Why may I need breast implant surgery?

Breast implant surgery is done to increase the size of the breasts and enhance their shape. You may decide to get breast implants to:

• Enhance breasts you consider too small. The definition of what is too small (or too large, for that matter) varies from woman to woman. There is no universal standard below which breasts are considered too small. If you are content with the size of your breasts, then they are not too small.
• Restore the size or shape of the breasts after significant weight loss or pregnancy. A breast lift may be done at the same time as the enlargement in these cases.
• Make the breasts more evenly proportioned. In many women, one breast may be larger or sit higher than the other.

Breast implants may also be used to reconstruct breasts after surgery for breast cancer (mastectomy).

Breast implant surgery is useful for both cosmetic and reconstructive needs. For patients that have undergone a mastectomy, a tissue expander and later permanent silicone implant may be used to restore the normal shape and size of the breast. For women with simply breast hypoplasia (small breasts), both saline and silicone implants are used to add fullness to the upper pole, enhance cleavage, and increase diameter of the breast. Congenital asymmetry patients may also use different volume implants to regain an even size both in and out of the brassiere.