Hi everyone... I was wondering what your take is on young people getting plastic surgery. I was considering plastic surgery when I turn 18 in a few months. Although I'm not completely insecure about it, I think I would enjoy a small breast augmentation.

I guess my question is, should plastic surgery be for people that are only really, really insecure about whatever part they are being operated on? I'm almost okay with my small boobs but I think it would help me feel better in the long run.

The thing to consider isn't whether it's right or wrong. It's whether or not it would help you to feel more comfortable with your body. This is your body. your decision. Just consider that you shouldn't change your appearance to suit the ideals put forth by other people.

Please read my post "Things to consider before you get a boob job." Things to keep in mind: Can you afford to have 2-3 surgeries if something goes wrong with the first one? 40% of patients who get breast implants will receive leakage within 6 years of their surgery and 95% will experience leakage within 12 years. That is another surgery, another $5-8,000. What will you do if you don't have the money/credit to afford another surgery? If something goes wrong, they do NOT fix it for free, even if the surgeon made a mistake. I have heard stories of women who have such bad compliations or such bad work done that they need 3-4 surgeries in a year, to replace implants, and to deal with scar tissue. That is $25,000+ plus!! Where would a young girl get that kind of money? And You will have to have your implants replaced at least once in your life, probably more.

MANY THINGS CAN GO WRONG:
Infection!! You could get a bad surgeon, even if he/she is board certified. Visible wrinkling of implants and breast skin can occur.
Calcium deposits can form in the scar tissue surrounding the implant and may cause pain or hardness. Please also be aware Silicone Gel is not harmless. You could get chronic inflammation, swollen lymph nodes, ect. Even saline implants are made of silicone shell, and silicone is a toxic substance! Some women can have implants for many years and never have any problems, but as the years go by, many women with implants become seriously ill.
Your breast tissue streches when you get an implant, so if you ever get them removed you WILL be disfigured!


Please consider carefully.

Hello, jjwdean. I think it's fine for a young woman to make a decision to get breast implants. If you get them early in your life, people will get used to your look and not be surprised later on if you would wait until you're older. I think breast implants really do boost a woman's confidence and they make her look stunning. You'll look terrific in swimsuits and evening wear as well as everyday clothes.

I believe that young women should wait until they are older for facial cosmetic surgery, unless there is a disturbing disfigurement. It's good to wait until a woman is older to correct the effects of aging, IMO.

Natalie, I think it is wrong that you are coming to this board to post only potential negative results of breast augmentation. It's not appropriate to come here to scare women and continue to re-post to deter them in their decisions. I have at least 20 friends who have had breast implants. Of them, only two have experienced a leakage, and one has developed major health problems. Her health problems were corrected with a different implant. She is now well, gorgeous and happy. Two of my friends have had implants for over 20 years, and it doesn't seem likely they will need additional surgery in the future.

With any cosmetic surgery, there are potential risks. The surgeon has the responsibility to make the patient aware of potential risks for the patient to consider personally and privately. Of the people I know who have had different cosmetic procedures, the occurrence of side effects was minimal or absent. Everyone is different.

For example, I made the decision to undergo a blepharoplasty last November. I am now about 80 days post-op, and I am pleased with the results. I had been made aware of the potential risks, and I did lots of research before making the decision to proceed. If someone had constantly presented me with horror stories, I would most certainly have declined to have the surgery. I am delighted with the success and my new look; and I, personally, would encourage anyone considering a blepharoplasty to proceed with the procedure.

Ally-

I am entitled to give out information that I think could potentinally save a women from years of pain and illness.

You Said:
"..two have experienced a leakage, and one has developed major health problems..."


WOW..and you still think they are safe??? Two of them had saline or silicone (a toxic substanc) LEAK INTO THEIR BODY and you think that is OK?? And one developed major health problems? Do you realize a person's implant could leak and they could not even know it? That happens a lot. That means they have poison leaking into their bodies. Do you know that a women could have implants for 10+ years and then mysteriosly get deadly ill with autoimmune disorders, many times caused by the undetected leaks? Pardon me trying to give an 18 year old girl all the info she deserves. The plastic surgeon won't give it to her, I can tell you that. I HAVE BEEN TO THE PLASTIC SURGEONS, so have a couple of my friends. One had a serious complication, and had to have them redone. That was $12,000. My aunt also got implants back in the late 80's and now wished that she had never done it.

