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Correction of breast asymmetry
Why are breasts asymmetrical?
For any person, there are slight differences between the right and left sides of the body. The lack of complete symmetry is usually caused genetically, therefore it is considered a variant of the norm[2]. The prevalence of small breast asymmetry is so high that many women are not even aware of its presence. However, if a woman is planning to have breast augmentation surgery (augmentation surgery), a good surgeon will definitely draw the patient's attention even to an almost imperceptible disparity, since this factor can significantly affect the outcome of the operation.
In other cases, the asymmetry is noticeable to the naked eye, which creates serious psychological problems for the woman. The disparity can be caused by various reasons:
- Physiological changes. A woman's mammary glands undergo a number of changes: growth during adolescence, enlargement and preparation for breastfeeding during pregnancy, reduction after lactation, and changes in the ratio of fat and glandular tissue during menopause. At the same time, each mammary gland is a separate organ that individually reacts to changes in the hormonal background, which may cause asymmetry to occur or increase with age.
- Genetics. The disproportion of the right and left parts of the body, including the mammary glands, can be inherited from relatives in the direct line— mother, grandmother.
- Unsuccessful magnification. Breast augmentation surgery in approximately 20% of cases is accompanied by complications that affect breast symmetry[3]. The most common problems are displacement of the implant, sliding of the gland on the implant (snoopy breast), ripling, sliding of the implants down relative to the glands (waterfall effect), capsular contracture (thickening of the tissue around the implant), seroma (accumulation of fluid). Repeated surgery is required to eliminate the asymmetry.
- Congenital abnormalities. Breast disproportionation can result from impaired development of the pectoral muscles, congenital malformations of the chest.
Breast asymmetry correction methods
To eliminate breast asymmetry, the surgeon can remove the excess volume of a larger breast or adjust a smaller one, depending on the clinical situation. At the same time, the volume and shape of both mammary glands are corrected (for example, breast augmentation) in accordance with the patient's wishes.
Breast asymmetry correction methods:
- Installation of breast implants. This technique gives the best result if the asymmetry develops on a small breast. As a rule, implants are installed in both mammary glands, which allows them to align their volume and shape. The technique of breast implant selection depends on the size of the patient's mammary glands and the severity of the defect. In patients with small breasts and pronounced asymmetry, the formation of a symmetrical breast fold and areoles of the same shape can be a difficult task even for an experienced surgeon. In this case, either implants of the same size and diameter can be used after preliminary correction of the skin and soft tissues, or, with significant asymmetry, breast implants of different volumes.
- Breast augmentation with own fat (breast lipofilling). If the patient does not want to change the shape of the breast, and the difference between the mammary glands is no more than 1 size, the procedure of fat transplantation (lipofilling) helps to restore symmetry. At the same time, the patient's adipose tissue is taken from donor areas with a large amount of adipose tissue. It is specially cleaned and injected into the breast to replenish the volume. With a large asymmetry, lipofilling can be combined with the installation of implants. Lipofilling differs from surgical methods for correcting asymmetry in that it is less traumatic and the patient recovers faster after the procedure. However, correction by lipofilling is usually temporary. After 1-2 years, the procedure has to be repeated.
- Reduction mammoplasty. This method of correcting breast asymmetry is recommended for unilateral or bilateral macromastia. At the same time, one or both mammary glands have an excessive amount of glandular and adipose tissue and are excessively large, which can cause pain in the shoulder, back, and neck. To eliminate this asymmetry, the surgeon removes excess skin, fatty and glandular tissue, corrects the shape and location of the nipple-areolar complex to ensure symmetry.
- Breast lift. Mastopexy or breast lift is indicated in the case of ptosis, then there is sagging of the mammary glands. This may be necessary for women whose breasts have changed shape or size after breast-feeding, or if there is a disparity due to age-related changes in adipose tissue and skin. Depending on the severity of the defect, various techniques can be used: circular, vertical, and anchored. As a rule, a facelift is necessary on both sides, but to varying degrees.
Usually a doctor uses several methods of correcting asymmetry at the same time, for example, reduction plastic surgery is complemented by mastopexy.
Special techniques are used to correct the asymmetry that has arisen after surgical treatment of cancer. In this case, the surgeon can use skin flaps to restore the "leather cover", special extenders for stretching the skin, complex plastic surgery techniques and tattooing to restore the nipple.
Preparation for surgery, recovery
In a preliminary consultation with a plastic surgeon, the patient discusses her expectations of the procedure and possible results. Contraindications to surgery are few: These are serious illnesses, pregnancy or lactation, and under the age of 18.
To reduce the risk of complications, standard blood, urine, and ECG tests are prescribed. In most cases, the operation is performed under general anesthesia, so consultation with an anesthesiologist will be necessary.
The recovery time after surgery depends on the amount of surgery performed. The patient is prescribed to wear special compression underwear, as well as a protective regime — do not raise your hands up, engage in active physical activity, visit saunas or swimming pools. The preliminary result of the operation can be assessed in 2-4 weeks, and a full recovery can take up to several months.
The EMC Plastic Surgery Clinic consists of doctors with many years of experience in the best clinics in Russia and the world, the most modern equipment, effective medical protocols approved by relevant international organizations. You can check the prices for plastic surgery, and also ask any questions about our services by phone +7 495 933-66-55.
List of sources and literature:
- Summer E Hanson, Mark J Dryden, Jun Liu, Gregory P Reece, Aubri S Hoffman, Mia K Markey, Fatima A Merchant, Letter to the editor: Ethnic and age differences in right-left breast asymmetry in a large population-based screening population, British Journal of Radiology, Volume 95, Issue 1137, 1 September 2022, 20200392.
- Nikitin O. Breast asymmetry: rule or exception? // The doctor. 2016. № 7.
- Sergeev Ilya Vyacheslavovich, Fayzullin Tagir Rishatovich, Larionov David Pashavich. Complications of augmentation mammoplasty // Avicenna's Messenger. 2020. № 4.
Why the EMС
The first and only clinic in Russia, created in the image of the world's leading clinics
Doctors
Kolchenko Stepan
Plastic surgeon
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Mollaeva Anna
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Gaynullin Rauf
Head of the Plastic Surgery Department, Ph.D. of Medical Sciences
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Pshenisnov Kirill
Head of the Clinic of Plastic Surgery in a hospital in Orlovsky per., Doctor of Medicine, Professor
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Levin Sergey
Ph.D. of Medical Sciences
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Kolchenko Stepan
Plastic surgeon
- He knows the techniques of performing aesthetic operations on the face, chest and body
- Performs high precision male and female liposculpture of the body (Hi-Def) with muscle drawing using the latest PAL LipoSculptor vibrating liposuction machine
- He completed his residency in Plastic Surgery at the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University
Total experience
6 years
Experience in EMC
since 2022
