Is It Normal For My Breasts To Be Different In Size?

I got a private Facebook message from a young teen concerned that one of her breasts was bigger than the other. “It is normal for my breasts to be a little different in size?” she asked. She was wondering what she should do.

The short answer? I told her not to worry, to give it time. It’s not uncommon for breasts to develop unevenly during puberty, but by the time they stop growing they usually are more even. I also told her that there’s no such thing as perfectly identical breasts; most women have breasts that are slightly different sizes. It’s called asymmetry.

The long answer: In puberty, breast development can start first on one side or on both sides at the same time. It takes about 3-5 years for the glandular tissue to fully develop and for breasts to reach their full adult size. On average, most women are finished growing by age 18, although some might continue to grow into their early 20s.

Breast Surgery in the Hospital: It’s a Smooth Operation

While some doctors choose to perform breast augmentation and breast lift surgery in an outpatient surgicenter, I’ve chosen to do all of my surgeries at Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia. Here are a few of my favorite things about working in the operating room there.

When I joined the Nazareth Hospital staff 20 years ago, I felt like I had found my surgical home. It’s a little bit like the bar in Cheers, the ’80s sitcom, “where everybody knows your name.”

Am I Too Old for Breast Implants?

Absolutely not. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look as good on the outside as you feel on the inside, no matter how old you are. If cosmetic breast surgery would make you feel better about how you look – in clothes or out – there’s no reason to rule it out.

To date, my oldest patient was 72. She had small breasts and had been thinking about getting breast implants for a very long time. She had a new boyfriend, and the time was right for her.

She’s not alone. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 50 percent of breast augmentation patients are over age 35.