Breast enlargement - should I?

Q. I do not have well developed breasts and i want to change them, probably with surgery. Is this ok?

A. Many women come to accept their breast shape the way it is, while others take measures to permanently change it. By undergoing surgery, they alter the shape of their breasts in order to make them look perkier and/or fuller, but at what cost?

When a person is unhappy with the way any part of their body looks, it can leave them feeling frustrated, even despondent. When it comes to breasts, there are a couple of less drastic options that a woman can try first to change the way they look. These include wearing enhancement bras, and/or doing pectoral exercises (which increase size slightly by build an underlay of muscle tissue, and thereby also improve tone and shape).

Before considering a more radical option such as surgery it is a good idea to reflect upon what is influencing your decision to go through with breast enhancement surgery.

1. A common belief is that having bigger breasts will improve self-esteem and confidence. This line of thinking emanates from the assumption that a better 'outside' can make a person feel better on the inside. Unfortunately, having breast implants won't necessarily cure feelings of inferiority, nor is it a surefire way to treat the emotional and/or psychological issues that are most often buried within a negative self-image. If this might be the case, then your money would be better spent on counseling to find and resolve those issues. Only if you are confident that the real problem is not a psychological one should you then consider the surgical alternative.

2. Many women feel pressure to look more attractive, to try to fit into a rather narrow standard of beauty, which is powerfully influenced by the media and companies that 'sell' beauty or sex. Do you believe you can separate what you're being told is beautiful from what you truly believe to be beautiful? If you just focused on eating right, exercise and positive self-talk - if you haven't already - would it change how attractive you felt enough to remove your yearning?

3. Some women believe that a boob job will make men find them desirable and more appealing, particularly when they're in a sexual relationship that's waned. This is a slippery slope. Say you do get a new set of breasts … what do you think will happen once the novelty has worn off for both of you? Will your sex/love life just go back to the way it was before?

4. Although breast augmentations have become more common, and are generally safe procedures, surgery still carries risks such as: infection, implant malfunction, lingering pain, change in capacity to feel sensation, and potentially permanent disfigurement.

Check out Breast Enlargement in our Body Alteration section and talk to your doctor about your suitability for surgery. If you're under the age of twenty, you may not be an appropriate candidate, as your breasts are still growing (and continue to change in shape throughout different stages in your life).

In no way is this response aiming to sway you from having breast augmentation. We are merely pointing out the many factors that require careful consideration. Because of the potential risks, coupled with an overwhelming pressure from media and other external sources, you may be seeing something about yourself that isn't even real. Exercise careful consideration and honest self-reflection before you make your final decision.