Asymmetrical breasts are fairly common in well over 90% of ladies. The degree to which breasts can be asymmetrical does however vary. In some patients breasts develop unequally during puberty. Some patients have an underdeveloped breast on one side with a normal breast on the other side. One can have an overdeveloped large breast on one side and a normal breast on the other side. Others can have a droopy breast on one side and a normal breast on the other side. Some others can have under or over developed breasts on both sides, that have grown differently or there can be a combination of any of the above scenarios. Breast asymmetry can also be as a result of abnormal shaped breast called as ‘tuberous breasts’ when the breasts are poorly developed with a narrow breast base, underdeveloped lower pole of the breast and a pouting of a large areola.
Treatment depends on the clinical picture. The overriding question is if you are happy with either side. If you are happy with one side, then the treatment would be to carry out surgery to match the side that you are happy with. This can be in the form of breast augmentation, reduction or an uplift. In cases requiring breast augmentation, one should consider the use of expander implants to help expand the skin on the underdeveloped side to be able to accommodate an adequately sized breast implant. This also helps in adjusting the volume to help achieve as precise symmetry as possible. If you are not happy with either side, then both breast can be altered to achieve what you desire.
It is advisable to wait until the breasts have stopped growing and have been stable in size for about a year, before embarking on surgery to correct the asymmetry.
Please browse the following pages for procedures that suit your needs. These will be discussed with you in detail when Mr Mahajan has had an opportunity to examine you.
“Prior to surgery I discussed with Mr Mahajan the best way to proceed to get the best possible outcome. He was exceptionally patient in answering all of my questions and discussing all possible options. Firstly, I had anatomical (tear drop) expander implants inserted in both sides, so that both breasts could be evened out and slightly increased in size. Following this I had a second surgery to replace the expander implants with permanent anatomical (tear drop) implants. I also had a small amount of breast tissue removed on the left side so my breasts would match in shape as well as size. I truly cannot believe the wonderful results Mr Mahajan has achieved, my breasts now look completely symmetrical and in proportion with my body, something I would have never dreamed possible. Mr Mahajan definitely is a gifted and very friendly surgeon. 6 weeks on my breasts have settled beautifully, I am so happy and much more confident I can now wear a costume without a t-shirt!”
“From the initial, free, consultation through to the final post-op checkup, Mr Mahajan’s professionalism has been exemplory. He answered my many doubts and questions with unbiased and down to earth advice, and patiently explained every option and procedure open to me. The operation and subsequent recovery were without any problems, and as far as I can see he has left me with absolutly no obvious scarring. I do not hesitate in recommending Mr Mahajan to anyone considering facial surgery.”
Book chapters:
Principles of free flap design and elevation
Phillip N Blondeel and Ajay L Mahajan
Operative Microsurgery, edited by Brian Boyd, MD and Neil Jones, MD. McGraw-Hill, New York, 2015.
Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction in Presence of Co-morbidities
Seidenstuecker, Katrin; Munder, Beatrix; Mahajan, Ajay L; Andree, Christoph
Breast Reconstruction; Art, Science, and New Clinical Techniques, edited by Shiffman, Melvin A. Springer, Switzerland 2015
Photography in Plastic Surgery
Ajay L Mahajan
Text Book of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, edited by Karoon Agarwal, in Print
Articles:
- DIEAP flap for safe definitive autologous breast reconstruction
Seidenstuecker K, van Waes C, Munder BI, Claes KEY, Witzel C, Roche n, Stillaert F, Mahajan AL, Andree C, Blondeel PN
Breast 2015.12.005 - Morbidity of microsurgical breast reconstruction in patients with co-morbid conditions
Seidenstuecker K, Munder B, Mahajan A L, Andree C
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011 Mar;127(3):1086-92. - Are Pfannenstiel scars a boon or a curse for DIEP flap breast reconstructions?
A L Mahajan, A Zeltzer, K E Y Claes, K Van Landuyt, M Hamdi
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Apr;129(4):797-805. - Myosonographic Study of Abdominal Wall Dynamics to Assess Donor Site Morbidity after Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction with a DIEAP or ms-2 TRAM Flap
K Seidenstücker, B Munder, P Richrath, U Legler, A L Mahajan, C Andree
JPRAS in print - DIEAP flap for safe definitive autologous breast reconstruction
Katrin Seidenstuecker, Carl van Waes, Beatrix I Munder, Karel E Y Claes, Christian Witzel1, Nathalie Roche, Filip Stillaert, Ajay L Mahajan, Christoph Andree, Phillip N Blondeel
The Breast in print - The ECG dot as a pre operative marker for Nipple Areolar Reconstruction
A L Mahajan, A J Hussey, C L Riordan, P J Regan
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2003 Feb;111(2):955 - Preventing ‘T’ junction dehiscence in mammaplasty
AL Mahajan, TWL Chapman, JG McDiarmid
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006 May;117(6):2100. - Radiotherapy tattoo – a landmark for an underlying expander implant port in breast reconstruction
VA Mahajan, AL Mahajan, Morris RJ
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg . 2010 Feb;63(2):e171. Epub 2009 Apr 5. - Attaining symmetry in breast reconstruction procedures
J K Dickson, J M Taylor, R Rajan, A L Mahajan
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2010 Sept; 63(9): 1573-1575. Epub 2010 Mar 10. - Pectoralis fascia grafts in breast reconstruction.
Gran MV, Nicholson S, Mahajan AL.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2012 Apr;65(4):e104-5 - The inferior based pectoralis fascial flap for breast reconstruction.
