One of the most common desires among by patients when it comes to breast augmentation isn't necessarily always size, but rather cleavage. Patients and plastic surgeons often spend most of their consultation discussing volume, cup size, types and sizes of implants, etc. However, cleavage (the space between your breasts) is an extremely important aesthetic sign of a beautiful breast augmentation.
If you are still in the consultation phase, here are some key points to think about and ask your plastic surgeon about when it comes to cleavage after your breast augmentation.
If you have already had breast surgery, but are concerned about your cleavage, there is good news: significant advances have been made to give patients more options to improve cleavage.
Before breast augmentation, the distance between your breasts, your skin tightness/laxity and the amount of breast tissue you have are some vital aspects to examine during your breast augmentation consultation. Depending on your measurements as well as your overall tissue between your breasts, the pocket for your breast implants may need to be adjusted to bring your breasts closer together or farther apart.
Your breast implant choice – saline/silicone, width and profile of your implant – may also determine exactly how your surgery is done to achieve the amount of space and separation you want for your long-term breast cleavage.
It's also important to note that your breast cleavage will vary depending on what type of bra and clothing you are wearing. A more natural look, with the option of wearing a cleavage-inducing bra, will probably give you the most options long term after your breast augmentation.
There is no scientific average cleavage or distance between breasts, so it is usually based on your chest and torso measurements and proportions, as well as individual choice.
If you feel your breast cleavage is too wide, then breast augmentation can accommodate your desire to have your breasts closer together.
If your breasts are close in the middle, then a different surgical strategy may be needed to attain the end result of a little more separation after your breast augmentation.
If you've already had breast augmentation and feel that your breasts are still too far apart in the middle, there are options including fat grafting or surgery to reposition the breast implant pocket.
If your breasts are too close and your cleavage is narrow after your breast augmentation, then typically repositioning your breast implant pockets will be able to address this issue. Some cases may require placement of surgical tissue products to maintain the separation of your right and left breast and preserve the cleavage that you want.
When you're looking for a board-certified plastic surgeon and looking at before and after photos, make sure to look at the areas between the right and left breast. The overall shape, volume and other aspects of breast augmentation photos may catch your eye initially.
It's important to focus on cleavage, as well as making sure that the photos show little or no support – no bras, no bikini tops – because this is how you create artificial cleavage. With breast augmentation, you want to have natural cleavage with your choice of breast implants, surgical approach and overall result.