Women: Breasts

Prominent symbols of femininity and sensuality, the décolleté and breasts provoke strong emotional feelings. As such, the breasts can cause many concerns or complexes.  Breasts are made up of a mammary gland, support fibers and fat and no two are alike.

They can vary from one family member to another, from mother to daughter, or even between sisters.

Because the skin in this area is particularly fragile and sensitive, their appearance can change easily due to many internal and external factors. The most prominent of all is age, but sun exposure, pregnancies, weight or hormonal changes are also factors. As such, the breasts can cause many concerns or complexes.

Complaints about the appearance of the breasts can vary enormously: breasts too big, too small, deformed (tuberous breasts), drooping or very asymmetrical (Poland syndrome), their appearance can cause varying levels of discontent in women and a lack of self-esteem. Patients often mention that they are not proportionate to the rest of their body. Various options are available in terms of breast surgery.

Breast hypotrophy (breasts are considered too small) is, in most cases, caused by a mammary gland that did not fully develop during puberty or the loss of glandular tissue with a decrease in volume after pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Some women suffer because they feel their chest is too large, causing esthetic and functional discomfort (back pain, difficulty in finding clothes that fit well or doing sport) and affecting their daily life.

Breast hypertrophy can be extremely hard to live with particularly during adolescence when the body changes too much, too fast but also during the menopause when the breasts can sometimes increase considerably due to hormonal changes.

Whether breasts are considered too small or too large, they can also look “empty”. Although they were fuller-looking in the past, a significant loss of fat causes this empty appearance, following significant weight loss or one or more pregnancies, or hormonal or weight changes.

• The areole and the nipple can also be the cause of embarrassment or a complex when they are too big or too small, or when the nipple is inverted (retracted inwards).
• Finally, breast removal after breast cancer can cause considerable suffering. Breast surgery will thus consist in treating the side where a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast) or a lumpectomy (partial removal of the breast) was performed to rebuild the breast, or sometimes treating the healthy side to best restore symmetry by lifting, reducing or increasing volume.