Medical Mondays

We asked for your questions on our Paging Doctor J post and you responded.  We are excited to bring your our first Medical Mondays!  Once a month Doctor J will answer your burning medical questions.  Here is our first question posted by anonymous.

What are the major risks of breast implants in your 20's?

There are a few things to consider when thinking about breast augmentation in your 20s. On top of the general questions one should ask and consider when getting breast implants, there are a couple of issues specific to youth.

The first is concern for the ability to breast feed. You should be able to breast feed after breast augmentation, however there is a small risk that this could be compromised, and thus should be discussed with your surgeon. 

Second is the consideration of need for future surgeries. Breast implants are currently recommended to be exchanged ( new ones placed) every 8-10 years. This means that if you want to keep breast implants over the course of your life you are looking at multiple surgeries over time. 

Third is your activity level. Depending on how active you are might influence where you want the implants placed, which can be above or below the muscle of the chest ( pectoralis muscle). There are pros and cons to each approach, but if you are very athletic, submuscular implant placement may not be a good choice for you.

Breast augmentation can be a wonderful experience for a patient, but it is surgery with long term implications that should be considered before undertaking such a large and life altering project.

*This advice is not to be considered professional medical advice and before any medical decisions are made you should always consult your doctor.