Breast implants have been around since the mid-1960s. However, the idea of surgically or otherwise enlarging the breasts has been around even longer. For example, during World War II, women in Japan injected their breasts with paraffin wax to make them more appealing to U.S. soldiers. While breast augmentation and implants themselves have come a long way in the last few decades, a few myths linger. If you’re considering breast implants, but aren’t sure if you can believe everything you have heard, it helps to know what’s real and what is purely myth.
1. You Have to Go Big or Go Home.
Cultural tastes change over the years, whether it’s a love for flare leg jeans versus skinny jeans, or the prefereance for large breasts versus a smaller chest. While big implants were a big deal in the 1990s, today, more and more women are going for a more subtle result. If you have smaller breasts and are considering implants, remember that there is no need to go up several cup sizes, unless that is what you really want. In many instances, a moderate increase, such as one or two cup sizes, will just make more sense. This small change can keep the chest looking proportionate and feeling comfortable on your frame.
Although some women may prefer larger breasts, there are drawbacks of going too large. These women can have trouble finding clothing that fits and often suffer from shoulder or back pain. A slight increase in size can be just want you need to get better fitting clothing and a boost of confidence, without the drawbacks of a super-large chest.
2. Pregnancy and Breastfeeding are No-No’s After Implants.
Having breast implants shouldn’t interfere with your ability to get pregnant, safely bring a baby to term, and then breastfeed your little one. Some people are concerned that the silicone in breast implants poses a risk to the baby, but that isn’t true.
There is one thing to note if you are planning on having children after getting breast implants. Pregnancy can change the size or shape of your breasts or make them more likely to sag. Not every woman experiences dramatic or long-lasting changes to her breasts after pregnancy. If you do notice more sagging after giving birth, a procedure such as a breast lift can help restore your prepregnancy shape.
3. Saline is Safer Than Silicone.
People might think that saline implants are safer than silicone for several reasons. Saline is simply salt water, while silicone is a type of rubber. Silicone implants also have an unpleasant history, in that they were taken off the market for years because of safety concerns. They were only recently re-introduced as an option for women.
However, in reality, the new silicone implants are as safe as saline. In fact, today’s silicone implants tend to offer several advantages over saline, such as a more natural look and feel. The will not dramatically deflate if they rupture, which can be both a positive and a negative feature. On the good side, if a rupture occurs, you won’t end up with uneven breasts. The silicone will also not be leaking into your system. The only negative about silicone implants is that it can be difficult to tell is there is an issue with the implant.
4. Your Fat is a Better Option.
If you can have fat removed from one area of the body and injected into the breasts to increase their size, you might wonder why you’d bother with implants at all. While a fat transfer can be a good option for some areas, such as the face, it’s not necessarily the ideal option for the breasts, at least not for everyone. For one thing, you need to have an adequate amount of donor fat in one area of your body, such as the hips. There’s also no way to know for sure how your body will respond to the injected fat. You might absorb a portion of it, meaning your results will not quite be the size that you desired. A fat transfer is best for people who want a very subtle change or who want to make their breasts more symmetrical.
There are many more misconceptions about breast augmentation floating around out there. That’s why speaking with a plastic surgeon who have years of experience performing breast augmentation is important. In the Houston area, Dr. Paul Vitenas performs hundreds of augmentation procedures each year, using both saline and silicone implants. He is happy to discuss the surgery with you, let you know what to expect, and address any concerns you might have. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Vitenas at his Houston practice, call 281.484.0088 today.