One of the most sought-out aesthetic surgery procedures, breast augmentation involves restoring and increasing breast size through either silicone or saline implants and in some cases, fat transfer. It primarily aims to enhance, restore, and promote an attractive breast shape.
You might wonder, however, when is breast augmentation necessary? What are the things that would make you consider from having one?
1. Pregnancy
It’s possible for women to lose a volume of their breasts due to several factors and for some, may even cause it to droop. Having a baby, for instance, can create a significant impact on your breast size. During pregnancy, a woman’s breasts will stretch and enlarge. But usually, after the breastfeeding stage, it usually goes back to its normal size.
2. Weight loss
When a woman undergoes dramatic weight loss, the fat tissue also shrinks along with the body’s other cells. Since a majority of fatty tissues composes your breast, it tends to expand the moment you gain weight. Therefore, shedding off a couple of pounds, and losing weight, in turn, can cause notably smaller breasts as this will cause you to lose a lot of fat tissues during the process.
3. Aging
Do you know that the size of your breasts can also change as you age? Your boobs may be at its peak, look perky and tight during your 20’s, but by the time menopause approaches, they can sag. According to Dr. Alexes Hazen, an associate professor in the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery in NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, as we age our skin tends to stretch out and sag. That’s where breasts droop, even when they’re not that big, she adds.
Hormones, especially estrogen- can also play a role. During this stage, there is notably a decrease in a woman’s breast size as hormone levels start to decrease.
4. Asymmetrical breasts
Some women may develop or are born with asymmetrical breasts. In fact, only a few have naturally symmetrical breasts, and there are times that this asymmetry can be severe. In fact, asymmetrical breasts can cause a negative effect on the mental health of the woman. Based on the research of a team of doctors headed Dr. Brian Labow at Boston Children’s Hospital, they suggest that female patients who have breast asymmetry have lower self-esteem than their other female counterparts.
Therefore, possible early medical intervention can be beneficial to these patients to minimize negative outcomes.
5. Improving overall self-confidence
Although the issue is still highly debatable, when it comes to your self-esteem and overall happiness, you’re the only person who can decide if you want to undergo the procedure or not. However, some women seek the treatment to feel great and confident about themselves, especially when wearing swimwear and certain clothes. For them, low-self confidence can stem from a less favorable self-image. Thus, this can significantly impact how they go on with their everyday lives and the way they interact with other people.
In fact, according to surgeon Dr. Eric Swanson who published a study called Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, he stated that almost 92 percent of women improved their self-esteem after undergoing surgery and about 64 percent of those respondents have reported that it has improved their quality of life.
6. Improving overall satisfaction with sex life
For some, undergoing breast augmentation has dramatically improved their intimacy with their partners and over-all sex life.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has published an article called “Survey Finds Breast Augmentation Surgery Benefits More Than Just Breast Size.” According to what the study found, almost 34 percent had reported an overall increase in satisfaction when it comes to their sex life. Also, from those respondents, 61 percent say that they do have sex more frequently with their partners after the procedure.
Considerations
There are several points that you have to keep in mind before deciding whether or not breast augmentation is for you. Here are the top three pros and cons to weigh if you’re considering whether or not you want to have a procedure done.
Pros:
- Breast augmentation is one of the long-term solutions out there to achieve an ideal feminine shape that you want.
- You will look great and feel beautiful and confident wearing swimsuits and other clothing.
- You will flaunt a more fuller and youthful figure.
Cons:
- Breast implants will require constant monitoring.
- They will eventually need to be replaced after several years.
- There are some usual surgical risks involved
How do you know you’re a good candidate for this type of procedure?
These are the most common reasons why you think you may need a breast augmentation.
- Over the years, you have felt your breasts become smaller after having kids.
- Your breasts became significantly smaller after losing weight.
- One of your breasts is considerably smaller than the other, meaning you have asymmetrical breasts.
- You think that your breasts may be too small for your body.
- You always feel self-conscious whenever you wear tops with low necklines and swimsuits.
As long as you are positive, have reasonable expectations, and most importantly, is in good health, then you’re likely a good candidate.
The takeaway:
Breast augmentation is usually performed to replace the volume that is lost usually caused by several external factors such as pregnancy, weight loss, and aging. It can also be due to the physical traits a woman is born with- breasts that are too small for their bodies, or one breast larger than the other.
When is breast augmentation necessary? While some women seek breast augmentation to feel more confident about their bodies, the reasons may vary. Undergoing surgery is not a fix-all solution to your self-esteem because it’s more complicated than that. The critical part here to remember is that when you decide to go through a cosmetic procedure, always remember that you have to do it for the right reasons.
About Author – Olivia Norris
Olivia Norris is a stalwart believer in the power of human curiosity, and as such she strives to fulfill the need of her audiences to learn about her topics with informative and engaging pieces. As a contributor for Dr. Bogue, her health and fitness pieces are spot on with the concerns of her readers, especially breast augmentation topics. She loves jogging and doing yoga during her free time.