Blog
Dr. Brooke R. Seckel
Almost all my Boston breast augmentation patients are surprised to learn during their initial consultation that they have breast asymmetry. I reassure my patients that 88% of women have different sized or asymmetrical breasts and it is normal to have breast asymmetry.
I believe that most patients are not aware of their breast asymmetry because women do not study their breasts visually carefully. However once patients have breast implants especially in the first weeks after surgery they study their breasts carefully in the mirror. It is important that they know ahead of time to expect to see the normal minor asymmetries that they had before surgery.
What are the most common breast asymmetries?
When is minor modification of one breast needed during breast augmentation with breast asymmetry?
When is major modification of breast augmentation needed to correct a breast asymmetry?
Some patients present with a major breast asymmetry. In my experience this involves one breast sagging much further down on one side of the chest. The sagging breast is called mammary ptosis. In these cases the lower breast is lifted with a procedure called a dermal mastopexy and implants are usually placed on both sides. See below:
Most breast asymmetries do not require modification and same size breast implants are used during breast augmentation.
In most patients the degree of asymmetry is mild, and most patients are used to their minor asymmetry and the same sized breast implants are used.
However, I use saline filled breast implant sizers to check the position and adequacy of the breast implant pocket before inserting the final implant. With permission from the patient I can evaluate whether a larger implant in the smaller breast looks better and use the larger implant if it looks better if the patient requests that I make this judgement.