Breast asymmetry: causes, types and methods of correction

Breast asymmetry causes

Primary asymmetry of the mammary glands can be caused by genetic characteristics or uneven development of glandular tissue during puberty. Natural proportions can be restored during lactation, but the opposite situation is also possible - after breastfeeding, disproportionate development can become even more pronounced.

The shape of the gland and nipple-areolar complex can change under the influence of various factors. One of the main reasons for changes in proportions is breastfeeding. If a woman applies the baby unevenly to the mammary glands, this can lead to disruption of harmonious proportions.

The cause of acquired asymmetry may be mastopathy, which is often found in women of reproductive age. Hormonal imbalances during menopause can also lead to disproportionate changes in glandular tissue. The size and shape of the breast can be affected by tumor processes (benign or oncological), scar changes after injuries, surgeries and burns.

What to do if your breasts are of different sizes, can you correct the defect yourself?

Correction techniques vary depending on the degree of asymmetry. For mild cases, correction can be done independently. To do this, they perform special physical exercises, massage, and use cosmetics. Usually the defect can be successfully hidden with corrective underwear. Moderate and severe degrees require surgical intervention. This can be mastopexy, implantation, reduction plastic surgery and other types of mammoplasty. If the asymmetry is small, then lipofilling is possible, that is, fat is extracted from the patient’s problem area, which, after cleaning, is injected into the smaller mammary gland. Unfortunately, this technique is not suitable when there are differences in the shape, outline of the areolas, and the direction of the nipples.

Types and severity of breast asymmetry

From a pathogenetic point of view, asymmetry caused by hypoplasia of glandular tissue (insufficient development) or its hyperplasia (excessive growth) is distinguished. The type of asymmetry influences the choice of surgical correction method. The difference in the size of the mammary glands underlies the division of asymmetry into three degrees of severity:

slight disproportion: insignificant difference within the same size;
medium severity: the difference between the glands reaches 1/3 of their size;
severe asymmetry: one mammary gland is twice the size of the other.

In aesthetic medicine, it is generally accepted that correction of breast asymmetry is indicated for women with moderate to severe asymmetry. However, one remark should be made: the main criterion should be the woman’s subjective feelings. If asymmetry causes psychological discomfort, you can think about surgery.

For certain types of asymmetry, the main aesthetic indication for surgical correction is not the size, but a violation of the shape of the breast. An example of such a disorder is tubular asymmetry, in which one of the breasts takes the shape of an elongated “tube” with a stretched nipple-areolar complex, and the second breast has a natural hemispherical shape.

Different breasts: correction with lipofilling

Advantages of lipofilling for correction of breast asymmetry:

the patient’s own fat cells are guaranteed not to cause allergies and will not be rejected by the body;
a result that is natural in consistency and appearance;
no traces of the operation performed;
During the operation, the mammary gland is not injured at all;
minimal invasiveness of the operation;
short recovery period;
lipofilling allows not only to correct breasts of different sizes, but also to improve the condition of the skin of the mammary glands.

Plastic surgery will allow you to forget about the problem of different breasts forever. You will be able to get closer to the standard of beauty invented by the ancient Greeks, but more importantly, you will have the opportunity to admire your reflection in the mirror, increase your chances of success in many areas, feel the desire to buy beautiful things, and feel more confident next to the man you love.

Breast asymmetry surgery

If disproportion of the mammary glands causes physical or psychological discomfort to a woman, it is worth seeking the help of plastic surgeons. In case of breast asymmetry, the operation is aimed at restoring the harmonious, natural and attractive shape of the main symbol of female beauty.

To solve this problem, reduction mammoplasty (reducing the size of a hypertrophied gland) or endoprosthetics (breast augmentation with implants) can be used. In case of tubular asymmetry of the breast, the operation is aimed primarily at restoring the shape of the mammary gland.

You can learn more about the possibilities of modern aesthetic medicine at a consultation with a plastic surgeon at the SOHO CLINIC. Make an appointment with a specialist and receive qualified answers to all your questions.

Preparation for surgical correction of breast asymmetry

Before the intervention, during a consultation, the patient and the surgeon discuss the surgical options and select the best correction method. During the conversation, the doctor listens to the patient’s wishes and expresses his opinion on this matter. After this, the specialist examines the breast, takes the necessary measurements, and explains the nuances of the procedure, which may be related to age characteristics, type and degree of asymmetry.

Before surgery, the doctor finds out whether the patient is completely healthy. An examination is also carried out, which includes:

Breast ultrasound;
various blood and urine tests;
ECG;
examination by a mammologist;
consultation with an anesthesiologist.

10 days before surgery, the patient should stop taking medications that contain aspirin, vitamin E and lecithin. In the evening before the procedure, you need to take a bath, you can have a light dinner. On the day of surgery, you are prohibited from eating or drinking water.

Fortunately, modern mammoplasty can solve any problems associated with breast asymmetry. During the operation, you can enlarge or reduce, tighten or change the shape of the breast. To do this, you need to choose a qualified surgeon and perform the necessary procedure.

If all rehabilitation rules are followed, the risk of postoperative complications is minimal. Scars after mammoplasty remain pink for 3-5 months, after which they gradually lighten and become almost invisible.

What other implant-related issues should I consider?

There are claims that breast implants are associated with the development of connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, SLE (lupus erythematosus), scleroderma and similar autoimmune conditions. Although some studies suggest an increased risk, most medical studies have shown that implants do not increase the risk of these problems. Breast implants do not increase the risk of breast cancer. If breast cancer is detected in women with prosthetic breasts, then, as a rule, the recovery rate is higher in the early stages. This is due to these women taking more careful care of their health.

