About 200,000 breast augmentation procedures are performed in the United States every year. While the primary goal of this surgery is to increase breast size, there are several additional benefits that stem from that. From our perspective, we see breast augmentation as a life-changing decision that can enhance your shape in numerous ways. We’ll discuss some of them here.
Overall Proportion
One of the foundational aspects of plastic surgery is the value of good proportions. When observing the female shape, proportion is created by harmony between the shoulders, breasts, and hips. When the breasts are naturally small or small as a result of very low body fat and high muscle mass, proportion is thrown out of balance. Optimally, breast augmentation surgery can increase breast size to match that of the hips, bringing more cohesiveness to the body as a whole. This is a word of caution to those who may wonder if “bigger is better.” While there is always room for personal preference, breast size that dramatically outdoes hip-width simply disrupts proportions to the other extreme. Another aspect of proportion that a surgeon has to take into consideration is the patient’s lifestyle. We mentioned that breast size could be smaller in women who engage in extreme sports or very strenuous exercise. In these cases, enlargement may be subtler so as not to compromise the patient’s ability to work out comfortably.
Symmetry
All breasts are naturally somewhat asymmetrical to some degree. Usually, though, this is barely perceptible to the untrained eye. It is uncommon to see a dramatic difference in size from one breast to the other, but it does happen. To correct this and improve the symmetry as much as possible, the surgeon places breast implants of different sizes. A smaller implant is inserted beneath the larger breast mound and vice versa. As a result, the breasts look much more naturally balanced.
Improved Body Contours
Breast augmentation improves the shape and size and contours of the chest area, but that is not all. When the breasts appear larger and fuller, the midsection naturally looks narrower and more slender. The hourglass shape is created. To further enhance the curves between the breasts, midsection, and hips, some patients combine their breast augmentation with sculpting procedures like abdominoplasty and liposuction.
Lifting
You must be careful not to approach breast augmentation with an unwavering expectation that your breasts will look lifted after surgery. While they do during the initial stage of recovery, breast implants can increase the weight of the breasts and thus increase the gravitational pull against them. Your surgeon should carefully assess your skin elasticity and firmness in relation to your natural breast size when planning the right procedure for you. In some cases, it is best to combine the augmentation procedure with a lift.
Confidence
Why else does one have plastic surgery other than to feel better about their appearance? This may be the ultimate reward for having breast augmentation, to feel great about the shape of your breasts and body!
To learn more about breast augmentation, contact our Salem, OR office at 503-561-7000 and schedule a visit.