Breast Asymmetry Surgery in Edinburgh
Breast asymmetry has often been on your mind for years before you book a consultation. The right operation might be augmentation, reduction, uplift or a combination — and the conversation that matters most is an honest one about which suits your case.
Contents
Overview
Breast Asymmetry Correction
- TYPE OF ANAESTHETIC
General - LENGTH OF SURGERY
2-3 Hours - HOSPITAL STAY
Day surgery - RECOVERY
1-2 weeks off work, 6 weeks before strenuous exercise
Breast asymmetry
I had breast asymmetry; my left breast was significantly larger than my right. I was very self-conscious; I could never wear certain outfits/tops as I felt it was too noticeable. This had been on my mind for over 15 years; I had seen two other plastic surgeons over the years prior to Omar. Omar provided me the best solution by reducing my left breast to match my right. He was very honest and did not push me into my decision. I am now 6 months post-op and could not be happier with my results. It has changed my life, and now I feel comfortable wearing anything I want! I would highly recommend Omar; he is an excellent plastic surgeon.
Ang
Oct 2024
What the procedure involves
Breast asymmetry correction is not a single operation but a choice among several, depending on the difference between your breasts and what you want to address. The right approach is decided in consultation, not in advance — and may be one of the following, or a combination of them:
Breast Augmentation:
- Rationale: Breast augmentation involves the insertion of implants or fat transfer to increase the volume and size of the breasts. This procedure is suitable for patients with one breast smaller than the other (breast hypoplasia) or those desiring larger breasts overall.
- Implants: Silicone implants are commonly used to achieve symmetrical breast size. The implant type, size, and shape choice depend on the patient’s anatomy, preferences, and desired outcome.
- Fat Transfer: In cases where the size discrepancy is minimal, or the patient prefers a more natural approach; fat transfer involves harvesting fat from one part of the body (e.g., abdomen or thighs) through liposuction and injecting it into the smaller breast to achieve symmetry.
Breast Reduction:
- Rationale: Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammoplasty) is indicated when one breast is significantly larger than the other (breast hypertrophy). This procedure removes excess breast tissue, skin, and fat from the larger breast to achieve symmetry with the smaller breast.
- Techniques: Various surgical techniques, such as vertical or anchor-shaped pattern breast reduction, may be employed depending on the amount of tissue to be removed and the desired breast shape. The surgeon will tailor the technique to minimise scarring and preserve nipple sensitivity.
Breast Uplift (Mastopexy):
- Rationale: Mastopexy corrects sagging or droopy breasts, which can contribute to breast asymmetry. This procedure lifts and reshapes the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to restore a more youthful and symmetrical appearance.
- Techniques: Mastopexy techniques include periareolar, vertical, or full anchor-shaped incisions, depending on the degree of breast ptosis. The surgeon will choose the appropriate technique based on the patient’s breast shape, nipple position, and amount of sagging.
Combination Procedures:
- Rationale: In many cases of breast asymmetry, a combination of procedures may be necessary to achieve optimal results. For example:
- Augmentation-Mastopexy: Combining breast augmentation with a breast lift is beneficial for patients who desire both increased breast volume and improved breast position and shape.
- Reduction-Mastopexy: This combination is suitable for patients with one breast that is significantly larger and droopier than the other, aiming to achieve both volume reduction and breast lift.
Benefits and expected outcomes
Breast asymmetry correction can address:
- A noticeable difference in breast size, shape, or position
- Tubular or constricted shape on one side
- Asymmetry that has appeared or worsened after pregnancy, breastfeeding or significant weight change
- Asymmetry present from breast development that has not resolved with time
- Practical issues that flow from the asymmetry — difficulty wearing fitted clothing, the need for padding or specialised bras, physical discomfort if one breast is significantly larger
What it does not always achieve: perfect symmetry. Breasts are sister structures, not identical twins, and even after surgery there will usually be a small remaining difference. Your consultant will be honest at consultation about what is realistically achievable in your case.
Results are long-lasting, but breasts continue to change with weight, pregnancy and time. Significant weight change or pregnancy after surgery may affect the result.
Before and after breast asymmetry correction
Who is an ideal candidate?
