You already know that much of what’s floating around about breast augmentation is false information. To make it easier to discern fact from fiction, we’ve taken the liberty of busting a few more boob job myths for you.
Both saline and silicone implants need only be replaced if there is something wrong with them.
1) Breast implants need replacing every few years
Both saline and silicone implants need only be replaced if there is something wrong with them. Cosmetic surgeon Dr Ted Eisenberg explains that “breast implants don’t have an expiration date. They only need to be replaced if they deflate (saline) or rupture (silicone), and they’re not fragile”.
The confusion around implant replacement likely arises from the ten-year warranty that most implant manufacturers provide. A warranty limit, however, does not translate to a replacement time. Many women find they don’t have to change their implants well past the decade mark, whereas others find they need to in a few years (often because they want to change their size). There really is no set time for replacement.
The bottom line is that implants only need to be changed if they rupture or if the patient develops capsular contracture.
2) Women who get breast implants end up regretting their decision
A study published in the April 2014 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery shows that this is far from the case. The study evaluated 611 women on six categories before and after their surgery: satisfaction with the outcome, satisfaction with care and psychosocial, physical and sexual well-being.
Patients overwhelmingly reported positive scores in each category. For example, on a scale of 100 breast satisfaction scored around 25 before surgery and landed somewhere around the 80 mark afterwards.
Most women who choose to undergo this procedure have put a lot of thought into why they want it and are incredibly happy with the results. If the patient is informed and realistic about her surgery goals, then the likelihood that she will regret her choice is extremely low. And remember – no trusted doctor will perform surgery on a patient who is not 100 per cent sure that this is what they want.
The majority of women who get breast augmentations are happy about their decision.
3) You can always tell when a woman has had breast augmentation surgery
With smaller sized implants increasing in popularity and with growing cosmetic surgery technologies, breast augmentations are often so inconspicuous that they’re indiscernible from natural breasts. Improvements in implant technique mean that subtly enhanced breasts are attainable for women who want them.
However, it’s likely most people won’t even notice that you’ve had an augmentation, even if you go to a dramatically bigger size. Writing for the Breast Life, Grace Gold, author of The Boob Job Bible: How to Get a Safe, Sexy Breast Augmentation, says that after her operation, people who did notice something was different thought it was because she’d changed her hair or lost weight.
4) Boob jobs automatically lift breasts
Unfortunately, the only way to correct sagging breasts is through a breast lift (mastopexy). Boob jobs can make breasts look fuller and perkier, but it’s likely that the weight of a larger implant will make a chest sag even more.
Breast lifts work by removing excess skin, thereby tightening sagging areas and raising the whole breast. The overall result is newly shaped breasts that create a more youthful silhouette.
This said, many women, particularly women who have had children, prefer to combine the procedures, for an all-around boob makeover. Book a consultation with Esteem and find out if a combination lift and augmentation is right for you.
