Quality of life and self-esteem after breast asymmetry surgery.

Background: Surgical correction of breast asymmetry involves not only an acceptable aesthetic result but also physical, social, and psychological consequences on the patient's quality of life.

Objective: The authors evaluated the impact of breast asymmetry surgical treatment on self-esteem and health-related quality of life in a group of 35 patients.

Methods: Patients completed the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), a generic health evaluation tool that covers quality of life across 8 dimensions, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, a specific tool for evaluating self-esteem.