Breast asymmetry
Cosmetic Surgery - Plastic Surgery - Aesthetic Medicine - Reconstructive Surgery
The breast is a cone-shaped structure in which is housed
the mammary gland and fat. Skin covers the whole and the conical structure
is rounded off, at the end, by the pigmented, elastic and contractile nipple-areola
complex. Mammary gland and fat determine the volume of the breast. The shape
of the breast is determined by the positioning of this volume and its relationship
to the skin.
Breast asymmetry is a condition in which a patient has one breast slightly
larger than the other. Breast asymmetry is quite common and for some unknown
reasons, the right breast is larger than the left breast in 7 out of 10
cases...
Breast asymmetry may take on significant proportions resulting in discomfort
which is as much physical (dress) as psychological, particularly during
pregnancy or following simple weight gain.
Breast asymmetry is not the only phenomenon observed in these patients,
it may be accompanied by a large variation in breast size but also in form.
The breasts may look normal or be altered by ptosis (breasts dropping or
drooping, chest too low and flattened at the top). The breasts may also
be tuberous (malformation of the breast corresponding to defective development
of the mammary base).
Breast asymmetry occurs frequently in adolescent girls before puberty. It
may be related to hormonal disorders. We must wait until the end of puberty
to evaluate the potential significance of breast asymmetry. The problem
is not serious but has a strong impact on the psychology of adolescents.
Breast asymmetry is a source of anxiety.
Surgical management is undertaken by specialized plastic surgeons, and should
be considered in the event of important breast asymmetry. It should never
be done in a hurry. A procedure to deal with an identified breast asymmetry
in an adolescent must be performed once mammary growth is complete.
The purpose of such an operation is to obtain nice breasts, to reduce and
reposition the volume, to adapt the skin, and make scars as short as possible,
so that the breasts are as harmonious as they can be.