Maybe you just want your clothes to fit better, make a slight improvement to your current shape or revamp your shape after weight loss or pregnancy. The reasons for getting breast augmentation are as varied as the women who choose this deeply personal procedure — one of the most common cosmetic procedures done each year. In fact, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says 286,000 augmentations were done in the United States in 2012. Despite the high number of women choosing the procedure, there’s still a lot of misinformation about breast augmentation, says Dr. Samina Wahhab of Allentown, who took time to dispel some of the common myths about the surgery.
Myth: People can tell that you’ve had surgery
Wahhab says that simply isn’t true because most of the breast augmentation procedures look very natural. “The vast majority of my patients are looking for very natural results proportionate to their body size,” she says. “You can’t tell in clothing or a bathing suit.” There are some cases where people can tell that there has been an augmentation, but that’s usually when a patient asks for a specific look.
Myth: Implants must be replaced every five to 10 years
Nothing could be further from the truth, Wahhab says. The idea that implants need to be replaced probably came from the fact that two major manufacturers used to offer 10-year warranties on their implants – the implication being the implants could fail after the warranty was up. But not so. “We don’t replace a car part when it’s out of warranty,” she says. “We replace it when there’s a problem.” The same manufacturers now offer lifetime warranties; however, that does not imply that the implant is a lifetime device. “Implants only need to be replaced if there’s a problem or an issue,” she says.
Myth: Implants feel unnaturally firm
Many different factors contribute to the overall look of a finished augmentation ,including the overlying breast tissue, the type of implant and its position, so that it’s impossible to say that implants will feel one way or another. “Just like every breast is not the same, every implant isn’t the same,” Wahhab says.
Myth: Breast implants are dangerous
Breast implants have not been found to increase the risk of disease or breast cancer, she says. In addition, there’s no danger to a breastfeeding baby after an augmentation. While breast augmentation is surgery, and all surgical procedures have potential risks, it isn’t considered a highrisk procedure.
Myth: One Size Fits All
When deciding on a size for the augmentation, it’s important for the patient to try on various implants, Wahhab says. Implants come in different sizes and shapes and it is important to choose the one that is best for the individual patient. “I find it gives the patients more control over the way they look,” she says, adding that she works with patients and makes recommendations based on body shape. “Equally important is for the woman to be able to choose what’s good for her body. The only way to really determine that is to be able to try on different implants and see what feels right.”
