The contour and position of the female breast is determined by the relationship between the amount of skin and the amount of tissue to fill that skin. If there is inadequate volume to fill the skin, the breast is relaxed and droopy. Attempts to improve the position and contour would involve surgery to attempt to allow the volume to better fill the skin. That attempt might involve increasing the volume or size of the breast, or reducing the amount of skin to allow the present volume to more adequately fill the skin (or occasionally a combination of both). If the disparity is not too great and the breasts not too large, an implant can be placed within the breast to increase the volume. If the breast size is adequate, the skin can be reduced in amount. This reduction in skin amount results in some scarring of the breast but often the scars are only of the lower part of the breast in areas usually covered by swimsuits, etc. A person would have to trade improved shape and position of the breast for the scars (which often are of good quality).

Removal of skin only to change the contour of and to lift the breast can be done as an office procedure. Usually non strenuous activities can be resumed in three or four days. Breast enlargement surgery is done in a day surgical facility. An implant filled with saline solution is used. The size and shape and position of that implant vary from one person to another but for a particular person would be decided before the surgery. Those patients doing non- physical work often return to work in four to seven days The objective of both types of surgery would be to produce breasts of pleasing shape and position and of a size commensurate with a person's general body size.