Aesthetic and clinical importance of breast anthropometry in women

Anthropometric measurements and ratios of the female body play an important role in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. In this study, it was aimed to calculate the volume and anthropometric measurements of the breast and to determine the relationship between these measurements and demographic data. For this purpose, breast areola diameter, papilla length, papilla diameter, breast lateral radius, breast medial radius, breast projection, breast width, shoulder width, chest circumference, distance between two papillae, and two breasts, papilla-inframammary sulcus, papilla-sternal line, midclavicular point-papilla, supresternal point-papilla, gnathion-umblicus, gnathion- papilla, papilla-umblicus, supresternal point-acromion, papilla- acromion, acromion-olecranon, supresternal point-processus xiphoideus measurements from 200 premenopausal adult women aged 20-60 years were carried out. Digital caliper and tape measure were used for anthropometric measurements, and Grossman-Roudner-Disk was used to calculate breast volume. As a result of the measurements, the mean breast volume was determined as 362.64 and 362.02 cc for the right breast and left breast, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the right and left breast volumes. The relationship between breast volume and anthropometric measurements was analyzed using the Pearson Correlation method. While there was a negative relationship between the papilla length and the distance between the two breasts, a positive significant relationship was found in all measurements except the distance between the papilla and umbilicus. A significant positive correlation was found between macromastia and age and body mass index, and between ptosis and volume and having given birth. It is thought that the results obtained from this study will contribute to the literature and may serve as a guide for pre- and post-operative evaluation in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.