- Notice a difference in breast size, shape or position that affects them in everyday life: choosing clothes, exercise, intimate moments, or simply how they feel.
- Good Overall Health: Candidates should have good overall health, with no underlying medical conditions that could increase surgical risks or complications.
- Realistic Expectations: Candidates should have realistic expectations about the procedure’s outcomes and understand that achieving perfect symmetry may not always be possible.
- Stable Weight: Candidates should be stable in weight, as significant fluctuations in weight can affect the long-term results of the procedure.
- Non-smokers: Candidates who are non-smokers or willing to quit smoking before and after the procedure to minimise surgical risks and promote optimal healing.
A consultation is a conversation, not a commitment to surgery. If we feel surgery is not the right answer for you — or that the difference is not significant enough to warrant the trade-offs of scarring and recovery — we will say so honestly.
Risks and considerations
Breast asymmetry surgery is generally safe in experienced hands, but it carries a defined set of risks that depend on which surgical approach is used. General risks across all approaches include:
- Infection: As with any surgical procedure, there is a small risk of infection at the incision sites. This is usually managed with antibiotics and appropriate wound care, but more significant infections may require additional treatment.
- Bleeding and haematoma: Bleeding can occur during or after surgery. A collection of blood beneath the skin (haematoma) may develop and occasionally requires drainage.
- Scarring: All surgical procedures result in some degree of scarring. Incision placement and length depend on which technique is used; your consultant will show you, in person, where any scars will sit before you decide to proceed.
- Changes in nipple sensation: Some patients experience temporary or permanent changes in nipple sensation following breast asymmetry surgery. The risk depends on which approach is used and which nerves are close to the surgical area.
- Issues relating to breast implants, if used: lifelong maintenance, implant movement and rupture, capsular contracture, and breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
- Asymmetry recurrence: surgery aims to bring the breasts closer together in size, shape and position, but breasts continue to change with weight, pregnancy and time, and a small remaining or recurring difference is possible.
Your consultant will go through the risks specific to your case — which depend on which surgical approach is used — in detail at consultation, and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions before deciding to proceed. There is no expectation that you will commit to surgery on the day.
For more detail on the risks of the underlying procedures, refer to our pages on breast augmentation, breast uplift, breast reduction and augmentation-mastopexy.
Further reading:
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS): BAAPS Breast Augmentation, Breast Uplift (Mastopexy), Breast Reduction
Aftercare and recovery
Recovery from breast asymmetry surgery depends on which approach is used — augmentation, reduction, uplift or combination — and your consultant will give you a tailored timeline before surgery. As a general guide, most patients take one to two weeks off work, avoid strenuous upper-body exercise for six weeks, and wear a support bra continuously for the first six weeks.
Bruising and swelling are at their most noticeable in the first ten days and continue to settle over the following month. Final results take three to six months to settle fully as the tissues continue to refine.
Throughout your recovery, your consultant remains personally involved. If anything concerns you between scheduled appointments, your consultant will respond directly and arrange to see you as often as needed until things are settled. There is no generic aftercare team between you and your surgeon.
What is the cost of breast asymmetry surgery?
Breast asymmetry surgery is not a single operation, so the cost depends on which surgical approach is needed for your case. Guide prices at Waterfront Private Hospital:
- Breast augmentation (implants): from £5,800
- Breast reduction: from £8,500
- Breast uplift (mastopexy): from £7,500
- Breast uplift with implants (combined): from £10,000
Each price includes the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee, the hospital and theatre fee, and all post-operative reviews until you are fully discharged. Combinations and procedures involving both breasts are quoted individually after consultation.
The full price for your individual case can only be confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery. Our consultation fee with a consultant plastic surgeon is £200.
Frequently asked questions about breast asymmetry correction
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my breast asymmetry surgery?
Yes. The consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who plans your operation, performs it, and follows you through every post-operative review. There is no handover between assessment and surgery, no patient coordinator, and no surgeon rotation.
How will my consultant decide which surgical option is right for me?
The decision is made together at consultation, after your consultant examines you and listens to what you want the surgery to address. Most patients with breast asymmetry will fit into one of four approaches — augmentation, reduction, uplift, or a combination — and the right one depends on the difference between your breasts, what each breast looks like in its own right, and what would be a meaningful improvement for you. Your consultant will explain the trade-offs of each option honestly, including which scars and which long-term considerations apply.
