Breast surgeries are among the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the United States. Often, when people hear that a woman has had breast surgery, they make a variety of assumptions. They might assume that a woman is insecure about her appearance or that a partner is pressuring her to have surgery.
The reality of breast surgery is often much more complicated than that. Women decide to have surgery for a variety of reasons, and surgery can take many forms. Some women opt for breast augmentation, others choose breast reduction, and some may choose a breast lift, either on its own or combined with another breast surgery. Let’s take a closer look at five real reasons why women choose surgery.
They Want Larger or Smaller Breasts
For some women, the reason for wanting a breast augmentation or breast reduction is simple. They would like to have either larger or smaller breasts. It’s important not to think that wanting larger breasts is necessarily purely out of vanity, though. Women with smaller-than-average breasts or with breasts that are underdeveloped often have trouble fitting into clothing. It’s difficult to fill out tops, the bodices of dresses, or the top of a swimsuit if the breasts are very small.
In many cases, women seeking implants are looking for a slight enhancement or addition of volume. While there are women who want to go from an A cup to a DD, many more are just looking to go from a B to a C.
Women seeking a breast reduction often want smaller breasts because they too have trouble fitting into clothing. While women with naturally small breasts might have trouble filling out their bodices or shirts, women with larger breasts often have trouble finding tops that are large enough to fit them while working in proportion to the rest of their body.
Additionally, many women who want smaller breasts are experiencing back, neck, or shoulder pain due to the heavy weight of their breasts. Surgically removing some of the tissue helps ease the discomfort they feel.
They’ve Lost Weight
Losing weight is often a good thing. It can help improve a woman’s overall health and longevity. But depending on how much weight a woman loses, it can also change the size and shape of the breasts. For some women, dramatic weight loss can leave them with sagging or drooping breasts, thanks to excess skin that remains after the tissue or fat has gone. Many women also lose some volume from their breasts. Surgeries such as a breast lift and breast augmentation can help restore a woman’s breasts to the shape and size they were before the weight loss.
They Have Uneven Breasts
Few people have breasts that are completely symmetrical. How noticeable the unevenness in the breasts is determines whether a woman decides to have surgery to correct in. In some cases, a woman might develop asymmetry after weight loss or childbirth. Asymmetry can also occur after an initial breast augmentation procedure, causing a woman to deciding to have her breast implants replaced or taken out completely later on.
Their Breasts Changed After Pregnancy
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can change a number of things about a woman’s body. Many women see their breasts increase in volume and fullness while they are pregnant. After the baby is born and has breastfed, the breasts might lose a considerable amount of volume, in some cases leaving a woman with breasts that are smaller than they were before she got pregnant.
Since the volume won’t return on its own, it’s common for women to seek breast surgery, either on its own or as part of a mommy makeover, once they are finished having children.
They Have a Congenital Abnormality
In some cases, the breasts might not develop fully on their own. Tuberous breasts are different from breasts that are smaller than average. They tend to also have a different shape, areolar herniation (puffy nipples), and asymmetry. The exact appearance of tuberous breasts can vary from woman to woman and many with the condition don’t realize they have it, but do think that there is something unusual about their breasts. Breast surgery to correct tuberosity focuses on adding volume, improving the shape of the breasts and correcting any asymmetry.
Whatever your reasons for considering breast surgery, you want to work with the best. Dr. Paul Vitenas is a board certified plastic surgeon who has frequently been named the top doctor in Houston, Texas. To learn more about your options and to see if breast surgery is right for you, call 281-484-0088 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Vitenas today.