When it comes to breast augmentation, it’s important to have all the facts that allow you to make an educated and well-informed choice. Before deciding to have the surgery, here are a few things you’ll want to consider, and discuss with your surgeon.
Breast augmentation is one of the most frequently performed types of plastic surgery in the United States, and is the number one most requested invasive procedure by American women. The desire to have enhancement surgery is something that appears to cross some of the typical demographic lines, including race, age, marital status, profession, and income level. The procedure has become so popular and such a part of our society’s fabric that it’s estimated that by 2015, over 50% of American women will choose to have breast implants at some point in their lifetime. Although augmentation, and plastic surgery in general, has become less taboo and more of a socially acceptable way of improving physical appearance, it’s still important for women to keep in mind that the procedure is invasive, and considered elective surgery. Before deciding whether or not implants are the right choice, it’s imperative that women have all the information they need about the process.
The operation is a fairly uncomplicated one, performed by placing an implant under the patient’s natural muscle and breast tissue, creating the appearance of a larger cup size and a fuller appearance. Implants are created from two different materials, silicon and saline. During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, when augmentation first became more popular and more widely available in the United States, silicon was the material of choice. It offers certain benefits, including a more natural look and feel for patients, and less potential for slippage and placement issues. However, a silicon-related health scare took the implants off the market until 2006, until studies could be completed to determine if any health risks were associated with the use of silicon. These studies provided scientific proof that the fears of health risks were unfounded, and silicon implants provided no greater risk to women than saline. Since being reintroduced, newer silicon-based products use a gel, and while not all gels have yet been approved for use, those created by the two largest manufacturers of have received approval and are widely available to almost all patients. Women must be at least 22 years of age to choose the silicon option; for now, younger women seeking augmentation are restricted to the saline implant. However, both substances are equally non-toxic, and provide long-lasting and natural results.
Although most patients believe that breast augmentation is a one-time procedure, many doctors recommend that patients have their implants redone every 10-15 years. This is a point of controversy in the cosmetic surgery community, so it’s important for a patient to find out her doctor’s views on the subject, and also to discuss the pros and cons of saline versus silicon implants. The more information and research a woman has at her fingertips, the more likely she is to make an educated choice, and be happy with the end results of her breast augmentation.
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