or two things about how teen girls, parents, pediatricians, or the healthcare system understand breast developmental differences, what you you most want to change?
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