
HormonesĮstrogen stimulates the growth of mammary glands. Other factors that may influence breast shape include: Body fatīreasts contain glandular, connective, and fat tissue.įat surrounds the milk-producing mammary glands and gives breasts their characteristic round shape. Genetics can play a role in determining the shape, tissue density, and size of a person’s breasts. Some people may wonder which factors contribute to breast shape. In a 2015 study in the journal Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Research, researchers found a significant correlation between prominent differences in breast volume and the risk of breast cancer.Īccording to the authors, people with breast asymmetry ratios - that is, the difference in breast volumes divided by the volume of the smaller breast - over 20% had a twofold increase in the risk of breast cancer. Causes include diseases of the breast tissue, the effects of certain medical treatments, and congenital factors.ĭoctors may find asymmetrical breast size or tissue density during a routine mammogram test or breast cancer screening. That said, a person should inform their doctor if they notice a change in the shape or size of one breast.Īccording to research, some adolescents may experience severe breast asymmetry. Having uneven breasts or nipples does not necessarily constitute a medical emergency. Other asymmetric breasts have minor differences that typically go unnoticed. Some people have one breast that is noticeably larger or smaller than the other. However, the degree of asymmetry will vary from person to person. The researchers found that the left breast was bigger than the right in 62% of these women. Researchers from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, documented the dimensions of 87 women’s breasts. However, if a person is unhappy with how their breasts look or breast asymmetry is affecting their daily lives, they can see a doctor to discuss potential treatment options. Most people have slight breast asymmetry.

Breast asymmetry occurs when one breast is a different shape or size to the other.
