RealSelf Verified doctors complete our multistep verification process to ensure they are in good medical standing, display their experience and most performed procedures, have high patient satisfaction ratings, and respond to consultation requests quickly. Just look for the RealSelf Verified badge.
FIND A VERIFIED DOCTORClaim your profile now— it costs nothing! Build trust by highlighting education, board certifications, and hospital privileges. List treatments, and include all procedures you perform. Get involved by uploading before & after procedure photos and answering questions from prospective patients.
CLAIM YOUR PROFILEThank you for your question. There are lots of scar patterns for breast uplifts and they produce very different results in breast shape not only the visibility of the scar.
As many have suggested in other answers, the peri-areolar lift is not really a 'lift' and it flattens the breast. the scar also stretches so it is only useful in some cases of asymmetry.
Your asymmetry is quite sever, and you will need an implant on the left. On the right, I suspect you might also need an implant to achieve a more rounded shape and then a skin and breast tissue reduction. Depending on how much skin excess there is and how much you increase the size of the left, you might only need a vertical scar with the peri-areolar (sometimes called a lollipop) or an anchor scar. the anchor scar might only need very short horizontal limbs in the crease however.
As all other responders have commented, you should take the advice of an experienced plastic surgeon who specialises in breast adjustments including asymmetry. You are better having someone with a reconstructive and aesthetic practice, as congenital breast asymmetry is a mixture of both. I hope all goes well.
Specialist Registered Plastic Surgeon
Really well done with your weight loss. It sounds like there could be a few things going on, although it is very difficult to tell without an examination.
The implants might always have been riding high but not so noticeable when your breast tissue was much larger. If they are already behind the muscle, this might be because the lower end of the muscle was not fully released at the time of your initial surgery. Now that you have lost the tissue volume because of your weight loss, the tissue has drooped over the high implants - this is called the 'Waterfall effect'. Another cause could be a capsular contracture but this would normally be uneven, affecting one side more than the other. You may need to have the implants replaced and the muscle released. If the tissue has sagged a lot, you may also need to consider an uplift, although this will depend on the size of implants that you change to.
Having implants under the muscle even in someone who works out a great deal isn't normally a problem. If your tissues have thinned, the muscle will help disguise the upper edge of the implant and make the breasts much more natural looking.
As others have mentioned, you should consult with a properly qualified plastic surgeon who specialises in aesthetic breast surgery to get a good opinion.
Specialist Registered Plastic Surgeon
Soon after breast implants are inserted, your body forms a thin layer of scar, called a capsule, around the implant to create an implant pocket. The capsule is normally thin and pliable. However, if something inside the pocket is irritant, this leads to inflammation which causes the body to thicken this capsule, making the implant and capsule to become more noticeable. The thickened capsule is really the 'down-stream' effect of the body's reaction to any irritant. The 'up-stream' causes can be low-grade infection, free silicone particles from a ruptured implant, old blood from a haematoma at the time of surgery or radiotherapy in some breast cancer patients.
Capsular contracture is diagnosed by the look and feel of the breast. In a normal breast augmentation the tissues feel soft and the capsule is not noticeable. If contracture develops the capsule thickens and tightens around the implant making it feel more firm. In mild capsular contracture you can feel it, but the breast looks normal. In more significant capsular contracture, the outline of the implant becomes visible through the breast tissues. In severe cases, the condition may be painful and implants may look very round and high on the chest.
Whilst lots of different treatments have been put forward, the only reliable treatment for a severe capsule is surgery to remove the implant and the tight internal scar tissue. The implant can be simply removed, replaced with another implant or replaced with fat transfer (lipo-filling).
Over the last decade or so, more and more research has looked at the main cause of capsular contracture being a low-grade infection sitting on the surface of the implant. This is known as a 'biofilm'. The micro-organisms don't appear to be very active but they do lead to a long-term inflammatory response. Biofilms are now also implicated in the cause of Breast Implant Associated - Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). We think it likely that implants gain their low grade infection at the time of insertion, hence many surgical steps are now taken to avoid this contamination. This guide for surgeons is known as the '14 point plan' and includes using nipple shields, the Keller funnel and an iodine-based antiseptic solution. Before undergoing breast augmentation, you should therefore make sure that your surgeon uses the '14 point plan'.
It is also important to know that there is a significantly higher risk of capsular contracture when smooth (non-textured) implants are placed above the muscle. If you are being treated for capsular contracture and have implants above the muscle, you should therefore consider having them moved to under the muscle during your procedure to reduce the chance of recurrence.
