Are my breasts underdeveloped? Am I a good breast augmentation candidate? (photo)

Hello Katie, thank you for your question and posting an appropriate picture. Under development of your breasts is not a health risk and an aesthetic issue only if it’s something that is you are concerned about. It’s best to have a virtual or in person consultation to discuss options of implants either saline or silicon versus fat injection or a combination of both. At 27 years of age you can have all of these options at your disposal.

Hi, thank you for sharing your question. You are a great candidate for breast augmentation based on this photo. Your concern regarding underdeveloped breasts by itself does not pose health risks. The specific implant characteristics are best determined after an evaluation by a board certified plastic surgeon.

Thank you for you question.
Based on your photo, I believe you could be a candidate for breast augmentation with the aid of a tissue expander. Although the size of your breasts are more of an aesthetic issue, it is unlikely for a large implant to be placed at the time of the initial surgery without complications. Using a tissue expander, your plastic surgeon will be able to slow stretch the skin over the course of a few months in order to create a large enough breast pocket for the final implant. I recommend speaking with a board certified plastic surgeon for evaluation and to discuss your options.

It is very possible that your breasts are constricted or underdeveloped, however that would be hard to tell without performing a physical exam. In particular your surgeon should look for the position and presence of the inframmamary fold, the presence of the axillary fold, and the presence and amount of breast tissue. Based on your pictures, your right breast looks to have a slightly constricted lower pole. This may require a staged approach with a tissue expander and a breast implant. If there is an absence of part of the pectoralis major muscle, this may be an indication of Poland syndrome and may require additional treatment. This treatment may range from custom implants to movement of the latissimius dorsi muscle to create an anterior axillary fold.

I would definitely make an appointment with a board-eligible or board-certified plastic surgeon. After a full physical examination and history, there may be some potential information that could be obtained that could help provide a better answer regarding your question. It is not abnormal to have an asymmetry between right and left breasts. Underdevelopment of breast tissue is not uncommon. There are options for treatment but you first need an accurate assessment and a corresponding treatment plan.

During consultation, one’s history is taken and a physical exam to help determine if breasts are underdeveloped; this is often just an aesthetic issue. Small breasts may be enhanced with breast implants for augmentation. Fat transfer as an isolate procedure has limits on the total volume and often requires a series of fat grafting. Breast asymmetry is fairly common and may benefit from different implants and/or breast lift.

Thank you for your question and it is hard to determine if your breasts are just small or truly congenitally underdeveloped. Regardless of the underlying categorization I believe a breast augmentation would help. Fat grafting to the breast is also an option assuming that you would have enough fat to achieve the size you have in your mind's eye. Another option would be a combination of fat grafting with an implant. I would suggest you see a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in breast enhancement, you are a good candidate and I wish you luck.

I recommend an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and be measured. After I measure and discuss goals with my patients, we then look at pictures of women (my patients) with similar measurements with different size and style breast implants, and they choose what looks right for them. They also get to see what they would look like when the breasts have fully dropped and fluffed and in clothes. You get to see actual results and the surgeon's experience and not a virtual idea of what can be achieved. Women tell me that this process is very helpful in determining what size and style breast implant is right for them. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Thank you for your question. The label of underdeveloped or small does not make a difference as long as you are otherwise healthy. There is a condition called Poland syndrome where patients have varying degrees of underdeveloped breast and underlying musculature. But this does not seem to be you based on this one picture.You would benefit from a Breast Augmentation. Please be aware that your skin envelope is small and will not accept a large implant. Your options would be a small breast implant, a hybrid procedure with a breast implant and fat grafting, or you could be treated like a breast reconstruction where a tissue expander is placed to expand the skin in order to receive a larger size implant at a second stage approximately three months after the first operation. Good luck

Based on this photo, you appear to be a good candidate for moderate breast augmentation. Small breast and nipple asymmetry is an issue that should be addressed with a surgeon during consultation. You should consult a board certified plastic surgeon, expert in breast surgery. Good luck.