Breast Asymmetry

What is Breast Asymmetry

Very few women have breasts that are perfectly symmetrical. In most cases, there is a variation between the shape of the left and right breasts. While variations are considered normal, some women feel uncomfortable with asymmetric breasts and want to explore the option of correcting them. Breast asymmetry can be observed in most teenagers, and around 25% of adult women also experience breast asymmetry to some extent.

How is Breast Asymmetry Caused

Breast asymmetry is caused by genetic characteristics or as a result of developmental difficulties. Female hormones control the growth of breasts. The growth stage begins after the first menstruation cycle and usually continues for two to four years. During the growth period, it is natural to have breasts of different sizes or shapes. Gradually, they will grow to be more symmetrical, though if this does not occur, the breasts will remain unchanged until pregnancy or menopause. This asymmetry can be corrected with a selection of procedures, including breast reduction, breast augmentation, or a combination of both.

Am I a good candidate for breast asymmetry surgery?

Good candidates for breast asymmetry surgery in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts are healthy individuals who are unhappy with any asymmetry that has occurred in their breasts. The procedure that is best suited for your condition will be suggested by Dr. Hall after he examines your physical anatomy, and will vary depending on factors such as breast size, shape, and your preferred choice for balancing the breasts.

Breast Asymmetry- Patient 120
A woman in her early 20’s who is bothered by breast asymmetry and would also like to have fuller breasts. She describes herself as a 34 B and is 5’3” and 150 lbs. She is shown before and again, 5 ½ months after bilateral partial subpectoral breast augmentation through an inframammary incision with a 300 cc smooth round moderate profile plus silicone gel implant on her right and a 200 cc smooth round moderate profile plus silicone gel implant on her left. Discussion: The difference in her nipple position is not enough to justify the typical scar of a mastopexy (breast lift). Her right breast is the smaller and tighter of the two breasts and limits the size of the implant that can be used. So we choose the largest implant that will fit in her right breast based on her breast dimensions and that she also finds acceptable in clothing, and then work backwards with a smaller implant on her left breast to match as closely as possible. A larger implant on her right breast would have more fullness in the upper breast because it would be even more implant to breast proportionally and therefore not match the shape of her left breast as closely. She is thrilled with her result. Update: At 11 months the right breast has settled and appears even closer in shape to the left breast. The key in a breast asymmetry case is the smaller breast, because that is the “tighter” of the two breasts and limits the size of an implant that can be used. If a larger implant had been used on the right there would be more fullness in the upper breast and because the relative size of the implant to the breast would be even tighter, the breast would have more of an “implant” look and not appear as natural as she does now.
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Breast Asymmetry- Patient 119
A woman in her mid 20’s who is interested in having fuller breasts. She is 5’ 3 ½” and 138 lbs. Her breasts are a different shape and size. Nipple position is close enough that it does not make sense to place a scar around the nipple with a mastopexy (breast lift). A good rule of thumb is to consider a mastopexy if the difference between the sternal notch to nipple distance is more than 1 ½ cm. Different size implants can be used. The issue here is that the smaller breast is relatively “tighter” and will bulge more if a significantly larger implant is used. She is shown 3 years after surgery with round smooth moderate profile plus cohesive silicone gel implants placed in a “dual plane” position below the pectoralis muscle through an infra mammary ( at the breast fold) incision. A 350 cc implant was placed on her left breast and a 375 cc implant was placed on her right breast. The 375 cc implant was the largest implant that could be used on her right breast without an “implant look”. A larger implant may look overly round or bulge in the upper part of the breast. Of course her breasts are still “sisters and not twins” and remain different but are now closer in appearance
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Breast Reduction/Mastopexy/Breast Asymmetry
A 19 yo student who is shown before and again 18 months after a breast reduction using the short periareolar inferior pedicle reduction (SPAIR) technique. Her case is challenging because her areola is large and the typical “Wise” or anchor pattern would not allow us to get around the outside of her areolar without removing too much skin. The SPAIR technique I a perfect choice for her case, with the benefit of a shorter scar as well. This technique works best for smaller reductions in patients with excellent skin elasticity, because there is some “gathering” of the skin that has too be able to have enough elasticity to smooth out with time. She had 350 gm of tissue removed from her right and 200 from her left to correct her asymmetry.
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Breast Asymmetry – Patient 118
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Breast Asymmetry – Patient 117
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How is breast asymmetry surgery performed?

Breast surgery is performed based on the procedure(s) that are chosen based on Dr. Hall’s examination of your breasts and what your individual goals include. For more information on breast asymmetry surgery options, visit our breast reduction and breast augmentation pages.

What should I expect during recovery?

Depending on the breast surgery performed, recovery time will vary. After breast augmentation surgery, patients should take one to two weeks to fully recover. After breast reduction surgery, patients can typically return to non-physical work in just one week, but should wait six weeks before returning to physical activities, including exercise. Dr. Hall will give you specific instructions for breast surgery recovery, and it is imperative that you follow them for a quick and safe recovery.

“I saw 3 surgeons before meeting with Dr. Hall and by far he and his staff was the most compassionate, thorough, professional and helpful. Can’t say how pleased and comfortable he and his staff made me feel.”

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