Small, Undeveloped, or Deflated Breasts. If you’re suffering from small breasts, we can help.
Whether you were born with small breasts that never developed or you lost volume after pregnancy and breastfeeding, small breasts create a number of concerns: it is more difficult to find bathing suits, bras and clothes that fit well. Sometimes small breasts give the appearance that someone is “bottom heavy.”
There is no “normal” breast size. Medical books have called small breasts micromastia or mammary hypoplasia. But small breasts are a normal variant, just like very large breasts are too (macromastia). In our Sonoma and Marin County, CA practices we see many women who feel “like a 12 year-old boy” because they never developed and we also see women who say that their kids “sucked the life out of their breasts.” Either way, there are ways that we can help.
The most common way to treat deflated breasts or small breasts is with a breast implant. Breast implants have come a long way in the past 20 years. In general, there are saline (salt water) filled implants and silicone gel (sometimes called gummy bear implants.) The vast majority of our patients choose silicone implants because they feel more natural. These implants can be placed above the muscle or below the muscle. The final placement is a personal choice and the patient can make that decision after a thorough consultation with Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, or Dr. Culbertson.
One other method to augment breast size is to use fat grafting, a procedure where fat is taken from the abdomen or thighs and inserted into the breast tissue. There are limitations as to how big a person can go just using fat, and sometimes it requires more than one session to achieve the desired size. Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, or Dr. Culbertson can review the pros and cons of fat grafting in our Santa Rosa office.
Many potions are marketed on the internet to increase breast size. None have been shown to be useful, so don’t fall for the “snake oil” salesmen hawking their wares online.
We are conditioned by marketing social media and television to think that a “full C cup” is ideal. However, a full C cup means absolutely nothing, as cup size varies with whatever store you happen to purchase a bra from. A Victoria’s Secret 34 C maybe a Macy’s B cup. Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, or Dr. Culbertson will help you decide what size implant fits your body and goals best.
In the vast majority of cases, the answer is yes! There are many women who cannot breast feed even when they don’t have breast implants, so no one knows for sure. But our patients uniformly report little or no difficulty breastfeeding after implants.
No; this misleading assumption was largely based on an FDA report that noted 1 in 5 women needed a replacement or revision after 10 years. Replacement or revision may be necessary to alleviate severe degrees of capsular contracture or to address rupture or deflation—which only affect about 3% of patients. Many revisions are elective—some women want to adjust their breast size or seek further refinements as they age or to accommodate their lifestyle. Choosing a board certified plastic surgeon will ensure long-lasting breast augmentation results. With proper monitoring (self-exams and physician exams) you can enjoy your breast implants far beyond a decade.
Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, or Dr. Culbertson can help you achieve your goals. Give Plastic Surgery associates a call and get started in the journey you have been dreaming of. Don’t let another summer go by without the figure you have wanted.
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