Specialist Registered Plastic Surgeon
I had a very good experience with Mr Harris and his team. I was quite anxious about the procedure but from my first consultation I knew I was in good hands. I was treated with sensitivity and kindness and every step of the way was thoroughly explained. The consultations never felt rushed, and all questions answered at length. The nursing team working alongside Mr Harris were incredible and made me feel comfortable and at ease the whole time. For me it was very important to find a surgeon who was not only an expert in their field but also a patient led compassionate practitioner. I am so happy to have found Mr Harris he was exactly what I was looking for. I am very pleased with the results of my surgery and grateful to Mr Harris for his excellent work.
I am petite, 5’ and about 95lbs. Always has small but cute boobs and was never interested in a boob job. I now have a 2.5 year old. After having big boobs (and cleavage!) while pregnant and breastfeeding… I really enjoyed it! Post breast feeding they definitely look a bit worn down and aren’t as cute, and I figure they will literally only get worse from here on out, so decided to get a mini boob job. My goal was for them to be natural looking, so decided on 225cc, round silicone implants. High profile, which I was unsure of because of wanting natural, but we went under muscle and the doctor explained that would help them look natural, plus I have basically no volume on top naturally so if I wanted a bit of cleavage, that’s what we needed to do. Yesterday was my surgery day. Generally speaking, everything has been manageable, though I expect a few rough days to come. My boobs themselves feel a bit tight and rock hard, but that is fine. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was how bad the side of my ribs would hurt. They explained it’s because they separate the muscle off the ribs some to make space, so that makes sense. It hasn’t been unbearable, but I definitely am aware of it even with medicine and it’s been the most uncomfortable thus far. I also did not sleep well, I don’t sleep well upright so that was unfortunate but thus far my pain has been manageable with Tylenol and ibuprofen. It’s only morning on day 1 post opp, so will see how the days get on. I will try to upload some photos and give some regular updates as this process goes along, as I found other people’s posts really helpful. Updated on 20 Apr 2023: Day 1 post opp ended up being very manageable. I came up with a schedule for ibuprofen and Tylenol so that I always have something in my system and I think that’s been a big help. Day 2 post opp…My boobs themselves just feel really bizarre, it’s this strange combo of being half numb and half achy/uncomfortable. They just feel very high and very hard and very full. With medicine I wouldn’t call it painful though, just weird. My left boob seems to be softening and dropping a bit quicker than the right one, which is still harder and more achey. What I wasn’t expecting was soreness everywhere else. My rib pain has continued, and has moved from the sides into my front ribs. Even my love handle areas are a bit tender now, too. And my sternum is a bit tender (so strange!). My back is also quite sore which I think is probably a combo of rib pain and sleeping upright. Overall though it’s really not been too bad. Updated on 21 Apr 2023: Day 3 has been a rougher day for me… interestingly enough, I would say my boobs and related pain like ribs, are starting to feel a bit better. My left boob is definitely dropping and fluffing faster than the right one. My right one is still very hard and high, and has that weird half numb feeling. I think this is normal so just trying to be patient. Pain definitely manageable. I am starting to back off all the Tylenol and ibuprofen to see how I get on, as I think that is upsetting my stomach some. What I’ve found today is that I’m in a bit of a mental slump… feel maybe a tiny bit depressed and anxious, and I don’t know why as logically I am happy with how everything has gone and is healing. I’ve seen other commenters say similar things in their first week, so maybe it just comes with the healing territory or is a side effect of general anesthesia? I’ve just been cranky and lethargic today, essentially. I do find that I need a good nap to survive the day, but otherwise am doing pretty well. Oh, I will say I am very bloated, my whole trunk/core area just feels like a box shape (I literally have no waist at the moment) and post surgery constipation is real, so just be prepared for that. Updated on 25 Apr 2023: Sorry I ended up going quiet, I had a rough few days. On day 4 I must have strained my muscle in my right boob attempting to wrestle my toddler down for a nap. The pain was excruciating… I am not exaggerating when I say I thought my nipple fully ripped in half. I legit checked in my bra to see if it was still there (lol). The severe pain left pretty quickly but the right boob was really achey, and I have been having nipple pain ever since if I move my arm wrong. Day 4 and 5 were pretty rough… I was worried that I had done some serious damage, enough though the nurses assured me over the phone it sounded okay. (For reference, aside from occasional nipple pain, the right now feels similar to the left, so whatever I did to it passed quickly in the grand scheme of things.) I also was just feeling a bit over it generally, to be honest. Was losing my patience with feeling uncomfortable, not being able to sleep well because I’m not a back sleeper. It also is a weird helpless feeling… our car door is really heavy, so I haven’t been able to close it on my own. And when my toddler is being a heathen, I haven’t been able to physically stop her doing whatever I’ve asked her not to do. Add that into feeling like I have rock hard tits under my chin… and it was a rough few days. Day 6 and 7 (today) it felt like I turned a corner, though. I went back to work yesterday (albeit from home) and managed to survive the day okay. Was really worn out though… today has been better in that sense, feel my physical stamina is coming back, assume the GA is fully out