Understanding Breast Asymmetry Before Augmentation

When a woman’s breasts differ in size and/or shape, it is known as breast asymmetry. While sometimes obvious, often women are unaware of a slight asymmetry of their own breasts, and breast asymmetry is fairly common.

If a woman with breast asymmetry is considering a breast augmentation, she should be aware that the asymmetry may be more noticeable  after an augmentation. Therefore it’s crucial for surgeons to evaluate the components that contribute to breast asymmetry, according to those who participated in a panel on the subject at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

“It is important for surgeons to assess the patient’s breast symmetry before operating to determine whether the surgery is necessary and if it will make the asymmetry more obvious,” said Dr. Jack Fisher, the panel’s moderator.

Patient Satisfaction & Breast Asymmetry

According to Dr. Laurie Casas, the key to a high patient satisfaction rate is “to fully inform the patient that this kind of augmentation is extremely challenging, but that using a detailed analytic approach, we can achieve a very aesthetically pleasing outcome within the limits set by their preoperative anatomic characteristics.”

When developing a breast augmentation plan for those with breast asymmetry, cosmetic surgeons must evaluate all elements that contribute to it, such as volume, nipple position and chest wall deformity, in order to increase patient satisfaction.

Before breast surgery on those with breast asymmetry, the surgeon should be clear with the candidate about the challenges the asymmetry poses, so that patients have realistic expectations about their results.

New technology, such as 4-dimensional imaging, can also help manage patient expectations during the consultation process.

Learn more about breast augmentation, which can help patients achieve better symmetry when breasts differ moderately in size and shape.