Having Surgery
Weigh the pros and cons of breast surgery. Getting a form of breast surgery is a permanent way to fix imbalanced breasts, but it does come with its share of risks. Surgery is an effective fix for breasts that are more than one cup size different. Talk to your healthcare professional about breast surgery, as they will be able to guide you through your options, and help you to make an informed choice. You will talk about your medical history, your reasons for wanting surgery, and the possible procedures. Make sure your doctor is certified with the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has plenty of experience with the surgery you'd like done. Scarring is an unavoidable risk that is involved with breast surgery. Other risks include nipple sensitivity and a lower blood supply to the nipples. If you are planning on breastfeeding in the future, talk to your surgeon about how the surgery will affect breastfeeding in the future. This will depend on if your milk ducts are cut during surgery, and how much breast milk you will be able to produce. The recovery time for surgery is approximately 6 weeks.
Get a breast reduction if you are happy with the size of your smaller breast. The plastic surgeon will reduce the size of your larger breast, to make it proportionate with your smaller breast. This works especially well if your breasts are evenly shaped, but differently sized. Breast reduction surgery usually takes 2-5 hours, and you can often go home on the same day provided that you have someone to support you. Women usually take 1-2 weeks off from work or school. The most common immediate side effects of breast reduction surgery are feeling tired, breast pain, and scarring.Tiredness and pain will ease over the following weeks, and while the scarring will never fully disappear, it will slowly fade over time. A breast lift is an additional option if you are getting a breast reduction. If your breasts are different in both size and shape, this surgery will modify your natural tissue into a shape that you find more aesthetically pleasing.
Elect for a fat transfer augmentation for a natural look. This surgery is when fat from a different area of your body is added to the smaller breast, to make it the same size as the other. This will help your breasts to look and feel more alike. A fat transfer augmentation usually takes around 3 hours to complete, and you can go home on the same day provided that you have a support person. Women usually take up to 1 week off work after this surgery. The risks associated with a fat transfer augmentation are the formation of lumps and cysts, or the fat graft not surviving. Your surgeon will run you through all of the possible risks of the surgery to give you the best information possible. A fat transfer augmentation is considered a more natural option because it doesn’t use implants or silicone, but rather your own fat tissue, which will make your breasts feel more “normal”.
Pick breast implant surgery if you want to make your breasts bigger and balanced. Breast implant surgery is also called breast augmentation, and is done by inserting an implant behind the chest wall of each breast. Implants tend to last for approximately 20 years, and sometimes further surgery is required to maintain the implants. Breast implants are either silicone gel-filled or saline-filled. Most breast implant surgeries take 90 minutes, and usually you can go home to recover on the same day. The risks associated with breast implant surgery are the implants rupturing, having to undergo further surgeries because the implants don't last, and the breast area hardening around the implant. Your surgeon will talk you through all of the associated risks and benefits, to help you make an informed choice.
Balancing Breasts if You're Breastfeeding
Feed using the smaller breast more often. The more stimulation that a breast gets, the more milk it will produce, and the larger it will grow. Uneven breasts commonly occur if you baby prefers to feed on one breast over the other, or if you tend to stick to one breast for nursing. Begin every nursing with the smaller breast if possible. You should notice your breasts starting to balance out after a few days, as the smaller breast begins to produce more milk. Imbalanced and uneven breasts are very common in the first couple of weeks after you give birth, and especially if you are breastfeeding. This is very normal and usually nothing to worry about, but if you are particularly concerned, consult your healthcare professional.
Use a breast pump on the smaller breast after nursing. Breast pumps are known for increasing breast milk supply, which will make your smaller breast larger. Make sure that you pump the larger breast from time to time too, in order to keep up its milk supply. Pumping can also be useful if your baby has a preference for the smaller breast, and won’t feed on the other side.
Alternate between each breast for feeding once they become even. Try and use each breast the same amount as the other, otherwise the larger one might ended up becoming the smaller one. This will help your breasts to produce similar amounts of milk, and to stay as even as possible. Remembering which breast you start with during each breastfeeding session is a good way to remember to switch it up.
Help your baby to feed with their less preferred breast. Nursing with both breasts equally will help them to even out, but only if your baby agrees as well! Try out a few different nursing positions, as a more comfortable position for your baby could help them to nurse. Another option for breastfeeding with the baby’s less preferred breast is to offer it to them when they are tired. This is because they will be less aware of their surroundings, and hopefully more willing to try out the other side.
Hiding Uneven Breasts
Put on a sports bra to draw your breasts together. Sports bras provide comfort and support for many activities, and they also press your breasts together. Binding your breasts in this way will minimise any unevenness.
Wear a moulded, full cup bra for a more even shape. When bra shopping, make sure that you pick out bras that fit and are comfortable for your larger breast rather than the smaller one. Because these bras are moulded, they will keep their shape, which will help to hide the difference in cup size. Get a proper bra fitting to make sure that you get the best fit possible. The consultant will also be able to give good recommendations as to what bras will work best for you.
Buy a bra with removable padding for an easy fix. Many bras that come in smaller cup sizes have padding that can be removed from the side. Simply take the padding out for your larger breast, leave it in for your smaller breast, and this will help to balance out your chest.
Get a mastectomy bra for post-surgery comfort. Some women have uneven breasts after breast surgery due to procedures such as a mastectomy. Wearing a mastectomy bra afterwards will help you to feel comfortable, and will help your breasts to appear more even too. The fabric of these bras is smooth against sensitive skin, and you can get full coverage without a binding or constricting feeling. Mastectomy bras also have pockets where you can insert padding or a prosthetic breast, which gives you support and balance too.
Wear shirts with non-repeating patterns to disguise your chest. Random and dense patterns that aren't geometric, such as flowers or animal prints, work well to hide any asymmetry. An asymmetrical pattern will trick your brain into focusing on the pattern, rather than on uneven breasts. Patterned scarves and shawls are other good options to drape over your chest.
Make a statement outfit with fun earrings and short necklaces. Find some fun accessories that are bold and bright, as these will not only help you to feel your best, but they will also take the attention off any unevenness. Shorter necklaces above your collarbone, and feature earrings will help to make a standout outfit, without you feeling self-conscious. Shiny, feathery, or chunky geometric earrings are all great options because they draw attention upwards from your bust.
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