of my system now? Overall I would say the journey is manageable, and not as bad as I was expecting. The boobs just feel weird, but I’m more used to it now so even when they ache or feel high, it’s not a mental drain like before. My upper back (shoulder blade area) kills though… think I am hunching a lot subconsciously. Laying down every few hours helps alleviate this for me. I had my 1 week post opp appointment today and all was well, nurses were really happy with how everything looked. Said my incisions were mostly healed (I haven’t felt those at all!). I feel like they are still quite high, but the nurse explained that I have internal stitches that will take 6 weeks to dissolve, so while they are in place I should expect the boobs to stay fairly high, and even a bit square. I’ve seen others comment how quickly theirs have dropped post surgery, so I just need to be patient and know my experience might be different then others in this way. The left boob is looking pretty good. The right one less so, but it was my “bad boob” before surgery so I sort of was expecting that. Also, I do not understand how people get bigger implants! I know I am small so proportionally it’s probably the same, but I definitely don’t have any sizing regrets or concerns, any bigger and I feel like I might explode! As a reminder I have 225cc moderate profile implants. Updated on 1 May 2023: The second week has been much better then week one. Around day 7 or 8 really felt like I turned a corner. Was mostly off Tylenol and ibuprofen, just took it the odd time I needed to. Was used to the weird feeling of the boobs, so found it less distracting or upsetting than before. My physical stamina came back, could survive the day without needing naps, and constipation issues solved themselves. Also just felt a lot more functional, things like doing laundry in our stacked appliances, or cutting chicken, or even grating cheese, I’m mostly back to normal in terms of every day functionality. My range of motion is a lot better, I’m still careful when reaching high, or when picking up something heavy, but really feel pretty good. Today has been a bit more uncomfortable in that near my incisions and under my boobs, I have been pretty numb, and feeling is now starting to come back, so that is a bit uncomfortable, sort of a pins and needles feeling, but also is exciting to know sensations are coming back and things are settling. I don’t feel like my boobs have dropped much in the last week, when the medical support tape came off on day 7, it definitely felt like they dropped some straight away, but I feel like they are mostly the same since then. Just know if you have a bad few days, it does get better!
I had breast reduction surgery in late November 2022and it was the best thing I ever did! Paul Harris and his team were impeccable from start to finish and I could not have wished for a higher level of care and consideration. Mr Harris was warm and welcoming and listened to what I was after and the results were fantastic. Andrea was really helpful too and was very accommodating in helping me schedule the follow up appointments. Extremely professional and helpful!
I am on my 6th week post surgery, I Highly recommend this surgeon. He is straightforward, understanding and highly skilled. This was a revision surgery and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I couldn’t recommend him more.
Despite being a 30J and a UK size 12 dress size, I never really considered a breast reduction until I had a breast health check due to some lumps and the the doctor I saw bluntly told me I'd benefit from a breast reduction which would reduce the pain in my upper body, within my breasts and avoid issues in the future - like having to do multiple mammograms because it was so hard to see within all that tissue. I then started me research for a breast surgeon in London - it's not easy as there are so many. I chose Mr Paul Harris with the intention of also seeing a couple other people to chose from - I also hadn't realised how long the lead time was for these surgeons. He was very professional in the initial consult which ended up coming up faster than I thought as he as a last minute cancellation quite soon after my enquiry - he showed me quite a detailed presentation on his techniques and answered my list of question and then his admin team gave me the pricing. I also asked him whom he regarded as a peer in London and he gave me a couple of names of other surgeons he thought well of. He also told me he didn't think it be worthwhile to see some of the potentials I had on my list as they for example were cancer reconstruction specialists, etc - I appreciated his manner. I did see one of the doctors he recommended as the others didn't have availability for a good long while. Ironically, she was significantly more expensive and yet didn't offer some of what was included in the package with Dr Harris - she also was aiming for a slightly lower standard of outcome in terms of shape and some other bits. I had surgery with Dr Harris about 5 months after my consult due to my diary as much as his. Everything went well and I am very happy with my outcome and still shocked as how effectively pain free the procedure and the recovery was - they sent me home with paracetamol and ibuprofen! I had more painkillers from a recent hysteroscopy! He had another surgeon assist him and I also met nurses at the hospital as well as his own nurses. His nurses are generally absolutely fantastic and held my hand through a few nervous tears although the nurses in the hospital were a bit unhelpful and cold. I had some queries about the scars and again, his nursing team were very easy to get a hold of and proactive in checking in on me. I had some antibiotics and eventually everything settled down - again, no pain, just redness and probably nerves from me at not knowing what to expect. I wish I had a breast reduction years ago - I had regular pain in my upper body, hands and my breasts before and now, nothing. I also can finally easily shop for clothes. Mr Harris took very good care of me and I would happily recommend him to anyone else thinking of this procedure.
