One breast is larger than the other: possible causes of asymmetry

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Asymmetry of paired body parts is quite normal. If you look closely, then the eyes, ears, feet, hands are more or less different. However, we do not attach special importance to some parts of the body, while others become a cause of concern. It is to the latter that the female bust belongs.

Many women of different ages wonder why one breast is much larger than the other. This problem, of course, requires attention, because we are talking not only about aesthetics, but also about health.

Why are breasts different in size?

Medicine has thoroughly studied this phenomenon and classified the reasons for its occurrence. The latter are congenital and acquired.

• Congenital asymmetry. Unfortunately, it is not known what influences the deviation. In this case, the glands develop differently during puberty, one can significantly outstrip the growth of the other. Usually, by the age of 20, this difference becomes very insignificant. But if by this time the dimensions are not equal, natural recovery is unlikely to occur. In this case, the condition may worsen after pregnancy.
• Acquired asymmetry. Mechanical trauma may be a prerequisite for deformation. It is possible to damage the mammary gland even in childhood. This fact will soon be forgotten, but will make itself felt in the future. The size of the bust can be affected by swelling.

In this case, it is necessary to take decisive action, because as a result of the proliferation of pathological tissues, iron becomes more of another. In addition, pregnancy greatly affects volume, size and shape.

Impact of pregnancy and breastfeeding

If one breast is larger than the other during these periods, the reasons are hidden in the mechanisms of lactation. When the left and right glands receive unequal stimulation, different amounts of milk accumulate in them, resulting in a mismatch in size.

Why does the size change during lactation:

1. Milk is expressed, but in one of the glands this process is more productive;
2. Night feeding with only one breast;
3. The kid sucks only one well, but does not want the second;
4. Lactation of one breast is suppressed;
5. One of the mammary glands produces less milk, for example, due to trauma, mastopathy, etc.;
6. Cracked nipple, the woman herself stops giving the damaged breast.

How to restore symmetry?

Before you can give the desired proportions to this part of the body, you need to find out the reason for the difference in size. First of all, you need to contact a specialist and exclude the presence of oncology. If there are no problems in this area, check for other pathologies.

• If there is a suspicion of a tumor, visit a gynecologist or mammologist. The doctor will order a biopsy if a neoplasm is suspected. Based on the results of the study, an individual treatment plan will be developed.
• When asymmetry is caused by pregnancy and lactation, you need to take a number of the following measures: monitor hygiene, be sure to apply the baby alternately to both breasts, do not give the other until the first is completely empty, even if the baby does not like it.
• If the causes of asymmetry are hidden in trauma, a congenital feature, the only way out of the situation is plastic surgery. It is also used in the case when lactation has long ended, but the symmetry has not returned.

The big advantage of the surgical intervention is that you can independently choose the direction of the operation: enlarge a small gland or reduce a large one. There is a large selection of implants, so the ideal shape and size can be ensured. After feeding, the operation also allows you to tighten the sagging skin and make the bust elastic.

Asymmetry in a teenage girl

Puberty entails active growth and development of the mammary glands. This process begins from about 10-13 years old. Many girls notice that the bust is growing at an uneven rate and sound the alarm about this. But it is not worth doing this prematurely.

The final diagnosis can be made at the age of 20-25, when the formation has already ended. It is necessary to consult a doctor with a teenager only if the girl is worried about the seals in the glands and discharge from them.

When the difference is 2 sizes or more, it is imperative to show the child to an endocrinologist. You also need to monitor the nutrition of the teenager. It should be complete and balanced, include the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Pregnancy and the period of breastfeeding

The question of the size and shape of the bust during childbearing, as well as during and after lactation, arises very sharply. It first increases in size, then decreases, it can become asymmetrical, saggy, etc. When the period of breastfeeding ends, this part of the body should return to more or less the same size.

How to change the size of the bust while breastfeeding

Efforts are directed to increasing the stimulation of the smaller breasts and decreasing the larger ones. This is fairly straightforward, for example, if the difference is due to one-sided night feeds.

The following measures should be taken:

1. Start feeding with a smaller one, then give a larger one, then again a smaller one;
2. When the child is asleep, sucking on the breast, then you need to try to give him less at this time;
3. At night, feed from the lesser.

If discomfort arises in the larger gland due to its less use, you need to apply the baby to it for a short period until the discomfort disappears. The above measures will lead to the fact that all the milk will be sucked out of the smaller gland, therefore, over time, there will be more of it.

At the same time, milk will always remain in the larger one, which will lead to a slight decrease in its production. As soon as the bust becomes symmetrical, you need to try to apply the baby on both sides in about the same way.

Perhaps one breast has become larger than the other because the baby is sucking on one of them incorrectly. Then the difference in size can only be corrected by changing the attachment. Even if the nipple is flat or inverted, you can teach your baby how to grip it correctly.

Help in this matter can be in the antenatal clinic, or you should ask a pediatrician. As soon as the baby begins to grip both nipples correctly, you can proceed with the above measures.

Sometimes a breastfeeding mother needs to express milk. It often turns out that more of it is expressed from one gland than from the other. In this matter, you need to consult with a specialist.

First, the question is raised about the real need for such an event. If pumping can be stopped, a counselor will help you do it right. Together with the patient, he will draw up a special program to reduce expression, taking into account the difference in size.

If lactation was suppressed in one of the glands, or a woman underwent surgery on it, there is no guarantee that the previous symmetry can be restored. They resort to the listed measures to reduce and increase the stimulation of milk production.

If this does not help, do not despair, because the child can be fed alone. In this case, it is recommended to end breastfeeding as smoothly as possible, then the mammary gland will most likely return to the same size and become equal to the other.

Prevention measures

So that one breast is not larger than the other, you need to adhere to some rules during feeding.

The first thing a nursing mother should do is give both breasts evenly throughout the day. At night, you also need to use one or the other. It is very important to teach your baby how to properly grasp both nipples and their nipples.

If milk stagnation occurs, in no case should camphor and other compresses be made, you need to seek help from a specialist. If expression is to be performed, the volume of milk removed from both glands must be the same. Beautiful shapes and good health!