Differences in breast size have a significant mental health impact in adolescent girls, affecting self-esteem, emotional well-being, and social functioning, reports the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
More than just a “cosmetic issue,” breast asymmetry can have negative psychological and emotional effects, according to the study by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Brian I. Labow and colleagues of Boston Children’s Hospital. They suggest that early intervention may have mental health benefits for young women with even relatively mild breast size differences.
The researchers evaluated psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life in 59 adolescents and young women (12 to 21 years) with breast asymmetry. In all patients, the breasts differed by at least one bra cup size. Similar evaluations were performed in a group of girls without breast asymmetry, and in girls with macromastia (overlarge breasts).
Mean age was about 17 years in all groups. About 40 percent of girls with breast asymmetry had tuberous breast deformity, a congenital condition in which the breasts don’t develop normally.
Several aspects of mental health and well-being were lower for girls with breast asymmetry, compared to those with “normal” breasts.
After adjustment for differences in body weight, breast asymmetry was associated with significantly lower scores for emotional well-being and self-esteem.
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