Polymastia, or accessory breasts, is a condition where a person has extra breasts, which can come in various forms and locations on the body. Both men and women can have them, and they can be mistaken for tumors. Most people choose to have them removed, but some celebrities have chosen not to.
Polymastia, sometimes better known as accessory breasts, is a health condition in which the affected person has extra breasts. Extra breasts can come in various forms, from fully functional breasts with a normal appearance to breasts that don’t lactate or have an areola. Both men and women can have accessory breasts, but the problem is more commonly seen in women. Accessory nipples or breasts have been reported in many areas of the body, including the top, armpits, and back. The condition is not uncommon; in fact, up to six percent of the population has an extra breast, yet doctors often misdiagnose the condition as a benign tumor.
An accessory breast is sometimes fully functional and capable of producing milk. In most cases, however, the breast is mostly just a nipple or a lump. There is no known limit to the amount of extra nipples or breasts that can develop on the human body. Some women have experienced up to eight nipples in addition to the standard two.
Although they are more commonly seen in women, accessory breasts can develop and become fully functional or appear like normal breasts in men. For example, a man was once found to have fully formed breasts on the back of his leg. He described it as a fatty tumor that he had had for most of his life. Some doctors report that men find the development of accessory breasts emasculating. In many cases, the condition doesn’t appear to be genetic, but some people report having accessory breasts in multiple generations of the same family.
It is common for extra breasts to develop in the underarm area, but they can also appear in the groin area, legs and feet. Some areas of the body are less likely to develop accessory breasts than others. Most people develop extra breasts in areas where they are easy to hide, which was important in the past when extra accessories were seen as a sign of evil. Even in modern times accessory nipples or breasts can be stigmatized, especially when men have extra, normal-looking breasts.
Sometimes doctors misdiagnose extra breasts with no nipples or areola as tumors. People who have accessory breasts may mistake them for tumors, acne, or moles. The vast majority of people diagnosed with accessory breasts choose to have them removed. Some people, including celebrities, have come forward to say they have extra nipples or breasts and have no plans to have them removed.
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