Anthropometric breast measurement: a study of 385 Turkish female students.

[BACKGROUND] Anthropometric measurements and proportions of the human body have made a significant contribution to the science of aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.

[OBJECTIVE] The present study was performed to measure anthropometric breast values in Turkish female students and compare them with those of women in other nations.

[METHODS] The study included 385 female undergraduate student volunteers between the ages of 18 and 26 years with no physical or developmental deformity and with a body mass index between 20 and 26. A total of 19 parameters were measured in a standing position. The parameters measured were body weight, height, shoulder width, upper chest width, middle chest width, lower chest width, waist width, hip width, clavicle-nipple length, sternal notch-nipple length, nipple-nipple length, upper arm length, medial mammary radius, lateral mammary radius, nipple-inframammary fold length, nipple diameter, areola diameter, nipple projection, and mammary projection. Breast volume, breast ptosis, and retracted nipple rates were also assessed.

[RESULTS] The mean breast volume was determined to be 407.2 +/- 263.6 cc. The mean values of the right and left breast volumes were calculated as 415.2 +/- 264.5 cc and 399.1 +/- 265.5 cc, respectively; the right breast volume was significantly greater than the left breast volume (P < .001). The ideal external view of the breasts with equal volume for both sides and no ptosis was observed in 35.1% of the volunteers. The percentage of women with unilateral or bilateral retracted nipple was 2.6%.

[CONCLUSIONS] The results of the present study will help in comparing the anthropometric breast values of young Turkish women with those of women in other countries. They may also be useful either in planning aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery or in designing breast augmentation accessories and clothing.