Before and after correction of severely tubular and deflated breasts after breast feeding and weight loss in a 36 year old woman. She required replacement of lost volume with an implant and trimming of excess baggy breast skin with a mastopexy.
Like most women with very tubular shaped breasts, she cared less about the final size, and more about looking “normal” and having better symmetry of her breasts. Her breasts were different sizes – she understood that two different sized implants would be required to achieve better symmetry.
A bilateral breast augmentation and lift was performed in the operating room under general anesthesia. The breast implant not only replaced lost volume, it helped to create a more normal breast “footprint” (breast base).
Note that tubular breasts have a small breast base, they are widely spaced and relatively small with enlarged areolas and a high fold, which creates “pseudoptosis” – the appearance of a droopy breast due to the relatively high fold in relation to the breast.
To correct her preoperative breast asymmetry, two different sized smooth round silicone gel breast implants were placed on top of the chest muscle, in the subglandular position. Tight internal bands that created the high, constricting breast fold were divided internally. The implant created a round breast base and gave the breasts more volume.
The implants were inserted through an incision in the fold under her breasts. This incision is associated with the least amount of complications, such as capsular contracture, loss of nipple sensation or loss of breast feeding potential. The incisions around the nipples and areolas are truly only “skin deep” and do not interfere with nipple sensation or future nursing ability.
A breast lift decreased the diameter of the areolas, lifted the nipples up higher and trimmed excess lower breast skin. Follow up photos are shown 6 weeks after surgery. The preexisting stretch marks on her breasts are still a little swollen – they will fade back to normal and look less empty when her final results are achieved, due to the presence of the implant underneath.
The puckers around her areolas are starting to flatten out, and she has just been educated by our office team about scar therapy. For the first time since puberty, she feels feminine and comfortable taking off her bra in public.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
