When you look at your breasts in the mirror, you will realize your breasts are not identical. One of them can be bigger or smaller, higher on the chest or lower, and with areolas of different sizes. The volume of the breasts can also differ, so one will look more deflated while the other appears to be fuller.
If the patient notices that one of her breasts is a cup size larger than the other, this is what we call a mammary asymmetry. This discrepancy between the shape or size of the breasts becomes more obvious during puberty when the breasts start to develop, during pregnancy or after breastfeeding has stopped. In exceptional cases, breast asymmetry can indicate a congenital defect called the Poland syndrome, characterized by the underdevelopment of one of the pectoral breasts.
Causes of asymmetrical breasts
A mammary asymmetry is a situation in which the breasts volumes differ. In the majority of cases, the right breast is larger than the left breast. Mammary asymmetry is very common in teenage girls. According to specialists, no breasts are symmetrical. Nevertheless, cases of mammary asymmetry may reach such proportions that the woman’s psychology is affected.
Mammary asymmetry is a factor of emotional complexes and is a source of anxiety in some women. It intensifies with pregnancy and weight gain, hence the need to remedy it as soon as possible. When the woman is breastfeeding, the asymmetry can be furthermore accentuated. The larger breast will provide much more milk because it will have more storage space. The baby will naturally be attracted to the breast that offers milk in abundance. The bigger breast might develop differently during breastfeeding compared to the smaller breast and might even look more deflated compared to the other one once the breastfeeding is over. Breasts can be naturally asymmetrical, but the asymmetry can also develop due to breastfeeding predominantly from one breast.
For women confronted with this issue, a specialty shop will offer underwear designed to mask this imperfection. However, this is a solution that won’t give you much satisfaction when wearing swimsuits or during intimate times. The only efficient solution comes from plastic surgery in the form of a breast enhancement procedure. The corrective methods that can be used are fat transfer to the breasts, breast augmentation with implants, or a breast reduction.
Plastic surgery to correct breast asymmetry
In most cases, if a woman is wondering if her breasts are asymmetrical, they probably are. First of all, breasts are not identical to begin with and different factors can accentuate the asymmetry.
Mammary asymmetry does not necessarily represent a medical problem, but an important aesthetic one as it can significantly affect self- image. It is important to know that there is no treatment for breast asymmetry, aside from plastic surgery. The first step that needs to be taken is to schedule a meeting with a plastic surgeon as he is the most qualified in correcting this issue.
If the breasts are of a small or medium size and with different volumes and the patient chooses a breast augmentation procedure, the plastic surgeon might decide to use breast implants of different volumes. If no augmentation is desired, the patient can choose the surgical excision of the bigger breast.
If the breasts are small or medium and sagginess is also present, the plastic surgeon might decide the optimal treatment is to lift the breasts to the same level of the chest wall, with or without breast implants.
If the patient has big, asymmetric breasts of different sizes, a good solution would be to excise the surplus tissue from the bigger breasts or to reduce the size of both breasts in different proportions.
For big breasts that also present ptosis, aside from the breast reduction technique, the plastic surgeon will also perform a lifting of the breasts.
To correct tubular, asymmetric breasts, a breast augmentation can be performed with implants of different sizes. At the same time, the areolas can be reduced and the inframammary fold can be descended.
How to choose an intervention
During the pre-operative consultation, the plastic surgeon must perform a thorough evaluation to decide what is the surgical method most suitable to achieve the patient’s goal. Also, the patient must understand that there is no such thing as perfect symmetry. There is always a minor degree of asymmetry that can be present even after plastic surgery. Patients who fail to understand this might be rejected from undergoing the procedure.
To help you make a decision, the plastic surgeon will explain the advantages and disadvantages of each surgical method and also offer a recommendation. Together with the plastic surgeon, the patient decides the procedure to be performed, taking into consideration the anatomy of the mammary tissue and the asymmetry degree.
Delicate medical issues can arise that occurs after a plastic surgery, such as when the breast implants are removed and replaced with others. An additional lifting of the breasts might be necessary. Asymmetry can also occur after a breast reduction procedure, and in this case, revision surgery is recommended.
Conclusion
“Are my breasts asymmetrical?” is a common question that I get from women of all ages. Breast asymmetry can occur in the teenage years, but also after pregnancy and breastfeeding. The asymmetry can be in terms of size, shape or position on the chest wall, but also in terms of areola appearance and size.
The only efficient method to correct this imperfection is through plastic surgery, more specifically breast enhancement procedures such as breast augmentation, fat transfer to the breasts, and breast reduction. The most suitable procedure is chosen after careful examination of the existing breast tissue and the level of asymmetry, and also considering the patient’s end goal.