Breast augmentation continues to be one of the most highly sought after plastic surgery procedures on the market, with over 300,000 women opting for breast implants each year. If you are one of the many women thinking about enhancing your breasts with augmentation, perhaps you’ve wondered about how you will feel about having had surgery and your new breasts over time.
New Study Shows Promising Results
A recent study looked into whether new breasts can in fact improve a woman’s quality of life. The intent of this study was to examine patient satisfaction and quality of life in cases of elective breast augmentation surgery. Participants were surveyed prior to their procedure, at 6 weeks post-operatively, and finally at 6 months after surgery. The survey used metrics to gauge satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial well-being, physical well-being, and sexual well-being. The results were unambiguous, showing a significant improvement in all but one of these areas of study after augmentation.
For the right patient, breast augmentation can improve quality of life by increasing self-esteem. The study presents a convincing argument that many patients experience a renewed sense of self and increased satisfaction with their bodies. According to the author of the study, Colleen M. McCarthy, MD, and co-authors, “cosmetic breast augmentation can have a significant and profound positive impact on a woman’s satisfaction with her breasts [and] her psychosocial and sexual well-being,”
Comparatively lower scores were reported when gauging physical well-being in the six months after augmentation, especially with older patients, whose recovery may have taken longer than they anticipated. However, even in this demographic, overall breast augmentation satisfaction scores were impressive—the reported improvement in quality of life was similar to that of patients who undergo hip replacement surgery.
In summary, the study results are encouraging for anyone considering breast augmentation surgery. Whether a patient hopes to correct asymmetry, achieve a more appealing shape, restore lost volume due to pregnancy and nursing, or simply to have larger, fuller breasts, breast augmentation can be a happy solution. If you’ve been thinking about breast augmentation surgery and would like to learn more, contact our Eugene office today to schedule a personal consultation with Eugene plastic surgeon Dr. Movassaghi.
