Large breasts? Apparently they are overrated, according to researchers who have figured the formula on what counts as the perfect pair.
Whether they are big or small, perky or low-hanging, petite or just somewhere in between, all breasts are beautiful.
But researchers have conducted a study to find out what counts as the most aesthetically pleasing to viewers.
Large breasts? Apparently they are overrated, according to researchers who have figured the formula on what counts as the perfect pair
A team of researchers from the University of Passo Fundo in Brazil have been studying breast aesthetics, trying to determine what counts as the “perfect b**b.”
Their results determined that the real key to breast appeal is not size; it is symmetry. This means an equal distribution of tissue between the upper and lower halves of the breasts.
“The results demonstrated a preference for symmetry patterns compared to those with some pole deviation or angulation,” wrote the researchers, who published their findings in the Brazilian Journal of Plastic Surgery.
Kicking Studio/Adobe Stock (not the actual photo)
For the purpose of the study, the researchers showed a series of images to 239 medical students and asked them to select the breast shape they found most appealing.
Participants were shown three images, featuring different proportions between the upper and lower portions or “poles” of the breast.
The three options represented the 40:60, 50:50 and 60:40 ratios.
The 40:60 ratio meant 40% of the breast is above the n*pple and 60% of the breast is below, creating a shape with more volume toward the bottom.
The 50:50 ratio represented an equal distribution between the top and bottom halves of the breasts, while the 60:40 ratio had more fullness in the upper half.
A new study suggests symmetry may matter more than size when it comes to breast appeal
The results showed that only 10% of the participants favored the 60:40 ratio, which boasts a more voluminous upper half appearance.
28.9% of respondents selected the 40:60 ratio, which featured greater fullness in the lower portion of the breast.
The clear favorite was right down the middle.
A whopping 61.1% of respondents preferred the 50:50 ratio, suggesting that an even distribution between the upper and lower portions of the breast was the most popular option.
andranik123/Adobe Stock (not the actual photo)
The researchers also found some clear preferences when it came to the n*pple and areola, which is the darker, circular area of skin surrounding the n*pple. Together, these are referred to as the areola-n*pple complex (NAC).
Almost 60% of respondents preferred the NAC to be positioned in the center of the breast, rather than sitting closer to the outer side of the chest.
The majority of the respondents also said they found a smaller NAC the most appealing.
Researchers further noted that there weren’t too many differences between responses from males and females, which meant gender did not have too much influence on how breast aesthetics were perceived.
More than 60% of respondents chose the same breast shape, showing a clear favorite
Марина Демешко/Adobe Stock (not the actual photo)
Following the analysis, the team concluded that it was “possible to identify various aesthetic preferences regarding the breast” through the study.
“A predominant appreciation for harmonious proportions was observed, especially the 50:50 ratio between the upper and lower poles, the central location of the areola-n*pple complex, and the reduced size of the areola and n*pple,” the researchers said.
“No statistically significant differences were found between genders, indicating agreement between men and women regarding the ideal breast aesthetic,” they added.
The study was aimed at providing more aid to plastic surgeons and patients, and it indicates a trend in plastic surgery, especially when it comes to breast implants.
Celebrity culture helped popularize the ultra-curvy look, but the current trend points towards something different
For years, celebrity culture seemed to have a very different idea of what the “perfect” body looked like. The 1990s and 2000s gave audiences the famous ultra-voluptuous aesthetic, which was associated with stars like Pamela Anderson.
By the 2010s, that exaggerated hourglass figure had evolved. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian helped push the curvy-body image as the ideal appearance.
But now, some experts believe there is a new trend. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ryan Neinstein said patients are no longer looking for large implants.
“Patients used to provide us with inspiration pictures of [well-endowed] women in bikinis or topless, but we’ve noticed a trend of women asking for smaller, more elegant implants,” he previously told the New York Post.
“Now women are only going up about one cup size, whereas [in the 2010s] they were going up three and four sizes,” he added.
Carlos F/Adobe Stock (not the actual photo)
Researchers have been obsessing over breast ratios for years now.
An older study, published in the September 2014 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons), analyzed responses from 1,315 respondents (655 men and 660 women), including 53 plastic surgeons.
To determine what makes the perfect pairing, the respondents were shown pictures of women with breast pole ratios of 35:65, 45:55, 50:50, and 55:45.
The results showed that the 45:55 ratio was the most attractive, and the 50:50 ratio was the second choice.
Yakobchuk Olena/Adobe Stock (not the actual photo)
Age also appeared to influence the preferences of the responses.
While 86% of women under 40 chose the 45:55 ratio, that figure dropped to 76% among women over 40.
“The more mature group [chose] more upper pole fullness, perhaps as a reflection of their own loss of projection over time,” Dr Patrick Mallucci of The Cadogan Clinic said at the time.
The findings also challenged a common assumption about male preferences.
Men, like women, overwhelmingly favored the more natural-looking 45:55 proportion.
“This is in stark contrast to previously misplaced assumptions that men prefer oversized or ‘fake’ breasts—a view that has long been held as a clichéd interpretation of male preference,” the researchers wrote.
“The best breasts are healthy breasts,” one concluded online
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