Would sleeping on my side cause symmastia? (photo)

Question

Would sleeping on my side or squeezing my breasts together cause symmastia? I am 4 weeks out from my augmentation surgery and I have 550cc silicone under the muscle implants.

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

No, sleeping on your side shouldn't cause symmastia. If you are concerned about developing symmastia, please see your surgeon for a better assessment.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Symmastia is a condition which can occur when the implants are too close together. Patients often refer to this as a “uniboob.” This can occur for the same reasons as displacement noted above, but in this case the pocket(s) is/are too far towards the center.Correction of this problem may involve using different implants such as textured, a smaller size, or a smaller base and placing the implants in a new pocket. On occasion, this may require surgery in more than one stage to allow the tissues to heal and then place the implants. If the implants have been placed above the muscle, converting them under the muscle frequently will help and, again, the use of a dermal substitute may be required for additional support if the tissues are thin. The techniques of capsulorrhaphy and neopectoral pockets may apply here as well.

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Your breasts look great and should not be affected by sleeping position.  You might have worried about sleeping position earlier in the post op course but no need to worry now.

Asif Pirani, MD, FRCS(C) · Answer

It is unlikely.  You need to discuss this with your PS, however.  Their opinion on the matter is the only one that matters - every PS has a different opinion on post-op routines/positioning, etc.Best,

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Sleeping in different positions should not impact the development of symmastia.  More commonly this occurs with implants in a subglandular pocket.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Generally speaking, side sleeping will not lead to “symmastia". Given your concerns, best to address your questions etc. to your plastic surgeon who knows your situation best and is ultimately responsible for your care. Best wishes.

Scott E. Newman, MD, FACS · Answer

First of all, looking at your photos, you don't look to me like you have symmastia.  The photos you submitted are not the best (no offense!) so there's only so much I can see.  Symmastia is basically a communication between the pockets of your two implants and that does not appear to be the case.For symmastia to occur with an under-the-muscle implant, the central (sternal) attachment of your pectoralis muscle would need to become disrupted. With implants placed over your muscle the reasons are very different.  There's no question that putting strong forces on your implant while the pocket is healing can affect the dimensions of the pocket.  It's just very difficult to disrupt the central muscle attachment this way, unless this area is somehow weakened during surgery.Good Luck...Dr. Newman

Bruce K. Barach, MD (retired) · Answer

your pix look good and at this point you should be safe sleeping on your side. check in with your surgeon for specific post op recommendations he prefers his patients follow.

Cynthia Disla, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

It  is  very  true   that  before   the  first   3   to 4   weeks   you should  not be  sleeping on your  sides   because     you  can move    the implant    to    the  upper  pole  of   breast  and   the  new  inferior fold created   can   close    before  the  time    that   the implant  locates  in the inferior  pole  of    breast  as   it  should. Symmastia     could    be a  problem  of  deformity   by  congential  malformation  or  a mistake   creating   the   pocket   in  the  sternum line avoing   the  space  that  shopuld  exist  between  bpth   breast  ,  you   do not   show   any   sing  of symmanstia  the   space  between breast     is very adequate  and  the  apparence of  your  implants  are  great . Ask to   your   doctor   if  you are  able  already  to  sleep in this  position

Francis (Frank) William Rieger, MD (retired) · Answer

Thanks for the question.  Symmastia is a surgically created problem following a breast augmentation, and is usually evident early after surgery, in most cases.  The good news for you is that at least from the photos that you are showing it doesn't appear that you have this.  Follow up with your Plastic Surgeon to be sure about this, however.  Resting position should have nothing to do with the development of symmastia.Good luck to you.Frank Rieger M.D.  Tampa Plastic Surgeon

Would sleeping on my side cause symmastia? (photo)

Answers (10)

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