A new study has found that when it comes to breast attractiveness, symmetry may matter more than size.
While many plastic surgeons have built lucrative practices around the belief that “bigger is better,” a team of researchers from the University of Passo Fundo in Brazil found that the “ideal breast” has less to do with volume than with how that volume is distributed, according to the New York Post.
The researchers asked 239 medical students to assess a series of three images and choose the most attractive shape.
The “holy trinity” of images featured different ratios between the upper and lower portions, or “poles,” of the breast: 40/60, 50/50 and 60/40, respectively.
Just 10% of participants preferred the 60/40 ratio, which features greater fullness in the upper half and was therefore the fullest-looking breast among the three options.
Another 28.9% of respondents favored lower-pole fullness, represented by the 40/60 ratio.
By contrast, 61.1% of the students chose the 50/50 ratio, indicating a clear preference for an even distribution of volume.
The findings contradict a 2023 study by New York University, which found that moderately sized breasts with greater fullness in the upper half received higher attractiveness ratings from both men and women.
The latest study also examined preferences regarding nipple placement, with nearly 60% of respondents choosing a centrally positioned nipple.
The researchers noted that the preferences of male and female participants were broadly similar, suggesting there may be a shared standard for evaluating breast aesthetics.
The team hopes the findings will help plastic surgeons better understand patients’ preferences and potentially lead to the development of techniques and procedures that place greater emphasis on symmetry.
The findings also echo broader trends in cosmetic surgery, with patients increasingly opting for a more understated, noticeably less “augmented” look — a shift reflected in growing demand for what has been dubbed “sweater boobs.”
“Patients used to bring us inspiration photos of [large-breasted] women in bikinis or topless, but we’ve noticed a trend: Women are now asking for smaller, more elegant implants,” board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ryan Neinstein previously told The Post, noting that enormous implants were hugely popular over the past decade.
“Now women are increasing their breast size by an average of just one cup size, whereas [in the 2010s] they were going up three or four cup sizes.”
Still, the move toward smaller breasts may also serve as a matter of safety.
A 2024 study from Texas A&M University found that women with larger breasts were more likely to experience verbal and indirect aggression from other women. Researchers concluded that women with more prominent figures may be subconsciously perceived as a threat.
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