Breast Asymmetry and Breast Augmentation
Breast asymmetry is when the breasts differ in size and/or shape. While sometimes obvious, often women may be unaware of a slight asymmetry of their own breasts, and it’s actually very common.
What women and their surgeons should keep in mind is that a breast augmentation may accentuate the imperfection, especially when the asymmetry is more pronounced, according to surgeons who participated in a panel on the topic at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
“It is important for surgeons to assess the patient’s breast symmetry before operating to determine whether the surgery is necessary and if it will make the asymmetry more obvious,” said Dr. Jack Fisher, who moderated the panel.
Patient Satisfaction
Dr. Laurie Casas said that the key to a high patient satisfaction rate is “to fully inform the patient that this kind of augmentation is extremely challenging, but that using a detailed analytic approach, we can achieve a very aesthetically pleasing outcome within the limits set by their preoperative anatomic characteristics.”
When developing a breast augmentation plan for those with breast asymmetry, surgeons must evaluate all elements that contribute to it in order to increase patient satisfaction, including volume, nipple position and chest wall deformity.
Before breast surgery on those with breast asymmetry, the plastic surgeon should be clear with the patient about the challenges of augmentation posed by the asymmetry, so that patients are fully informed and have realistic expectations about their results.
In addition, new technology, such as 4-dimensional (4D) imaging, can help patients during the consultation process so they have reasonable expectations.
Learn more about breast augmentation, which gives women the opportunity to add balance and proportion to their bodies, regain lost breast volume, achieve a fuller appearance in small breasts or correct problems of breast asymmetry.