Reader Question:

As you can see from my pictures my left areola is larger than my right one. Also the left breast is also a bit lower and more “stretched” than the right after my pregnancy and breastfeeding. In my particular case do you think that getting implants would stretch the right areola (which never really changed during breastfeeding) out a little to get closer to the circumference of the left areola? It seems like the left might stay kind of the same since it already has been stretched during breastfeeding the way an implant would have. It would be nice if the nipples were a little closer in size but I would like to avoid any scars around the areola.

Breast implant placement alone does not allow for changes of one breast and areola alone.

It is very common that breasts change during breastfeeding and these changes may not be even from side to side. One of my patients called one of her breasts her “milker” indicating that it was the one her child liked for breastfeeding and used with a preference. This breast was droopier than her other one.

In your case, your left breast is larger and a bit more droopy. The nipple on the side is a bit larger as is the areola. The placement of implants alone may stretch both sides, but there is no way to know by how much. To get your breasts closer in dimensions you would need to have a breast lift as well.

Breast lifts come in different varieties. The more involved (more incisions) leave more scars, but can make more changes to make the breasts more similar. The question of how much correction a woman will desire and her tolerance for potential scarring is a variable one. Some full breast lifts heal very well such as this recent case I operated.

You do not “need” a breast lift but implants alone will not address the differences in your breasts to any significant extent. The placement of implants alone might even make these differences more pronounced.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Originally posted 2010-09-07 07:30:36.