My experience was great from start to finish. Minimal fuss, easy appointments and the surgery itself was no problem at all. I am really happy with my results and the care that I received. They have nurses on call for any queries so I just what's apped any time I had a question or concern. 3 months post op and only have good things to say about Mr Harris and his team, wouldn't hesitate to recommend at all!
Mr Harris was amazing to deal with. I wanted to change the appearance of my breasts and he gave me all the options so I could make an informed decision on the type of surgery. He was there to walk me through the process and provide me with invaluable knowledge and experience. I am beyond happy with the result and would recommend him to anybody considering this type of transformation.
I can’t express words enough to say how grateful I am to Mr Paul Harris for the surgery he performed on me. It has been truly life changing and I wish I had done it sooner. It has transformed my confidence and I feel like a different person. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Mr Harris to anyone who is looking for a top class plastic surgeon, who in my opinion is not only the best in his field but also has a very kind and honest personality. I did a lot of research before booking my surgery and relied a lot on the references and testimonials of people who had similar procedures. Following the initial consultation with Mr Harris I intuitively knew I was in good hands. He was extremely understanding and kind, and totally transparent. He explained the benefits and risks of surgery and answered my list of concerns to the point where I just couldn’t wait to get on with it!! My surgery was quite extensive and involved a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction. It all went to plan with amazing results, totally down to skill and expertise of Mr Harris. My 3 day stay at The London Clinic was so much more I had expected, and the anaesthetists, doctors and nurses also deserve to be praised for their kindness and support in my surgery journey. Mr Harris had been careful to discuss the management of expectations and the unpredictability of healing, and this proved to be an important conversation in the following months ahead. As my new body healed it created some areas of thick scarring with some looseness around the liposuction areas. Mr Harris monitored these scars during the regular consultations at his clinic, and also treated them with steroid injections. His knowledge and experience in dealing with post-surgery issues was extremely reassuring and at no time did I feel any sense of panic or regret when my body didn’t heal as we hoped, because I knew I was in the care of an expert. The aftercare service I received during the following months from Mr Harris and his amazing team was second to none, and a year after my initial surgery Mr Harris carried out some scar revision surgery on the problem areas and I couldn’t be happier! Thank you Mr Harris and your amazing team at No. 5 Devonshire Place.
This time last year I went for my first consultation with Dr Harris, fast-forward 12 months and I have just had my final post-operative appointment. To say I am thrilled with the outcome of my surgery would be an understatement. It is the best decision I have ever made and has completely transformed my confidence and wellbeing. Before embarking on this procedure I was terrified to say the least and therefore knew I needed to find a surgeon who not only was brilliant in their skill but also kind and sensitive to how I was feeling. Dr Harris excels in both these qualities. After meeting with Dr Harris I was not only greatly informed about the procedure I wished to have done, but also felt truly heard by him as he completely understood how my insecurity was affecting many aspects of my life. Dr Harris is calm, patient, and incredibly knowledgable which made it clear to me I was in the best possible hands. He is the opposite of pushy and instead gives his patients full transparency of the pros and cons of undertaking a particular procedure, so they can make an informed decision as to whether the surgery is right for them. I met with Dr Harris multiple times before my surgery, which he insisted upon, to ensure I was certain in my decision. He took this time to speak to me about scaring which he noted could be a undesirable effect of my procedure and something I should consider. I am now 6 months post-op and fully healed. My scaring is better than I could have ever imagined and is completely smooth and faded. I would also like to mention that I received the most amazing care from Dr Harris’ team at the London Clinic. All the staff there were so kind and incredibly caring which made an event I always considered to be extremely stressful actually completely stress-free. I told myself that after I underwent this procedure I was going to buy something lovely as congratulations to myself, however I haven’t been able to find anything that comes close to matching the gift confidence I’ve been given by this procedure. Dr Harris you have given me the greatest gift of confidence and for that I will be forever thankful to you.
I’ve lived with my oversized 32J breasts for too many years. I don’t know what snapped finally and pushed me to do something about it but once I’d done my research, there really was no better option than Paul Harris. I knew I was in the best hands from the first moment I met him. I had just wanted them to be smaller but by the time of the operation I’d built enough confidence in Mr Harris that I let myself dare to believe that they could be nice as well as small. And they really really are. I had the best care, and he was so reassuring especially just beforehand. I couldn’t be happier with the results. I’m now a very nice neat 32DD. He is an artist! I have body confidence for the first time in decades. I would recommend Mr Harris without any reservations. Thank you giving me myself back.
What’s trending? Who’s turning heads? Which TikTok myths need busting? We’ve got you. No fluff, no gatekeeping—just real talk. Get our free, unfiltered newsletter.