CosBeauty Magazine #77

Feature
what
makes a
beautiful
breast?
The assessment of physical beauty varies
enormously across both time and cultures.
What one person considers sexy or beautiful
might be far removed from what another
perceives as attractive. However, there
remain widely held standards of physical
attractiveness, and achieving a positive
aesthetic outcome is crucial to the success of
cosmetic procedures.
When it comes to assessing the breasts,
you may be forgiven for thinking it’s all about
size. Indeed, breast augmentation involves
adding volume to the bust, but a satisfactory
augmentation is about a whole lot more than
just adding volume.
“There is no such thing as the ‘perfect’
breast,” says British plastic surgeon Dr Paul
Banwell. “However, there are four aesthetic
guidelines that can help surgeons deliver a
beautiful-looking breast.”
These guidelines, which refer to the
proportions of the upper and lower breast,
their slope as well as the position of the nipple
were investigated by a group of London Plastic
Surgeons at the University College and Royal
Free Hospitals. In a study entitled ‘Concepts
in Aesthetic Breast Dimensions: Analysis of
the Ideal Breast’, Mallucci et al used computer
measurements to examine the dimensions
and proportions of 100 pairs of natural (nonenhanced)
breasts deemed attractive, and
identified four features common to all.
“The study revealed that in all cases the
level of the nipple lay at a point 20 degrees
above the horizontal where, on average, the
proportion of the breast below it represented
55 per cent of overall volume of the breast and
above it 45 per cent,” explains Dr Banwell.
“In most cases, the upper pole was either
concave or straight, and the lower pole of the
breast was convex, creating a full curve.”
The UK group also analysed images of the
breasts of ordinary women both before and
after implant surgery to establish whether, if
a breast deviates from these measurements,
it becomes less attractive. The answer, they
found, was that it does, regardless of size.
However, Dr Banwell is keen to reinforce the
importance of tailoring breast shape and size to
the individual proportions and circumstances
of each patient.
“A one-size-fits all approach is not
appropriate,” he says. “We have a way of
assessing the aesthetics we’re trying to achieve
with a breast augmentation, but it’s important
to do that via a tailor-made approach.”
This involves detailed measurement, careful
discussion with each patient and judicious
selection of the optimal implant shape, texture
and method of placement.
“Every breast is different in terms of its shape
and size and in terms of its characteristics,”
says Dr Banwell. “The surgeon has to assess
that and then needs to make a judgement
based upon the patient’s wishes in terms of
what they want to achieve versus what can
actually be achieved.”
With so many media influences, today it is
even more important to marry your wishes,
as the patient, with what is both realistic and
achievable. “It’s all about having realistic
expectations of improvement,” he says.
“Communication with the patient is therefore
so important. The patient needs to fully
understand what’s involved, and if there is any
discrepancy between what they want and what
can actually be achieved, it’s the responsibility
of the surgeon to point that out.”
The education and knowledge of patients
has changed in the past decade or so, and they
are becoming increasingly discerning about
the shape and type of implants they want.
However, the most common request remains:
for breasts to be ‘natural-looking’.
With an experienced and skilled surgeon
and the right expectations, you can look
forward to the most natural-looking,
aesthetically pleasing breast augmentations
for your individual requirements.
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