Breast Augmentation Fact and Fiction

By Hiba Bittar, MS, COO

Moki Media

More Women's Health & Beauty Articles

Breast Augmentation Fact and Fiction

Women want to look and feel terrific. If you are smart, inquisitive and always pushing yourself to look your best, you may have considered breast augmentation.

Is going bigger better? For many women, for many years, the answer to this daunting question is a resounding yes. Breast augmentation is surgery, however, and like every surgery it comes with its risks (www.fda.gov). Despite the accompanying price tag, potential complications and the possibility of follow-up surgeries, 95% of women who undergo breast augmentations are satisfied with their results.

Demand for breast augmentation surgery has tripled in the last 15 years. To be sure, the surgery is an enmeshed cultural phenomenon, and this vigorous growth in demand has generated a wealth of information, some of which is true but much of which is false. I have compiled my own list that details prevalent facts and fictions regarding this popular procedure. If you are considering breast augmentation, also known as breast enlargement, you may want to consider the following

Fact Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the country. It ranks first in the top five cosmetic surgical procedures nationwide, just before liposuction.

Fiction Breast implants cause cancer. A recent study in the Journal of National Cancer Institute indicated that breast implants are not linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The study also suggests that women with breast implants are less likely to get breast cancer due to the fact that they lead healthier lives, a factor that helps decrease their risk of breast cancer.

Fact Women who undergo breast augmentation experience improved sexual satisfaction. This is a phenomenon that has been reported among almost 80% of women with breast implants. A significant improvement in sexuality has also been reported among women who experienced satisfying sex lives prior to breast augmentation procedures.

Fiction You can't breastfeed with breast implants. Many women with breast implants can still breastfeed. Women who plan to breastfeed should remember that the ability to do so following breast augmentation often depends on implant placement. Plastic surgeons seeking to protect this ability often adopt an approach that reduces nerve or duct damage, increasing their patients' chances of breastfeeding successfully in the future.

Fact The FDA enforces an age minimum for breast augmentation. Since young women's breasts continue to develop throughout their teen years, the FDA has only approved breast implants for augmentation in women ages 18 and older. This age minimum also helps ensure that patients are old enough to make an informed decision.

Fiction Women always opt to have a breast augmentation to please a partner. Studies show that very few women opt for breast augmentation to attract a partner; alternatively, the most common reason women pursue the procedure is to feel better about themselves and their bodies.

Fact “Gummy Bear” implants are the new more cohesive silicone gel breast implants. This new FDA-approved, high-strength silicone gel implant from Sientra is only available at board-certified plastic surgeons' offices. The other two major breast implant manufacturers, Mentor and Allergan and are awaiting FDA approval. The gummy implants are filled with a firmer cohesive silicone gel that helps the implant maintain a uniform shape and a consistency more akin to that of natural breast tissue.

Fiction Breast implants last forever. Breast implants don't last forever. Women who undergo breast augmentation will likely need additional surgeries. Regardless of whether patients opt for saline or silicone implants, many factors determine whether additional surgeries are necessary. Breast hardening, rippling, asymmetry or poor cosmetic results just to name a few complications can undermine the quality of implants over time.

Anecdotal fact Implants save lives? In one reported case, a woman was shot in the chest but her silicone implants hindered the bullet. According to the case physician, the implant prevented the bullet from reaching a vital organ and causing mortal injuries.

Your plastic surgeon is the best person to consult regarding your eligibility as breast enlargement candidate. He or she can provide you with further information regarding the procedure, implant size and shape, as well as risks, possible complications and potential benefits.