Metrics of the Aesthetically Perfect Breast

Abstract

Breast surgery has long been viewed as an art more than a science. However, defining and objectively measuring the ideal breast morphology and aesthetic proportions are fundamental for surgical planning and to setting the goals of surgery as well as to evaluate surgical outcomes. Despite the fact that much has been written about aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery, there is still no real consensus about what the attributes are of an ideal breast. Moreover, there are in fact no objective standard measurement systems and guidelines to describe ideal or even normal breast shape. Though there is great variability in the perception of beauty among patients and surgeons alike due to many factors among which are age, sex, and sociocultural background, there is common agreement that beauty is a universal phenomenon that has a universal standard present across all civilizations and centuries, and that perceived beauty is enhanced and optimal aesthetics are achieved when proper measurements are made and anthropometric proportions as well as attractive harmonious ratios are respected. The current review is an attempt to summarize the most relevant information available trying to introduce some harmony in our perception of aesthetic ideals of breast surgery. Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

An anthropometric evaluation of the augmented breast: differences between cis-and transgender women and possible clinical implications

“…The dissimilar position of the nipples is especially important since NAC-positioning is considered the most important landmark in breast augmentation and the biggest determinant of patient satisfaction [32]. Several aesthetic algorithms have been proposed to pinpoint the most aesthetically pleasing positioning of the nipple [3,21,22]. Most of these studies agree on the notion that the ideal position of the nipple is centered on the apex of the breast.…”

Subpectoral Implant Repositioning With Partial Capsule Preservation: Treating the Long-Term Complications of Subglandular Breast Augmentation

“…We have found that this nonstandard measurement is crucial in quantifying the extent of the breast mound and IMF descent in patients with slide-down deformity and thus determining the amount of elevation that will be required to restore them to an appropriate position ( Figure 1 ). 17 , 18 …”

The Breast Size Satisfaction Survey (BSSS): Breast size dissatisfaction and its antecedents and outcomes in women from 40 nations

“…Women's breasts vary along many dimensions, such as shape, symmetry, and firmness (Atiye & Chahine, 2018), but many contemporary beauty systems reportedly objectify women in terms of their breast size (Calogero & Thompson, 2010;Mazur, 1986;Seifert, 2005;Tantleff-Dunn, 2001). In particular, large breasts are commodified and fetishised in many forms of mainstream Western media (Einon, 2012;Gerald & Potvin, 2009;Ward, Merriwether, & Caruthers, 2006), particularly media that (re)produce stereotypical gender role discourse (Graff, Murnen, & Krause, 2013;Yockey, King, Vidourek, Burbage, & Merianos, 2019) and heteronormative expectations (Murnen, Poinsatte, Huntsman, Goldfarb, & Glaser, 2015;Rodriguez & Hernandez, 2019;Rogers & Liebler, 2017; for a counter-point, see Webb, Vinoski, Warren-Findlow, Burrell, & Putz, 2017).…”

“…The body is a highly symbolic and important site for the creation, negotiation, and perpetuation of social and power relations (Backett-Milburn & McKie, 2001;Jeffreys, 2005;Scheper-Hughes & Lock, 1987;Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe, & Tantleff-Dunn, 1999). In this view, macro-level cultural factors -such as patriarchal structures (Bartky, 1990;Jeffreys, 2005), masculine aesthetics (Dworkin, 1974), and beauty systems (Bordo, 1993;Turner, 1984) -tie women's moral, economic, and socio-political worth to their physical appearance and willingness to enact personal body projects.…”