In Search of the Ideal Breast
During a recent segment on NBC’s Today Show, the question was asked, “Is there an ideal breast size?” NBC’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman quickly responded “Yes” and she’s right. As she explained, “The perfect breast is based in art and symmetry. Just like there is the perfect face or the perfect nose, there are perfect breasts. The problem is, Mother Nature either gives it to you or she doesn’t.”
The good news is that we can give Mother Nature a hand. Each week I meet with dozens of women who are not satisfied with the size, shape, or proportion of their breasts. For some, it’s a way to look and feel more feminine. Other women may want to get back to the way they looked before they were pregnant. Still, others may simply be tired of having to wear padded bras or shopping for clothes that they know won’t fit correctly.
For many women, breast augmentation, using FDA-approved silicone implants, can be the ideal solution. Yet so often they are afraid to take the first step. Will I really look like myself? Do I really want to undergo surgery? How will I know how big to make my breasts? Will it look natural?
As a plastic surgeon who deals with these types of questions on a daily basis, I can assure women that breast augmentation is a safe, simple, common, and effective way for them to create a more natural and satisfying look for themselves. When I meet with a prospective patient, we talk a lot about size and even use some external inserts to help them figure out the ideal breast size for their body.
The surgery itself is typically done on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia and takes about an hour. There is a small two-inch incision made under each breast, which is invisible to most people. Recovery times vary, but most patients are off pain medication within 24 hours and able to drive and resume many routine activities. More strenuous exercise and labor should be avoided for up to six weeks to let everything heal fully.
It’s also important to note that breast implants do not interfere with the ability of mammograms to detect lumps in the breast. Because the implant is placed behind the muscle in the breast, a mammogram will still be an effective detection procedure, and one that I urge my patients to use.
Breast augmentation makes sense for the 35-year-old woman who’s never been totally comfortable with the way she looks. It makes sense for the 22-year-old young woman who is fully developed but small-breasted. It makes sense for any woman of any age who’s ever thought about it to find out more.
Yes, you can have the ideal breasts for your own body size and shape. It is easier and safer today than ever before. Mother Nature and plastic surgeons, working together, make a great team.
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