2011 Boston ASAPS Conference Explores Ways to Avoid Breast Asymmetry after Breast Augmentation Surgery
Last week, Atlanta plastic surgeons and colleagues from across the US converged in Boston for the annual American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) meeting. Dedicated to advancing the field of cosmetic surgery, ASAPS attendees devoted a portion of the event to discussing plastic surgery technology and ways to minimize the risk of emphasizing breast asymmetry after breast augmentation.
Breast asymmetry is not an unusual condition. In fact, a majority of women naturally have a slight asymmetry that goes unnoticed, meaning one breast is not identical in shape and/or size to the other. However, this inconspicuous asymmetry can become problematically pronounced when breast size is increased through the insertion of a breast implant. In a press release posted last week, the event’s speakers announced their plan to focus the outlet on developing ways for plastic surgeons to discuss breast asymmetry during a plastic surgery consultation so that breast revision surgery can be avoided as much as possible.
Among the methods proposed for maximizing communication between patient and plastic surgeon about this breast surgery complication is the use of 4-dimensional imaging software pre-surgery. This new technology, while not yet widely used, can help quantify volumetric data so that even slight asymmetries can be noted and considered during breast implant selection and sizing. Currently, a majority of plastic surgeons are limited by implants that patients can hold and try on during a consultation, but they aren’t really capable of seeing what the results will look like with a particular size.
The press release also notes that until dimensioning software can be extensively studied and implemented, patients should only entrust experienced plastic surgeons with a mature sense of artistry that allows them to adjust shape and proportion accordingly during breast augmentation to maximize breast enhancement results.
If you are unsure of your prospective plastic surgeons skills, ask to view their breast augmentation before and after photo’s. These examples should serve as a pretty clear indicator of their artistic skill. Also, if you know you have some degree of breast asymmetry going into breast augmentation, voice your concern from the beginning. The more your plastic surgeon understands about your specific cosmetic concerns, the better he or she can address them during surgery and the more satisfied you will be with your breast augmentation results.
