What is Breast Asymmetry?
Usually, breasts are symmetrical in appearance i.e., equal in size, shape, projection, and elevation; but, in reality, there are few women whose breasts are completely symmetrical. More often than not, one breast is either larger, shaped differently, or sits higher on the chest than the other. This difference between the two breasts can range from relatively minor to prominent. Such a condition is known as breast asymmetry. Dr Mark Doyle, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, regularly treats asymmetric breasts through surgery. There are multiple viable options to treat this condition and the best can be determined through an initial consultation with Dr Doyle.
What Causes Breast Asymmetry?
Medical conditions are the leading cause of permanent asymmetry of the breasts. The following medical conditions can cause breast asymmetry:
- Tubular Breasts or Breast Hypoplasia: It can develop in one or both breasts during puberty.
- Amastia or Amazia: A condition that causes problems in the development of breast tissue, the areola, or nipple.
- Poland Syndrome: A condition where a chest muscle does not develop properly affecting the breast on one side.
- Juvenile Hypertrophy: A condition during the teen years where one breast grows larger than the other
Apart from the above medical conditions, there are other varieties of reasons why breasts may take on different sizes or shapes, including:
- Uneven breast development during puberty: When the breasts first start forming, the left and right breast develop at a slightly different pace. Breasts may appear asymmetrical until they have finished growing, or they may remain in different shapes and sizes throughout a person’s life.
- Heredity.
- Extreme weight fluctuations.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Trauma or injury to one of the breasts that causes enlargement or shrinkage.
- Breast cancer treatment, such as a mastectomy.
- Ovulation can lead to temporary changes in the breasts due to fluctuation in hormonal levels.
How Can Breast Symmetry be Achieved?
In cases with a prominent unevenness of the breast, breast surgery is the only viable option to achieve even breasts. There are several surgical options that can be taken to obtain the evenness of the breasts. The correct procedure for you will depend on the level and severity of the asymmetry of your breasts. The commonly available options include:
- Making the smaller breast fuller through breast augmentation surgery either through a fat graft or using an implant.
- Reducing the larger breast through breast reduction surgery.
- Making both breasts fuller or smaller through either breast augmentation or breast reduction surgery.
- Lifting a drooping breast into a more normal position through breast lift surgery or breast lift surgery with implants.
Different surgeries on the individual breast or a combination of procedures on both breasts may be required to obtain the desired symmetry. In cases with severe asymmetry, you may need multiple surgeries before you achieve your desired result.
What is Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery?
Cosmetic surgeries that correct the asymmetries of the breasts are called breast asymmetry correction surgery. Depending on the level of the asymmetry, each breast may require different surgery to obtain the desired symmetry. Thus, it is one of the highly individualised and surgically complex procedures performed by a specialist plastic surgeon.
As each patient and each case is different, there isn’t a best surgery option suits all patients. Thus, the best options will depend entirely on your physiology and type of asymmetry. Depending on the situation, surgery on either one breast (unilateral) or both breasts (bilateral) will be performed, and the available surgical options are:
- Breast Augmentation Surgery
- Breast Lift
- Breast Reduction Surgery
- Nipple/Areola Reshaping Surgery
- Breast Implant Explantation Surgery
The method of correction of asymmetry i.e., either- breast reduction, breast augmentation, or breast lift is chosen during your initial consultation with Dr Doyle. It is often recommended to surgically alter both breasts for a superior outcome.
What are the Benefits of Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery?
The benefits associated with Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery include but are not limited to:
- Even appearing breasts can significantly boost self-esteem, quality of life, and mental health.
- Restores or rejuvenates the breasts to a more natural and feminine position.
- Repositions the areolar and nipple placement to improve the appearance of your breast.
- You can regain confidence.
- It can improve your physical sense of balance.
- Having symmetrical breasts can make your bras and clothes fit better.
- You can expand your wardrobe selection.
Discussing your conditions and benefits of undergoing Breast Asymmetry Correction before the surgery with Dr Mark Doyle will help you assess if it’s the correct fit for you.
Book a consultation now, with Dr Mark Doyle.
Am I a good candidate for Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery?
It is worth considering breast asymmetry correction surgery if:
- Your breasts are completely developed.
- You have a congenital breast deformity.
- You have a difference of greater than one cup size.
- You have one breast lying lower to the other.
- You have an uneven breast appearance even after breast augmentation surgery.
- You have uneven nipple size or shape.
- You are uncomfortable about the unevenness of your breasts to the point that affects your daily life.
- You are in good physical and mental health.
- You are willing to abstain from smoking before and after the surgery.
Book a consultation today if you are any of the candidates mentioned above for the procedure.
What is the Procedure of Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery?
Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery is done under local or general anaesthesia. Procedures under general anaesthesia are the most common. Dr Doyle will select the best option for you according to your requirements to ensure you have a comfortable surgery.
Following administration of a suitable anaesthetic, depending on the type of surgery the following steps are employed for the correction of your asymmetric breast:
Breast Augmentation Surgery
Breast augmentation is a cosmetic surgical procedure to enhance both the shape and size of the breasts using implants or body fat or both. Both the techniques individually are good options to enlarge smaller breasts and acquire symmetry.
A combination of breast implants or fat grafting with hybrid breast augmentation can help acquire desired symmetry with greater accuracy.
