Approximately 90 percent of all women have breasts that are different sizes. For some, it’s a small, unnoticeable difference; for others, it can be very obvious and a source of insecurity. Breast augmentation or reduction surgery at my Wellesley practice can improve the symmetry of a woman’s breasts while maintaining a natural and aesthetically pleasing look.
Why do so many women have asymmetrical breasts?
Young women start to develop breasts when they reach puberty. The change in hormone production can cause the breasts to develop at different rates, resulting in one breast that is one or more cup sizes smaller than the other. Other causes of asymmetry include the removal of precancerous tumors or cysts in adult women or a serious injury to the breast tissue before it starts to develop in prepubescent girls.
How does breast augmentation or reduction correct asymmetry?
No two sets of breasts are the same, and each woman has her own unique needs based on her health, body type, and level of asymmetry. During the consultation, the surgeon will perform a complete assessment of each of these factors and discuss the patient’s goals for surgery before deciding upon a course of action.
Breast augmentation for asymmetry
Breast augmentation can help when a woman has asymmetrical breasts and wants to have the smaller one match the larger one. For this kind of surgery, the doctor will use an implant to increase the cup size of the smaller breast. If the patient wants both her breasts to be larger, a second, smaller implant can be placed in the larger breast to keep the pair at the same cup size.
Breast reduction for asymmetry
Breast reduction surgery is more appropriate when a woman wants the larger breast to match the cup size of the smaller breast. In this case, the doctor will remove the extra breast tissue to reduce the larger breast until it matches the smaller one. You can read more about the breast reduction process in this related blog post.
For most patients, a combination of breast surgeries will be necessary. A lift, augmentation, or reduction can all be used on the same patient to create breasts that look and feel natural in addition to being symmetrical. One patient may only require a simple breast reduction or augmentation to achieve symmetry; another may need a full breast lift on one and a small lift on the other, and yet another may need to have a reduction performed on the larger and augmentation on the smaller breast. Severe cases of asymmetry may require all three types of surgery. The type of surgery you and your breasts require will be decided upon by your doctor at your patient consultation.
Choosing an experienced surgeon is essential
Correcting breast asymmetry takes surgical skill as well as a precise, artistic eye. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, I’ve been practicing surgery for over 10 years, and I perform many breast augmentation surgeries each year at my Boston-area practice. You can see some of my patients’ real-life results in our gallery of before-and-after photos.
If you are interested in correcting your breast asymmetry and would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Davidson, you can contact his office by calling (781) 237-7700 or by requesting a consultation online.