What to Consider When Considering Breast Augmentation

Posted January 24, 2018 in Breast Augmentation

When it comes to plastic surgery, breast augmentation is the gold standard. Women desire alterations to their breasts for a multitude of reasons. But unlike some other popular cosmetic procedures, which are traditionally performed on older demographics, girls as young as in their teens and early 20s can become interested in breast implants. Many young women may wonder what the right age is to undergo breast augmentation; however, that’s not the most important thing to consider. While implants are FDA approved for women 18 and older (22 if you desire silicone implants), your lifestyle and future desires play a much more prominent role than the number your birth certificate says. Here are some things you should consider before you go under the knife.

Are You Planning to Have Children?

While pregnancy and breastfeeding are possible after undergoing breast augmentation surgery, it is recommended that you hold off on your surgery until after you are finished having children. There will be no physical limitations caused by having implants; however, the strain placed on your body with pregnancy and childbearing will likely affect your augmentation results. During pregnancy, the skin will stretch, your breasts will change very quickly, and there is no guarantee that your implants will not be affected by this. You may be left with undesirable results that may require additional surgery.

Is Your Skin Stretched?

If you experience sagging or deflated breasts, you may be under the impression that adding implants may be all that you need. This is, unfortunately, not true. Breast augmentation will not correct sagging breasts. Breast augmentation is designed to alter the size and shape of the breast—not the positioning on the chest. If you are looking for a procedure to eliminate the sag, you would be better suited for a breast lift. While breast augmentation and breast lift surgery are often combined, they are not interchangeable. When considering surgery, ask yourself whether it is the size that you are unhappy with or the placement.

Lifestyle

Like most things, breast augmentation trends go in stages. During the 1990s and early 2000s, many women desiring augmentation requested overly large implants. While this trend has seemed to have gone in the way of smaller, more natural-looking implants, the final decision about implant size will ultimately be up to you. When considering your implant size, however, ask yourself these questions.

• How will your implants balance your frame? If you have a petite frame, large implants will more dramatically affect your proportions.
• What type of clothing do you want to wear? This question goes hand-in-hand with the first, as your implants will affect your overall balance and whether you achieve an augmented look.
• How much do you exercise and what types of exercises do you prefer? Just as if you had naturally large breasts, large implants may restrict the amount and style of activities you can accomplish without pain. High-intensity sports may not be as comfortable with larger implants.

Only you know what your lifestyle is like, the smartest thing is to choose implants that will match and enhance that life.