Breast surgery - asymmetry

Home > Procedures > Breast surgery - asymmetry

Breast surgery - asymmetry

A certain level of breast asymmetry is absolutely normal and a common feature amongst all women. It concerns not only the size of the breasts, but also the size and position of the areolae, the location of the mammary fold and other asymmetries.

Many women do not think that breast asymmetry could be caused by anomalies of the chest; however, differences in the shape of the chest on one side to the other are very frequent. They are often caused by the position of the chest bone and the ribs, which can make one side appear more pronounced than the other. Smaller chest deformity causes a pulling of the mammary gland and therefore even the areola and causes the illusion of breast asymmetry, even though the size of the breasts is identical. A very interesting fact is that chest asymmetry occurs on the left side almost every time. Much less frequent are large breast asymmetries, either natural or acquired. In extreme cases, one breast can reach huge proportions while the other breast is small and undeveloped. Such discrepancies are, however, very uncommon.

Preparation:

The surgery needs no special preparation. Do not take drugs that reduce blood clotting for three weeks before the surgery. (Acylpyrin, Aspirin, Anopyrin, anti-rheumatics etc.). It is necessary to undergo a mammogram before the surgery. Do not eat, drink or smoke from midnight on the day of the procedure. Do not put any lotion on the skin. Shave the armpits. The surgery must be postponed if there is acne, eczema or fungal skin infection, or if the patient is in poor health.

Surgery:

In the case of a large breast asymmetry, we consider the size of the smaller breast and if the breast is big enough and well shaped, we reduce the size of the larger breast. In the opposite case, we enlarge the smaller breast with a silicone implant. It is often necessary to change even the second breast, not just its size but also the position of the areola as it usually droops on a larger breast and must be shifted to the level of the areola of the smaller and undeveloped breast.

Post-surgical care:

If drains are inserted they are removed in 24 to 48 hours. 5 days after surgery it is possible to remove the bandage and to wear a bra. The sutures are first removed after 10 to 12 days for augmentation and after 17 to 21 days for modification surgery. The patient has to wear a soft cup bra even at night for 5 weeks and mustn’t sleep on the stomach. It is good to cover the scars with low allergy plaster for 6 weeks after the surgery.

Complications:

Complications after asymmetric breast surgery can be similar to all other breast surgeries. It depends on whether we reduce the larger breast or enlarge the smaller one. Here again it depends on the experience of the plastic surgeon and what method he/she chooses to achieve the most natural look with regards to size and shape.

assymetry, breast surgery