What is breast asymmetry?
Breast asymmetry is when one breast differs from the other in size, shape or position. Some degree of asymmetry is normal — most women have it — but for some patients the difference is significant enough to affect everyday life.
What causes breast asymmetry?
Breast asymmetry can be present from breast development, or it can appear or worsen later — typically after pregnancy, breastfeeding, significant weight change, or trauma to the chest area. In some cases the underlying cause is a developmental difference such as tubular breast deformity or Poland syndrome, which your consultant will explain at consultation if relevant.
How common is breast asymmetry?
Most women have some degree of breast asymmetry. Studies suggest around 80% of women have a noticeable difference between their breasts; for many it is mild and not a cause for concern. Patients who consider surgery are usually those for whom the asymmetry is significant enough to affect everyday life.
What surgical options are available for breast asymmetry correction?
Four approaches are most common: breast augmentation (using implants or fat transfer to add volume to the smaller side), breast reduction (removing tissue from the larger side), breast uplift / mastopexy (lifting and reshaping where one breast has dropped more than the other), or a combination of these. Your consultant will explain which approach — or combination — fits your case at consultation.
Can breast asymmetry be corrected without surgery?
No. Surgery is the only way to physically correct a structural difference between the breasts. Mild asymmetry can be camouflaged with padded or specialised bras, but this is concealment rather than correction. Your consultant will be honest at consultation about whether the difference in your case is significant enough to warrant the trade-offs that come with surgery.
Am I a candidate for breast asymmetry correction surgery?
Patients who notice a difference in breast size, shape or position that affects their everyday life, who are in good general health, and who have realistic expectations about what surgery can achieve are usually suitable candidates. The full assessment is made in person at consultation.
Can breast asymmetry correction surgery affect breastfeeding in the future?
It can, depending on which approach is used. Augmentation with implants generally does not affect breastfeeding. Breast reduction and uplift involve work near the milk ducts and can affect milk supply, though many patients are still able to breastfeed afterwards. If future breastfeeding is important to you, tell your consultant at consultation — it is one of the factors that informs which approach is recommended.
What are the risks associated with breast asymmetry correction surgery?
The risks depend on which surgical approach is used. Across all approaches, general risks include infection, bleeding, scarring, changes in nipple sensation, asymmetry recurrence over time, and where implants are used the specific implant-related considerations (lifelong maintenance, capsular contracture, rupture). Your consultant will go through the risks specific to your case in detail at consultation.
How long is the recovery period after breast asymmetry correction surgery?
Recovery depends on which approach is used. As a general guide, most patients take one to two weeks off work, avoid strenuous upper-body exercise for six weeks, and wear a support bra continuously for the first six weeks. Final results take three to six months to settle fully as the tissues continue to refine.
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
Your consultant remains personally involved through your recovery. If anything concerns you between scheduled appointments, your consultant will respond directly and arrange to see you as often as needed until things are settled. You are not handed off to a generic aftercare team.
What should I look for in a plastic surgeon for breast asymmetry surgery?
Look for a surgeon on the GMC Specialist Register for plastic surgery, with genuine experience across the four common breast asymmetry approaches — not one whose practice is concentrated in a single technique. Ask whether the consultant who assesses you will be the consultant who performs and reviews your surgery (at Waterfront, they will). Look at before-and-after photos of the consultant’s own work; ask about scar placement; and use the consultation to gauge whether the conversation feels honest, with no pressure to book on the day.
What is the cost of breast asymmetry surgery?
Cost depends on which surgical approach is needed for your case. Guide prices for each approach are listed in the Cost section above. The full price for your individual case is confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery, as the operation is tailored to what your case needs.
Author
Mr Will Anderson is a fully accredited Consultant Plastic Surgeon in Edinburgh on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery (3679250). Having served as an NHS Consultant since 2008, he specialises in advanced reconstructive, cosmetic, and laser surgery. With global training and an MSc from University College London, he is renowned for his patient-centred care at Waterfront Private Hospital. He is a full member of BAAPS.