The cost of breast correction surgeries in our clinic.

The cost is formed according to the basic price list for a specific operation. The cost of a breast lift or prosthesis for one breast is usually 2/3 of the cost of a bilateral operation. The cost of the implant is discussed separately and depends on the manufacturer. In recent months, due to strong changes in the ruble exchange rate, prices for implants and other foreign materials have increased significantly in price, which has led to an increase in the cost of treatment.

In the clinic’s price list, the cost of any operation is presented in the price range from... to...

The spread is quite wide and affects the upper part of the low price range, the middle and high price categories. The purpose of this proposal is to provide the opportunity for anyone who wishes to undergo treatment. All the clinic’s specialists dealing with breast problems have sufficient training and experience, are well versed in the topic and can be recommended by me without fear. The distribution of surgeons into price categories is not a matter of quality or safety, which are equally high, but a matter of my personal decision. Therefore, the patient can safely choose a surgeon according to his liking or his personal preferences. In any case, the entire treatment process is under my control, and you can contact me personally at any time.

Classification of breast asymmetry

It is important to understand: there is no absolute symmetry - people are asymmetrical. Our right and left sides of our faces, legs, arms and, of course, chest are different. This is absolutely normal. A pathological fixation on symmetry often results in complexes and self-doubt.

We can talk about asymmetry when it is visible to the naked eye. Differ:

bust shape and volume
position and outline of the nipple and areola.

Doctors distinguish 3 degrees of breast asymmetry:

light. The breasts are practically no different from each other. They come in one bra size;
average. The difference between the mammary glands reaches 0.5 sizes. This is visually noticeable, but usually does not interfere with everyday life;
heavy. One breast can be 1.5-2 times larger than the other. In this case, there are problems with the selection of underwear and clothes.

Note that there is no exact way to measure asymmetry, so in this matter you should rely only on the experience of the selected specialist.

Questions

I have a complex because of my breasts. I can't figure out what's wrong with her. Maybe it is tubular and can be made normal? What do you advise?

— If the breast is tubular, then there are methods to correct it. You can send a photo, go on video call or come for a consultation. Let's discuss all possible options. If you have a complex about your breasts, and probably for a long time, then without correcting the shape of your breasts, this complex cannot be overcome. After correction, it will disappear on its own.

Since my youth, one breast was slightly larger than the other. They said that by the age of 20 everything would get better. After taking oral contraceptives, it feels like it has become bigger and saggy. The color of the areolas has changed. Can I come to you for a consultation with this question?

-Come, of course. I dare to suggest that we will discuss a breast lift, maybe a lift of both mammary glands. We cannot change the color of the areolas. I think that contraceptives have nothing to do with it.

My breasts look like hanging triangles with large different areolas and small nipples. Ugly. Hanging. What can be done about this?

-The areolas can be made the same, the size of the nipples can be increased. From triangles, you can either use a breast lift or a lift with augmentation to form the normal shape of the mammary glands

I am 27 years old married. When I was breastfeeding, he suckled on the right breast, now it is larger than the left. What can be done?

-I think you need to decide which one suits you best. Then discuss reduction of the larger or enlargement of the smaller breast. Both options are acceptable depending on your preference.

I have been operated on 4 times already. They tried to improve the appearance of my breasts. The last doctor said that previous attempts at correction were incorrect and could not, in principle, solve the problem. The chest was narrow, hanging and long. The skin around the areola was excised 2 times, without result. I don’t know what they did at the 3rd operation, but the improvement was no more than 2 months, when it remained swollen and dense. The 4th operation, which took place a year ago, improved the shape, but did not make it attractive. It’s all the same, it’s kind of small, small, nothing. But not as ugly as before. I just want to discuss the increase. Will I be denied due to many previous operations?

-I can assume that the problem of tubular breasts has not been completely solved. Therefore, simply increasing will not lead to satisfaction either. A complete correction of tubularity with implantation is necessary. Previous operations are not a contraindication, but do not make the task easier.

How to avoid the development of asymmetry?

First of all, carefully monitor your breasts - and if you notice a size difference during puberty, consult a doctor. Sometimes hormonal therapy can minimize the risk of developing asymmetrical breasts.

The general rule has become the mandatory wearing of supportive underwear, even if the breasts are very small - this will avoid sagging (which, like everything in nature, is rarely uniform).

It is especially important to pay attention to the breasts during pregnancy and lactation. At this time, the breast is undergoing serious changes: the structure of the gland changes, the breast begins to fill with milk and empty, in a word, traumatic factors are present. And although breastfeeding is a natural process, women often pay for it with asymmetrical breasts. This often happens when the child latches unevenly - almost every baby has a “favorite” breast. It is more traumatized during feeding and, as a result, it sags more over time. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding, be sure to wear special underwear and try to correctly alternate between the left and right breasts when feeding.

How is the operation performed?

Before surgery, the patient undergoes an examination, takes tests, and receives consultation from an anesthesiologist, therapist, and plastic surgeon. The operation can last up to 3 hours, depending on the tasks assigned to the doctor. General anesthesia is used. The techniques differ: it is possible to enlarge one or two mammary glands with implants, or reduce (reduce), combined with a lift, the larger breast, or both. After the intervention, the patient remains under the supervision of doctors in the hospital for an average of 24 hours. The rehabilitation period can last up to a month. In the first days there is pain, which must be relieved only with the drug prescribed by the doctor. The stitches are removed after 1-2 weeks. It is necessary to wear compression garments for about a month to stabilize the results.