If you’re considering having a boob job to make yourself feel a little better about your appearance, good for you! If you think a surgical procedure can completely change your life and you believe your breasts define who you are as a woman, you might want to reconsider. Whilst it’s true that skilled surgeons can do some amazing things, your expectations should be realistic before you dive into this endeavour.
Breast augmentation is a serious undertaking that can have very pleasing results. Surgeons, however, cannot guarantee that the final outcome will give patients the “life changing experience” many seek. What they often can deliver, however, is a greatly enhanced appearance that gives women an incredible boost to their self-esteem.
Your motivations for having breast augmentation surgery will tell you a lot about whether or not your expectations are realistic. If you have one or more of the following thoughts in regard to enhancement, you’re probably a good candidate for the procedure:
* You are uncomfortable with small breasts – If your breasts are small and you simply want to increase their size in a reasonable manner, your expectations fall in on the realistic side.
* You are uncomfortable with the way your clothing fits – If you have trouble “filling out” clothing and wish to remedy this, you’re likely on the right track.
* You are dissatisfied with your breast appearance after having children – Should you desire the fuller, more perky look you enjoyed prior to having children, a boob job might be a good idea.
* You have lost weight, but are not happy with your appearance – If you have shed pounds, but find your breasts look a tad saggy and misshapen and wish to correct this, your expectations are likely good.
Whilst the above motivations are generally considered healthy lead ins for breast implants, some reasons for having surgery are not so healthy. Women who have particular motivations that fall on the “unhealthy” side are more likely to be dissatisfied with the outcome of surgery no matter how perfectly the procedure unfolds. These thoughts about breast implants might mean you have expectations that are not realistic:
* You desire enhancement to “change your life” – Breast augmentation can enhance the way you feel about yourself, but it cannot change your life. Believing that this will be the case is a strong warning sign of unrealistic expectations. Doctors will generally steer clear of patients who cite this as their motivation.
* You want the biggest, fullest breasts in your community – Whilst this would be nice, it’s not a realistic expectation. When you define yourself by the size of your breasts and use them as statements of who you are, your expectations will never be realistic.
* You have extremely low self-esteem and are looking for a way to improve your perception of yourself – When patients are completely dissatisfied with how they look and do not accept their body images, many doctors will choose to steer clear of their cases. The reality is that boob jobs enhance appearance, but they cannot make a woman “perfect.” Perfection is, after all, a subjective measure.
Breast augmentation surgery can help women look better and feel better about themselves. It is important to be realistic about expectations, however. A surgical procedure cannot change a life or change who a woman is on the inside.
Dr Zion Chan is a cosmetic surgeon in Sydney, specialising in breast augmentation, rhinoplasty and box. For a free consultation please visit
Breast Augmentation.
