Creating “Cleavage” and “Side-Boob” with Breast Implants

One of the most important parts of your breast implant consultation is explaining to the surgeon your goals and wishes for the surgical result. Although it is helpful to bring “wish pics” of models or celebrities who have the breast shape you desire, these types of photos do not always provide a realistic sense of the outcome you might achieve. This is because each person’s existing breast shape has a major impact on the final result that can be achieved. For this reason, it is far more helpful to show the surgeon before-and-after photos of people who have a similar body type as yours, to see if you will get similar results. Dr. Andrade has hundreds of actual patient results on his website, and another good resource for thousands of images is www.RealSelf.com.

Creating “Cleavage” with Breast Implant

First discussing cleavage, if your breasts are already close together on your chest with a small gap in between, typically it should be straightforward for your surgeon to provide tight cleavage after the operation. On the other hand, if your breasts are widely spaced and there is not much tissue covering the breast bone (sternum) in the centre, it can be problematic to create cleavage by simply inserting breast implants. For example, if large implants are inserted in your chest and they are closer together than your actual breasts, there will be only a thin layer of tissue covering the implants in the centre. This can lead to unsightly rippling and visible implant edges.

For this reason, Dr. Andrade most often recommends choosing implants that more closely match the actual width of your breasts, even if this means there will still be a gap in between the breasts after surgery.

Creating “Side-Boob” with Breast Implant

As for creating “side boob” or lateral breast fullness with breast implants, this is easily achieved if your breasts are already wider and there is a decent layer of breast tissue on the outer area of each breast. However, if your breasts are small and there is no fullness extending toward the armpit, inserting wide implants that extend beyond the breast edges can lead to rippling and palpable implants in the armpit area. In many cases it is better to compromise and insert smaller implants that will provide a long-lasting improvement in breast shape

In summary, it is important to understand that even if a surgeon can technically insert implants that are wider than your current breasts, the desire to create cleavage or lateral breast fullness might cause unsightly cosmetic problems. In addition, inserting oversized implants can increase the risk of chronic numbness, pain, sagging, or implant dropping called “bottoming-out”. This is why it is so important to consult with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon preoperatively (not with a nurse or aesthetician). Your surgeon should do a full physical examination then provide advice based on your unique anatomy and goals.

Dr. Andrade has a 5-star rating on RateMDs and realself.com and his practice has a specialized focus on breast and body contouring surgeries. The York Plastic Surgery Centre is also one of the Top 10 Clinics in Canada with the volume of breast augmentation surgeries performed each year as noted by our implant supplier.