Breast implants - Why breast implants are used
- Introduction
- Why breast implants are used
- Things to consider before getting breast implants
- Types of breast implant
- How breast implant surgery is performed
- Recovering after breast implant surgery
- Risks associated with breast implants
- Introduction
- Warning signs of a ruptured PIP implant
- Removal and replacement of PIP implants
- Frequently asked questions
- PIP implants safety concerns
- Results
Breast implants can be used to increase breast size, improve breast shape and make breasts more even in size.
There are a number of reasons why you may want breast implants. For example:
- you may be unhappy about the size, shape or unevenness of your breasts – possibly as a result of developmental problems
- your breasts have changed in appearance – for example, with age, weight loss, or after having children
- you are having, or have had, surgery to remove one or both breasts (mastectomy)
There is no specific medical advantage to having breast implants in cases such as these, but they can have positive psychological effects. For example, if a woman feels her breasts are unwomanly or inadequate, having breast implants may help improve her confidence and self-esteem.
However, it is important not to regard breast implants as a "quick fix", and you should take your time when considering whether or not to have them.
If you have significant body image issues or feelings of anxiety and depression, having breast implants will not necessarily lead to an improvement in these feelings.
If the operation is carried out privately, when making your decision you need to consider the potential financial cost of any consultations you have, the initial operation to insert the implants, and any follow-up treatment you may need.
You also need to be aware of the risk of side effects and complications associated with this type of surgery.
Read more about things to consider before having breast implants and the risks of breast implants.
Developmental problems
Sometimes a woman's breasts do not develop "normally" during puberty. Abnormal development can affect one or both breasts. Examples of abnormal breast development include:
- complete failure of breast tissue development (amastia)
- marked under-development (hypoplastic growth)
- significant unevenness (asymmetry) in size
- abnormal development of shape – for example, tubular breasts (where early growth is limited, resulting in unusually shaped, small, drooping and uneven breasts)
It is normal for breast size and breast shape to vary between women, and many women have one breast which is slightly larger than the other.
However, in some cases where a woman has particularly small or unusually shaped breasts, or where differences in breast size or shape are pronounced, breast implants may have an important psychological benefit.
© Crown Copyright 2009
