AboutAlan M. Engler, MD, FACS Expertise Dr. Engler has answered over 2300 plastic surgery questions for Allexperts. His expertise is in cosmetic plastic surgery including breast surgery (breast enlargement with implants, breast reduction, breast lifts), liposuction, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, facelifts etc.
Dr. Engler has been listed as one New York`s Top Doctors, and as "One of the World's Most Famous Aesthetic Surgeons" (Aesthetic Surgery, TASCHEN Books, Angelika Taschen, Editor). He is the author of 4 books, including "BodySculpture" (a best-selling plastic surgery book on breast surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks), "EyeScapes" (Plastic Surgery of the Eyelids), "Restylane," and "The Slim Book of Liposuction."
Dr. Engler has two US Patents for surgical instruments that he's designed, and has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Tyra Banks Show, The Ricki Lake Show (four times), and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show. Videos of his appearances are available on YouTube (SEARCH FOR "DR. ENGLER"). His website is www.bodysculpture.com.
Experience Dr. Alan Engler is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York and the author of BodySculpture - Plastic Surgery of the Body for Men and Women (ISBN 0966382749) one of the top-selling plastic surgery books on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.
Organizations belong to ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery); ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons); ACS (American College of Surgeons); Clinical Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York
Question I have one breast that is two sizes smaller than the other. I'm 18 in July so my doctor referred me to a hospital so I could have the problem fixed. However I'm trying to lose weight at the moment, i'm a size 16 and want to be a size 10-12, if they fix one with an implant the other one will shrink when I lose weight so my breasts will still be lopsided. What should I do about this problem?
Answer Hi Jessica,
There's more about breast surgery at my site, www.bodysculpture.com.
You raise an important question. It is, in fact, very difficult to perform plastic surgery that anticipates future weight gains or losses. You actually may not even be able to insert a larger implant than indicated, or tighten the skin more - just because you think the person will gain or lose weight.
A better approach is to get down to the weight that you reasonably expect to maintain before you have the surgery, which is what I advise my patients. It does not makes sense to crash diet and drop 30 pounds or so for the surgery, just to put 20 back on afterwards. Instead, lose the weight carefully and steadily, and get down to what you believe you can keep. And then have your surgery.
That way, the surgeons will know how best to reduce the extent of asymmetry that you have, and can match one breast to the other with the knowledge that what they're looking at is what they - and you - will see.
