Things You Should Consider Before Getting Breast Implants

When you’re considering a breast augmentation, the first thing you may be concerned about is feeling better about your body- and thats exactly what you should be thinking about! Being happy with yourself is the motivation that will get you in for a consultation. But once you start getting down to the many decisions you have to make before surgery- the most obvious being the size of your breast implants- its important to consider how your pre-op choice will affect your daily life.
Consider a few elements of your lifestyle and how having slightly larger breasts, moderately larger, or much larger breasts would change those elements.
Are you a very active person? Do you run several times a week, rock-climb, play tennis, or swim regularly? These are physical sports that can be affected by breast implants. You may have to adjust your techniques or do some work with a personal trainer to get used to your new body.
Activities that arent necessarily physical but that are performed close to the body will also be affected by larger implants. Things like cooking or gardening, or things that require you to bend slightly at the waist, will change when your body changes.
What about your style of dress? One of the reasons women cite for getting a breast augmentation is that they want to look better in their clothes and stop having everything altered to fit them. Keep in mind that the same might be true after your surgery- if you get very large implants and you have a very small frame, you might have trouble finding clothes to accommodate your new chest. Your surgeon will be able to help you decide which size implants are best for your body frame.
You also need to consider your daily habits and whether or not they are shaped by having a smaller chest. For example, do you sleep on your stomach every night? Having a much larger chest might make this more uncomfortable. Do you spend your time at home without a supportive bra on? This might have to change if you get larger implants- you might be uncomfortable without one, especially at first.
One way to tell if your life will be much different after breast augmentation is to fill two bags with rice, and make them about the size of the implants you want. Put them in your bra and walk around the house. Try lying down, bending over to cook, and generally just going about your day. Can you stand up and sit up straight without straining? Try on a few items of clothing. Will you need a new wardrobe (this isnt necessarily a negative- many patients are excited about buying new, fashionable clothes to show off their new breasts).
If you have questions, visit our breast augmentation page for educational information. Call us at (703) 574-2588 or click here to set up a consultation.
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