Conversation that led to woman’s breast surgery choice

A young woman has revealed how a conversation with her friend helped her figure out something that has been a source of insecurity for years.

A young woman has revealed how a conversation with her friend helped her figure out something that has been a source of insecurity for years.

Meg Broadhead went for a walk for a friend who had recently been diagnosed with tubular breasts, which is when the tissue doesn’t form properly during puberty.

The conversation started to ring alarm bells for Meg as she identified with a lot of the issues her friend said she was having.

Meg went through puberty relatively late and always thought there was something odd about the shape of her chest. Typically with tubular breasts it can cause a lot of pain, typically when it comes to menstruation, areoles are larger and it can cause issues with breastfeeding.

Meg ended up seeing her GP, who referred her to a surgeon to determine what was going on. Quickly, Meg’s suspicions were confirmed. She was told she could have surgery or just leave it be.

Meg Broadhead has tubular breasts, meaning the tissue didn't form properly during puberty. Picture: Instagram/@meg.broadhead

“To be honest, when I first met with the surgeon, I had no plans on having the surgery, I just kind of wanted some validation that this is what the condition was and what was going on,” Meg told news.com.au.

“And once he validated me what it was, he gave me some options.”

He said she could take the chance and not have the surgery on her chest done or she could go under the knife for the corrective surgery, which involves transferring fat from the thigh into the top and bottom of the breast. The surgery also alters the appearance of the nipples.

Meg has always wanted her breasts done — it was a source of insecurity for her — and she had battle with body image issues for much of her life.

Another reason was the consideration about having children in the future and whether the tubular breasts would impact breastfeeding.

“If I like decided to have kids one day down the road, obviously, I would have had issues breastfeeding,” she said.

“The surgery — while there isn’t a lot of science to back to up — but it helps in the way that it helps the tissue that hasn’t formed properly, particularly where the milk ducts are.”

She said she hoped it helped but in reality Meg wouldn’t know until the time came where she was in a position to breast feed.

She underwent surgery. Picture: Instagram/@meg.broadhead

She has private health insurance but was told because tubular breasts were a medical issue that could impact a lot of her life, Medicare would cover parts of it. Medicare covered part of the fat grafting part of the surgery as well as the actual surgery cost as it was the result of malformation of breast tissue. She did have to pay a sum out of pocket.

“I thought, ‘why not do something for me and my body now?’,” Meg said.

In the lead up to the surgery, which was last month, Meg felt some nerves but she’d had friends and family who had been through similar procedures and they reassured her.

“Recovery for me was a little bit tough,” she said, saying she followed the instructions to a tee.

”Avoiding sports has been the toughest for me because I really liked exercise. But honestly, I went into the recovery, knowing what is happening and I’m quite good with pain.

“I had great support around me and I think also documenting it online helped.”

After discovering her condition, Meg began to share her journey on social media to help others who may be in the same position as she was.

She said it has helped her feel more confident. Picture: Instagram/@meg.broadhead

“I was so shocked about not many people knowing about it. But then, behind the scenes of the video, I was getting all these messages from people who had gone through the same thing,” Meg said.

“They were like, ‘Finally, someone has spoken up about it’, because it’s pushed under the rug. It’s really cool to hear different people’s stories and their journeys. But it’s good that it’s out there now. And lots of people now know about the condition because it can help some girls get the diagnosis and figure out what is going on.”

Her video also opened up conversations about how Medicare should help cover more expenses surrounding breasts, such as reductions.

“I am so happy, it’s such a validation knowing that what I was feeling and all those emotions was a condition that could be fixed,” Meg said.

“Mentally and physically, I just feel so much better about it. I feel so confident.”

She said she is proud of herself for making a decision for not only herself now, but for her future. Meg just wants others to know that this exists and help others get help.

Originally published as Conversation that led to woman’s breast surgery choice