Breast Lift Surgery
Breast lift is a cosmetic surgical procedure to reposition one or both of the breasts and helps bring symmetry to the breasts’ profile. This procedure will improve the position of the breasts on the chest wall and can be performed in conjunction with a breast augmentation or breast reduction or on its own.
Breast lift surgery can be performed both with and without implants. In breast lift without an implant, excess skin is removed, and breast tissue is reshaped to raise the breasts changing the shape of the breast. Apart from changing the shape of the breast, breast lift with implant addition will also enlarge the shape of the breast.
Breast Reduction Surgery
Breast reduction surgery is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure done to reduce the size of breasts by removing excess glandular and fat tissues in them to achieve the desired size proportionate to your body. It may also reduce pain and discomfort in women who have very large breasts. It is performed either by surgically removing excess tissues or through liposuction.
Nipple/Areola Reshaping Surgery
Nipple/Areola Reshaping Surgery is a cosmetic surgical procedure to either restore the nipples to their original position on the breast or correct mal-positioning due to stretched skin, drooping breasts, and other factors.
This procedure is performed in combination with other cosmetic breast surgery procedures.
Breast Implant Explantation
Breast implant removal or explantation is a cosmetic surgical procedure used to remove breast implants. This is done when your implants have run their course, or an implant-related complication develops. Breast implant removal surgery can also be performed in conjunction with a breast lift in a breast implant removal and lift procedure.
All the above procedures can be performed either on one or both breasts depending on the level of unevenness. However, it is often recommended to surgically alter both breasts for a superior result.
Dr Doyle will explain to you the steps involved in the procedure during your consultation. He will also answer any questions that you might have.
Recovery Following Breast Asymmetry Correction Surgery
Right after your surgery, dressings or bandages will be applied to the site of the incisions. You will have to wear a supportive garment to both reduce the swelling and to support your operation site as it recovers. Dr Doyle does not routinely use drains in these procedures. If implants are used as part of your breast asymmetry correction surgery, you will need around six weeks for recovery.
It is recommended to take at least a few days off work to rest and help in the rehabilitation process. You can resume light activities within one to two weeks. Any vigorous exercise or sports, heavy lifting, and swimming should be avoided until six weeks or as recommended by Dr Doyle.
Risks and Complications
Possible complications associated with the procedure include:
- Bleeding and infection from the surgical site.
- Excessive fluid and blood accumulation.
- Persistent pain around the surgical site.
- Difficulties while breastfeeding, including reduced milk supply.
- Possible partial or total loss of nipple and areola.
- Allergic reaction to suture materials.
- Temporary or permanent loss of sensation around the breast.
- Suboptimal results.
- Need for repeat surgery.
- Complications related to anaesthesia including nausea, vomiting, and loss of consciousness.
Complications associated with implant-based asymmetry correction surgeries include:
- Wrinkling of the skin over the implant.
- Formation of scar tissues around the implant.
- Displacement of the implants from their original position.
- Rupture or deflation of the implant.
- Implants may conceal breast tumours during mammography therefore reducing the effectiveness of breast cancer screening through a mammogram.
It is important to undergo the surgery with an experienced surgeon to minimise the possible complications associated with the procedure.
Why choose Dr Mark Doyle?
Dr Mark Doyle is a highly skilled specialist plastic surgeon with over 30 years’ experience.
Dr Doyle puts his patient’s safety and wellbeing as his priority. He approaches each case with up-to-date knowledge and highly innovative techniques to ensure the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of breast asymmetry correction surgery?
As the procedure is highly individualized and performed to correct specific breast asymmetries of the patient, the cost will differ from individual to individual. The consultation charge, the Surgeon’s charge, an Anaesthetist charge, the Surgical Assistant charge, and the hospital charges will be included in the final cost.
You can get an estimate as to how much you should expect to spend on the procedure by scheduling a consultation with Dr Mark Doyle. Alternatively, you can view our list of pricing resources to get a better idea about the cost of asymmetrical breasts surgery:
Will my health insurance cover breast asymmetry correction surgery?
As the procedure required varies from one person to another, it is not possible to give a quote until after your consultation with Dr Doyle.
Congenital deformities, breast reduction and deformities from previous implant surgery may attract Medicare rebates and hence private insurance payments. Please note that these payments will not fully cover all of the procedure costs.
Is a breast asymmetry correction surgery worth it?
If you are looking to make your breasts more symmetric, want to give them an aesthetic appearance, and are realistic about what the asymmetry correction procedure can do for you it is worth considering the surgery.
The results following the surgery can also help significantly boost your self-confidence, increase your wardrobe options and give your breast a more youthful look.
Book a consultation with our skilled specialist plastic surgeon, Dr Mark Doyle, to discuss the procedure in detail and decide if you would like to undergo breast asymmetry correction surgery.
Further Reading:
- Breast Asymmetry Correction – Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Breast Asymmetry Surgery Melbourne | Asymmetric Breast Surgery
- Breast Asymmetry Surgery in Melbourne VIC| Coco Ruby Plastic Surgery
- Breast Asymmetry: Classification and Management | Aesthetic Surgery Journal | Oxford Academic
- The Psychosocial Benefits of Plastic Surgery for Young Women With Congenital Breast Asymmetry | ASPS
- Breast asymmetry and phenotypic quality in women – ScienceDirect
- Breast Asymmetry Surgery – Precision Medical Arts