Are you going to pay for this young girls surgeries if she has complications and needs her implants removed, or replaced, and she is $10-15,000 in debt? Are you going to tell her that if she ever had her implants removed, her skin will be saggy and it is possible that no amount of reconstructive surgery (which costs more than the original implants) could fix her "defalted implants"?

Have you considered that implants hid up to 20% of the breast tissue on a mammogram, which is why people say implants "hide" breast cancer? IT IS TRUE.

Have you considered once an implant leaks, you will probably never be able to get health insurance again, and your insurance won't cover any breast related illness because they know that silincone (and saline implants have a silicone shell) is TOXIC??

Let's get real about this. Some LUCKY women don't have problems..but they could years and years from now. And some get butchered, and some have a lifetime of health complicatons from their implants.

I have considered the long-term effects of breast implants. I still have plenty of time to think about it. I just feel like plastic surgery is for those who really, really need it for the confidence boost or what have you, and I'm not exactly insecure about what I already have. So I'm not sure yet, but thank you all for the help.

Natalie, where are you getting your information?

Just my opinion...........i would wait til you were done having children. Getting the implants can boost your self esteem............but if they are just small........then i would leave them alone. There is nothing wrong with small breasts...........to me it is the shape that can crush your self esteem..........especially AFTER having children. I was very young had 2 children and my breasts were like "a ball in a sock" this devestated me.....so i got implants when i was 26yrs old and knew i did not want to have anymore children. IF i did get pregnant in the future, i knew that i probably would have to have a revision. I wouldnt risk having them this young........some people have implants and do get pregnant, have have no complications.....but i wouldnt risk that personally. Also....when and if you decide it is sooooo important to do all the research possible on the plastic surgeon and to go to more than 1 consult. Also a good idea to do a background check of the PS to make sure he/she does not have any lawsuits against them! This is the hardest part of deciding on plastic surgery.......to go with who you trust the most............a referral is always helpful as well. Remember there will be people that are negative about plastic surgery and other's that are all for it. Educate yourself and do all the research neccesary.

I have considered the long-term effects of breast implants. I still have plenty of time to think about it. I just feel like plastic surgery is for those who really, really need it for the confidence boost or what have you, and I'm not exactly insecure about what I already have. So I'm not sure yet, but thank you all for the help.

Natalie, where are you getting your information?


JJWdean- the american society of plastic surgeons has a whole lot of information regarding the complicatons of breast implant surgery. Seeing as they are a legitimate organization and all good plastic surgeons belong to the organization, you can be sure the information is accurate. You can read all about it online.

All the info I have posted has come from over a year of research online and in medical books. I was actually considering getting breast implants before, but I got ill and was told I would have to wait a while before I could have the surgery. During that time, I did a lot of research (which I had not previously done) and have now decided that I do NOT want implants. Silicone is a toxic substance, and even the saline implants have a silicone shell. If they leak, which many of them do without you even knowing, you will have a poisonous substane in your body..for life. That is just one of the many complications.

If you do a serach on breast cancer and breast implants, you will find that implants do hide a lot of breast tissue which can not be seen on a mammogram, which means that you could have breast cancer and not even know it because of the implants! There have also been many reports of women getting mysteriously ill after getting implants.

Cost is another consideration; If you don't have atleast $10,000 in the bank to pay for a second surgery if something goes wrong with the first one, then don't even consider doing it. Also, if they leak, they will have to be replaced. Trama (like a car accident) can cause them to deflate. Implants do wear out and will need to be replaced.

They can also interfer with breast feeding.

All this said, you could have no compliations. Then again, you could. I just wouldn't risk it unless it was a really essential surgery (like another poster said how her breasts were saggy after having kids, and also in cases of masectomies), and you have enough money to pay for multiple surgeries.