Supernumerary Nipples & Breasts

Accessory breasts, also known as polymastia, is the condition of having one or more additional breasts. Extra breasts may appear with or without nipples or areolae. It is a condition and a form of atavism which is most prevalent in male humans, and often goes untreated as it is mostly harmless. Most cases of supernumerary breasts occur within the milk line running from the axilla to the groin. However, there are rare, unusual cases in which they occur elsewhere.

Such breasts have been referred to as “mammae erraticae.” Unusual locations include the buttock, back of neck, face, flank, upper arm, hip, shoulders, and midline of the back and chest. In some cases, the accessory breast may not be visible at the surface. In these cases, it may be possible to distinguish their appearance from normal breast tissue with MRI. In other cases, accessory breasts have been known to lactate. In recent years, many affected women have had a plastic surgery operation to remove the additional breasts, for purely aesthetic reasons.

Treatment for polymastia depends not only on the correct diagnosis of this medical condition, but also on the severity of the condition. In cases where the excess tissue is contiguous with the normal breast, with similar consistency on palpation, suction lipectomy will often suffice for recontouring the axilla, and it is preferable to direct excision. Although this approach does not provide a tissue sample, it has the advantages of smaller incisions, feathering of tissue removal for a smoother contour, and the creation of less dead space. In cases where there is a firm core of palpable glandular tissue within the mass, a combination of direct excision and suction lipectomy is necessary. Failure to excise the glandular elements may result in a residual mass and the necessity for a secondary procedure.  It can be corrected in one surgery as an outpatient and surgery time is about 3 to 4 hours. All surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. Patients may return to work or school at 1 week, more strenuous activity at 3 to 4 weeks.