BREAST ASYMMETRY
Presentation?
It is not uncommon for women to have some unevenness to their breasts. However, in certain cases this can be very dramatic. In some women there can be as much as two or three cup sizes in difference. This can begin to present itself very early on in life and can be very traumatic for teenage girls as they begin to develop. In most of these cases there is also a difference in the shape of the breasts, and there can be varying degrees of droop as well. This can be one of the most challenging presentations in Breast Surgery.
Surgical Correction
There are many variations in the surgical correction, depending on the patient’s specific presentation. In some rare cases, just the addition of an implant may help the situation. However, most of the time this is not enough. Correction of droop or ptosis may be involved and this may be different from side to side. Dr. Corey feels that in many moderate to severe cases, the ability to obtain more balanced breasts cannot be achieved using different size implants alone. A patient may need a full lift on one side and a mini or “donut” lift on the other. In most cases Dr. Corey’s approach is to reduce and lift the larger breast, to more resemble the shape and size of the smaller breast, and then use similar size implants to achieve more balance and proportion for the woman’s body type. Again, there may be multiple variations on this depending on the patient’s individual presentation and goals. In cases of adolescents, there may be further surgery required as the patient continues to mature. While correction is available, it should be noted that even after surgery, the breasts most likely will NOT look identical. They may be much improved but there will always be differences from side to side.
Recovery
The recovery is much like it is for the other types of breast surgery such as Augmentation or Lift (Mastopexy). Most patients are up and around in 3-5 days.