Pros and Cons Of Breast Augmentation Surgery – Would You Do It?

I don’t know if breast augmentation surgery is becoming more popular, or maybe just because I am getting older and so are my peers so it is more common in my age group… when you are heading towards forty years and you have had two children that you have breast fed let’s face it your breasts are just not the same as when you were twenty years old.

Lately I have been coming across more women that say they have had breast augmentation surgery. In fact when I had my baby store in Langebaan I actually had a lady show me her new boobs much to my surprise! I have to admit they looked good.

Breast augmentation surgery is a surgical procedure that increases the breast size, changes the shape of the breast or increases the fullness of the breast.

The surgeon places implants (silicone, saline or alternative composite) under the breast tissue or chest muscles.

Very often breast augmentation surgery is done after treatment for breast cancer to reconstruct the breasts after a partial or full mastectomy.

While I would dearly love my twenty year old boobs back I doubt anything would ever convince me to have my boobs done. The thought of any cosmetic surgery is not appealing to me personally. If I could have a fairy godmother and with the wave of a wand have my body after birth replaced with my body before having kids I doubt I would hesitate but the thought of going under the knife is just not for me.

So that’s my feelings about breast augmentation, but what about you? Would you have a boob job?

If you are considering it then here are some pros and cons of breast augmentation surgery you should consider:

Pros of Breast Augmentation Surgery

• Having surgery is a long term solution if you are wanting to increase your naturally small breasts, restore your breast shape and size after weight loss, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or reconstruct your breasts after surgery.
• Having breast augmentation surgery can boost your confidence, especially for women that have had a mastectomy.
• Having fuller breasts may mean that your clothing fits better and your figure looks more asymmetrical.

Cons of Breast Augmentation Surgery

• Breast augmentation surgery comes with risks, as with any surgical procedure. Nearly half of women that have cosmetic breast surgery have complications that can require additional surgery.
• There is a chance that after surgery you may not be happy with the results. The texture and feeling of your breasts may change and/ or your breasts may look fake.
• You will need regular monitoring for possible rupturing.
• As with any surgery you will be left with some scarring, although often the scars are light and not noticeable.
• Implants last anything from 7 – 12 years and then they will need to be replaced.
• While most breast augmentation surgery procedures won’t affect your chances of breastfeeding, some might cause problems with breastfeeding.
• Breast augmentation surgery comes with a cost and your medical insurance won’t cover it for purely cosmetic reasons. You may be covered for breast reconstruction if you have had breast cancer and that may include getting implants.
• As with any surgical procedure there will be some pain and you will need some time to recover from the procedure.

Recovery Time After Breast Augmentation Surgery

Recovery time after breast augmentation depends on the type of surgery you have. Make sure that you have set aside 2 full days after surgery to be cared for and to not strain yourself at all.

If you have young kids try and get someone to come and stay with you for a week to help you. Keep all physical activity to a minimum for a week after surgery.

If you are taking time off work for the surgery take at least one week off to be safe.

It is advisable to wait at least 2 weeks before taking up any light exercise. By about 6 – 8 weeks you will be able to start easing yourself back into full activity.

You can expect some pain in the days following surgery and you will have pain medication prescribed to help you manage the pain. You can expect swelling, stiffness and tenderness in the area of surgery. Wearing compression bandages can help alleviate this.

Dissolvable sutures usually disappear within 6 weeks. If you don’t have dissolvable sutures you will need to have a follow up appointment to remove them.

You may be advised by your surgeon to do certain post-operative exercises that involve flexing and moving your arms. Likewise you may be advised to massage your breasts to help with proper positioning of the implants and to prevent capsular contracture (a complication where the internal scar tissue forms around the breast implant, contracting it until it becomes hard and misshapen).

Remember that it is really important to listen to your body and if it feels like you are taking on too much slow down and let your body recover at its own pace.

Make sure you understand exactly what your surgery entails and research what you can expect after surgery. Talk to your doctor and ensure that you have all the information that you need.

If you want to have breast augmentation surgery make sure that you do your homework about the type of surgery you want, the outcome you desire and of course make sure that you research properly and get good recommendations before choosing a cosmetic surgeon that you are happy and comfortable with.

Share your thoughts in the comments!