Mahajan AL.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2012 Nov;65(11):1599-601 - Breast Equalising Surgery following Breast Reconstruction
A L Mahajan, L Rynn, A Grufferty, P J Regan
Ir J Med Sci. 2002 July/Aug/Sept 171(3) S2: 21 - Sun burn from resting reading glasses on a reconstructed breast!
AL Mahajan, TWL Chapman, M Mandalia, RJ Morris
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2010 Feb;63(2):e170. Epub 2009 Jun 7. - The Safety of the Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator Flap Procedure: A Prospective Analysis in 1036 Breast Reconstruction Patients.
Waes, Carl Van; Seidenstuecker, Katrin; Mahajan, Ajay; Roche, Nathalie; Stillaert, Filip; Andree, Christoph; PN Blondeel.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 128(4S):57, October 2011.
Presentations:
- Breast Equalising Surgery following Breast Reconstruction
A L Mahajan, L Rynn, A Grufferty, P J Regan
Sir Peter Freyer Meeting, Galway, September 2002 - Sun burn from resting reading glasses on a reconstructed breast!
AL Mahajan, Chapman TWL, M Mandalia, Morris RJ
Irish Association. of Plastic Surgeons Meeting, Galway, May 2007 (Poster presentation) - ‘Custom made’ DIEP flap breast reconstructions
A L Mahajan, R Rajan, A P Tregaskiss, A Perez, R J Morris
Irish Association. of Plastic Surgeons Meeting, Galway, May 2009 - Attaining symmetry in breast reconstruction procedures
J K Dickson, J M Taylor, R Rajan, A L Mahajan
Irish Association. of Plastic Surgeons Meeting, Galway, May 2009 (Poster presentation) - Attaining symmetry in breast reconstruction procedures
J K Dickson, J M Taylor, R Rajan, A L Mahajan
XXXIVth Sir Peter Freyer Surgical Symposium meeting, Galway, Ireland, Sept 2009. (Poster presentation) - Attaining symmetry in breast reconstruction procedures
J K Dickson, J M Taylor, R Rajan, A L Mahajan
International Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons meeting, Delhi, Nov 2009 - Creating a template of the contralateral breast to aid DIEP flap reconstruction.
R Rajan, A P Tregaskiss, A Perez, A L Mahajan, R J Morris
International Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons meeting, Delhi, Nov 2009 - Prospective dynamic myosonographic abdominal wall study to compare the donor site morbidity after ms-2 TRAM flap and DIEP flap
K Seidenstücker, B Munder, P Richrath, U Legler, A L Mahajan, C Andree
European Association of Plastic Surgeons meeting, Manchester, UK, May 2010 - Improving outcome in SGAP flap breast reconstruction
A L Mahajan, R Sinna, B Vermeulen, K Van Landuyt
British Asscn. of Plastic Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgeons Meeting,, Sheffield, July 2010 - Are Pfannenstiel scars a boon or a curse for DIEP flap breast reconstructions?
A L Mahajan, A Zeltzer, K E Y Claes, K Van Landuyt, M Hamdi
World Congress on Controversies in Plastic Surgery & Dermatology (CoPLASDy) Barcelona, November 2010 - Aesthetic benefits of lipofilling in secondary shaping of microsurgical breast reconstructions
K Seidenstuecker, M Hagouan, A L Mahajan, T Koeppe, B Munder, CAndree
World Congress on Controversies in Plastic Surgery & Dermatology (CoPLASDy)
Barcelona, November 2010 (Poster presentation) - Complications in free autologous breast reconstruction – how often is surgical intervention warranted and to what degree?
K Seidenstücker, B Munder, A L Mahajan, C Andree
IInd Italian Meeting on Perforator Flaps and Aesthetic Refinements, Bologna, Italy.
“Best Paper Prize” November 2010
- Complications in free autologous breast reconstruction – how often is surgical intervention warranted and to what degree?
K Seidenstücker, B Munder, A L Mahajan, C Andree
International Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons meeting, Vancouver, May 2011 - Microvascular architecture of a DIEP flap harvested from an abdomen with a Pfannenstiel scar.
A L Mahajan, A Zeltzer, K E Y Claes, K Van Landuyt, M Hamdi
European Association of Plastic Surgeons meeting, Mykonos, Greece, June 2011. - Abdominal seroma formation following DIEP flap harvest – analysis of influencing factors and development of a predictive formula
K Seidenstücker, B Munder, A L Mahajan, C Andree
European Association of Plastic Surgeons meeting,, Munich, Germany May, 2012 - The SGAP flap
A L Mahajan
French Perforator Flap (ACRWP) course, Amiens, France, June 2012 - Technical refinements of Reduction Mamaplasty
A L Mahajan
BODY 2012 meeting, London, November 2012 - Autologous pectoral fascia in implant-based breast reconstruction.
O’Neill TB, Mahajan A L
IAPS Meeting, Galway, Ireland, May 2013 - Technical Refinements of Reduction Mammaplasty.
Scheven D, O’Neill TB, Holmes W, Akhtar A, Mahajan A L
IAPS Meeting, Galway, Ireland, May 2013 - Aesthetic Surgery – Dawn to a new you
A L Mahajan
ATMG Meeting, Alton Towers, UK September 2013 - Breast reduction innovations
A L Mahajan
Byron Bay Meeting, Australia, March 2015 - The Pectoral fascia flap in breast reconstruction
A L Mahajan
Byron Bay Meeting, Australia, March 2015 - The adjustable breast reduction marker
Ajay L Mahajan
BAPRAS meeting, Birmingham, November 2015