Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon Analyzes Study on Breast Shape Preferences

Posted on January 19, 2015

Dr. Lauren Greenberg shares the results of a recent study that attempted to determine the proportions of the ideal breast shape.

Palo Alto, CA—Is there a perfect breast shape? That is the question Palo Alto plastic surgeon Lauren Greenberg, MD, sought the answer to in a recent article published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® Journal, which discusses the findings of a study on the subject. She says many of her patients seek to enhance their breasts not only to increase the size but also to improve the shape. Having a better understanding of what people of all ages, races, and backgrounds find appealing with regards to breast proportion can help plastic surgeons achieve the best possible results for individuals, she suggests.

Dr. Greenberg explains that the study utilized 100 models with natural breasts of different proportions. She says pictures of the models were viewed by 1,315 people of various ages, races, nationalities, and genders, and they then rated the photos based on the perceived attractiveness of the bust. The purpose, she clarifies, was to determine the proportions of the upper pole (the tissue located above the nipple) and the lower pole (the tissue located below the nipple) of the “perfect breast.” The Palo Alto plastic surgeon says the question of whether there is a perfect breast shape was answered with a positive. According to the results of the research, the aesthetically ideal proportion is 45 percent upper pole, with a straight shape, and 55 percent lower pole, with a convex shape.

Perhaps one of the most interesting findings, Dr. Greenberg reveals, is the difference between preferences in how breasts ideally should appear in clothes and out of them. Across sexes and nationalities, she says people think they would prefer a full convex upper pole which is proportionately larger, such as how the breast looks clothed in a push up bra. The naked breast, however, seems to be less desirable with this distribution, she states.

Ultimately, Dr. Greenberg hopes to use this information to help her patients achieve their breast enhancement goals, whether they desire a larger bust, a more shapely silhouette, or both. While there may be a common predilection for a certain proportion, she says every woman’s body is unique, and developing a customized treatment plan that suits each individual’s needs and aspirations is the most important part of thebreast augmentation process.

About Lauren Greenberg, MD

Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Greenberg attended Dartmouth College for her undergraduate degree and Northwestern University Medical School for her medical degree. She then relocated to California to complete her residencies in general surgery and plastic surgery at Stanford University, before heading to Nashville, TN for a fellowship in Breast and Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Greenberg is the recipient of numerous awards, and she has produced presentations on free flap microsurgical tissue reconstruction and breast reconstruction using TRAM flap following chest irradiation. She is also an active member of several distinguished medical organizations. Dr. Greenberg is available for interview upon request.

For more information about Dr. Greenberg and her practice, please visit laurengreenbergmd.com and facebook.com/laurengreenbergmd.

Contact:

Lauren Greenberg, MD
750 Welch Rd., Ste. 117
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 617-9907

Rosemont Media
(858) 200-0044
www.rosemontmedia.com