A number of patients coming in to Scottsdale Center for Plastic Surgery for breast augmentation have asked me the same question: “Why do I see some women walking around with a wide, unattractive gap between their breasts?”
Cleavage is an important issue for breast enhancement patients, and in my opinion, there are three main causes of excessively wide spacing between the breasts after breast augmentation surgery. Let’s take a look at each of these factors.
1. Patient Anatomy
The first and most significant factor is patient anatomy. Each woman has a unique natural spacing between her breasts, which also corresponds to where the pectoralis muscles attach to the sternum (breastbone). The shape of the ribcage is not the same between women. Variations include:
- Flatter ribcage
- More bony projection
- Less projection with an inverted sternum (pectus excavatum)
- Asymmetry
Anatomy is hard to completely change, and it has a major impact on the final results of surgery. That being said, a good breast surgeon will notice preexisting issues and will do whatever is possible to correct them. For example, patients with wide attachments between the chest muscles need a more aggressive dissection to move the implants as close together as the anatomy will safely allow.
Take a look at some of our patient’s breast implant before and after pictures to get an idea of how we work with a patient’s anatomy during breast augmentation surgery to produce the most natural-looking and appealing results.
2. Breast Implants
A second factor is implant selection. Implant width should generally match the base width diameter of the patient’s breasts (the natural width of the chest where the implant will be covering). Implants that are too narrow or too projected can exaggerate the appearance of wide cleavage.
There are many implants available with different widths and projections. Newer implants, such as Sientra’s textured anatomical “gummy bear” implants can also be used to create more natural-looking cleavage for women with particularly wide or narrow breast widths. Surgeon experience and preoperative measurements and sizing can help get the best possible results for patients.
Learn more about implant selection in this video with Dr. Sigalove:
3. Surgical Technique
Finally, the surgical technique used during breast augmentation is an important factor in the final cleavage. The following oversights all can result in an unacceptably wide spacing between the breasts:
- Underdissection
- Incomplete release of the lower pectoralis attachments
- Failure to account for tight lower breast skin or tuberous breasts (Learn more in our related blog post.)
As with implant selection, a surgeon’s experience with a large range of patient body types is critical in achieving cleavage that looks beautiful and natural.
To learn what will work best for you, request a consultation online at our plastic surgery practice near Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ, or call us at (480) 423-1973. We’ll meet 1-on-1 with you and develop a plan specific to your individual needs.
Published: 8/7/2013, Updated: 08/2023
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