Is the wide space between breasts due to anatomy or surgery? (photos)

You are very thin so implants have simply made your existing breast gap look more obvious than before surgery - the implants have been placed correctly and the gap is due to your pre-existing gap

Healing will go on for 2-3 months for the early period.  There may be some swelling, bruising, malposition, color differences.   Sensation will be abnormal.  Scars will be changing.



If my patients have concerns that something is unusual about their healing process, it is important for them to call the office and discuss these concerns or come in to be examined

Always contact your plastic surgeon if you have concerns about post-operative infection, bleeding, swelling, fever, excessive bruising, or any new and sudden changes in the feeling or look of your implants, breasts or incisions.





Any of the following may be post-op difficulties, about which it is best to contact your surgeon directly



·       Excessive bleeding (hematoma) and bruising



·       Reduced sensation of #nipple



·       Deflation/rupture



·       Capsular contracture



·       Wrinkling/rippling. Palpable and/or visible



·       Firmness, and distorted appearance



·       Interference with breast feeding



·       Mammogram interference



·       Cost for revision surgery if necessary



·       Calcium deposits in the tissue around the implant



·       Breast tissue atrophy/chest wall deformity



·       Hypertrophic scarring



·       Tissue loss



·       Infection requiring antibiotics or implant removal

Thank you for your question and provided photos.  Breast augmentation has a number of involved variables.  During consultation, a patient should receive an in-depth understanding as to their current breast measurements, breast characteristics, and breast asymmetries.  This information is used by the surgeon to direct a patient as to the procedure that best suits their desired goals.  Regardless of the implant position, size, and type, the surgeon must recognize limitations in each patient to ensure an appropriate end shape and size to the augmented breast.  Your current photos show some widening of your breasts at your sternum.  Your post-operative concerns are hard to critique with photos alone.  I encourage you discuss your concerns with your surgeon.  Your surgeon should be able to explain your end results and why they occurred.  



Best of luck,



Dr. Mooty

   Dear Alyssa,   Thanks for submitting your before and after pictures. From observing your post operative picture, you appear to have a wide cleavage, which understandably is unnatural and create the impression of fake large breasts . Additionally, the right breast appears bigger.   The reasons for the excessively wide cleavage are either capsule contracture or inadequate dissection of the medial pocket which is quite common with entry incision in the sub mammary fold. This entry incision is too far from the midline , to allow for easy and safe dissection and creation of nice cleavage. This is the exact reason for my making the entry incision at the sub areola line.     In any event, this condition can be easily corrected by performing medial capsulotomy (scar release ). Your best option (financially) is to return to your surgeon for the corrective procedure. If you are not satisfied with your surgeon response, consider consulting with other experienced board certified plastic surgeons , who perform lots of redo breasts augmentation in accredited surgery center for your safety. Most importantly, check the before and after pictures in the photo gallery, to make sure that they are numerous, consistent and attractive with nice cleavage, perky, symmetrical and natural looking.                                         Best of luck,                                                             Dr Widder

Hello,Thank you for your question and photos. The implants are centered under your areolas and you are correct that they were spaced slightly wide to begin with. When implants are placed under the muscle there is a limit to how close the implants can be placed according to the muscle insertion point on the sternum. The spacing which is possible for each person is unique to their anatomy. Your implants appear to be in a good position. You may find that the look and spacing of your cleavage continues to soften over time and this could make the look of separation less pronounced.All the best 

In addition to the comments of the colleagues below, please consider that you apparently have round implants.An implant with a wider base diameter and the same or less height would have pushed your breasts closer together. This is one of the advantages of a gummy bear style 410 breast implant.Thanks

First, 4 months is still early. Your breast implants will still change and settle with time. Second, the amount of space between your breasts is determined by your preexisting anatomy. More medial placement of your implants could result in your nipple-areola complex pointing laterally on each breast or even worse, result in the dreaded complication of "uniboob" where there is no demarcation between your breasts. The breasts implants are centered underneath your areolas and appear to be in good position. Hands-on-the-hip posturing also displaces your implants more laterally as opposed to when your arms are down by your sides. These photos do not appear denote anything wrong with your surgeon's technique, but you should share your concerns with him or her. 

Based on your pictures, the implants seem to be in a good position. If they were closer together, the nipples may point sideways. 

I understand your concern. Space between breasts is often defined by the amount of natural space that existed prior to the augmentation, the location of placement of the implants (under or over the breast), the technique and also any factors in healing. Sometimes capsule changes around the implants can cause a tightening and separation between the implants thus increasing the space between them. Recall if the space existed immediately after the augmentation or if it has been developing over the last several months. Return to your plastic surgeon for an evaluation and discussion of space. 

There are a number of factors that determine the distance between your breasts.  It is important to understand that the width of your cleavage becomes more apparent as your breasts become larger.  If you think about the appearance of a woman with A cup breasts the distance is frequently quite wide but it appears normal because the contrast between the minimal projection of the breasts and the flatness over the breast bone is not that significant.  As the breasts become larger they project more and the contrast between the "hills and valley" becomes more apparent.  Also, as the breasts droop they not only fall lower but also to the sides which tends to widen the cleavage.  With respect to the factors that influence cleavage width we typically think about the placement of the implant (under or over the muscle), the width of the chest, the width of the implant, the pocket dimensions (the space your doctor created for the implant) and the amount of breast tissue that is present that will help to "fill in" the space between the implants.