Breast augmentation before and after photo courtesy of Dr. Gary Lawton, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas. Results may vary.
Breast augmentation before and after photo courtesy of Dr. Gary Lawton, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas. Results may vary.
Breast augmentation before and after photo courtesy of Dr. Gary Lawton, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas. Results may vary.
Breast augmentation before and after photo courtesy of Dr. Gary Lawton, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas. Results may vary.
Breast augmentation before and after photo courtesy of Dr. Gary Lawton, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas. Results may vary.
Breast augmentation before and after photo courtesy of Dr. Gary Lawton, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas. Results may vary.
Breast augmentation (also called breast enlargement, augmentation mammoplasty, or a "boob job") is a plastic surgery procedure that can enhance your breast size and shape.
The most commonly performed cosmetic surgery in the United States, a breast augmentation is often done to replace volume that's been lost with age, weight loss, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.Â
The outpatient procedure usually involves breast implants, which come in a range of diameters, volumes, and projections (how far the breast extends from the chest wall). Filled with either silicone gel or saline (sterile saltwater), they’re inserted via an incision site around the nipples (periareolar incision), under the breasts (in the inframammary fold), or in the armpit (transaxillary), and placed under or over the pectoral muscle.Â
Your surgeon will help you choose the type of implant that’s most appropriate for your body and goals.Â
Related:Â 5 Things to Know About Choosing the Right Implant Size
Another augmentation method, breast fat transfer, removes excess fat from the belly or thighs via liposuction and injects it into the breasts. Surgeons commonly pair implants with fat transfer, since fat can conceal them and help them sit more naturally.Â
If you're also concerned about sagging, breast implants can be paired with a breast lift, which elevates sagging breasts and raises the nipple for a perkier look.Â
Related: 5 Procedures for Higher, Perkier Breasts—From Least to Most Invasive
ProsÂ
Cons
Several factors can affect the cost of your procedure, including:
Breast augmentation is a cosmetic surgery, so it's not covered by insurance. However, health insurance providers are legally obligated in the U.S. to cover the breast reconstruction or reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy or lumpectomy.Â
Most surgeons offer monthly payment plans or accept third-party financing options, such as CareCredit.
As you're choosing a plastic surgeon, look for breast augmentation before and after pictures that show patients who look like you, with the kind of results you're after (and no conspicuous scars).
The breast augmentation photos in our gallery have been shared by the surgeon who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.
You’ll start with a consultation with one or more prospective plastic surgeons. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast surgery will ensure that you're in the safest, most experienced hands.
Related: 20 Questions to Ask at Your Breast Augmentation Consultation
Your surgeon will perform a physical exam, which includes taking measurements of the chest wall and breasts.
They'll make their recommendations for the surgery (including incision locations), walk you through the risks, and give you a run-down of the recovery process and timeline.
Dr. Jerome Edelstein, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, notes that many surgeons also require a pre-surgery mammogram, particularly if you are over age 50.
If you’re getting breast implants, your surgeon will help you determine the best size, type, incision location, and placement for your body and desired outcome.
Many surgeons offer 3D imaging, so you can virtually see the results of different types of breast implants. Others will have you try on a variety of implants by placing them in your bra, so you can feel their weight and imagine how they’ll impact the size of your breasts.
Related: The 6 Most Common Reasons a Plastic Surgeon Will Turn You Down for Breast Augmentation
Breast surgery is performed under local anesthesia with IV sedation, or under general anesthesia.
Get all the details on breast implant surgery
RealSelf Tip: Brava, a bra-like expansion device, may or may not be necessary before your fat transfer. For some patients, the device is needed to stretch the skin to make room for the fat. Doctors on RealSelf see great results with and without Brava.
Get all the details on breast fat transfer
Most people need about a week of recovery time immediately after a breast augmentation, unless the surgeon uses a technique called flash recovery augmentation.
Here’s what to expect during that time:Â
Related: Expectation vs. Reality: 5 Women on What Breast Augmentation Recovery Was Really Like
There are several risks associated with breast implants. See our complete guide to breast implant safety.
During your initial consultation, your surgeon should talk you through the possibility of:
Your doctor should thoroughly explain these risks and how they’ve handled complications with past patients.
Some women experience symptoms—include cognitive issues, chronic fatigue, and joint pain—known as breast implant illness (BII). They associate these symptoms with their silicone and saline breast implants, though studies show no evidence of implants directly causing these symptoms, according to the FDA. While research is ongoing, many women are opting for breast implant removal to prevent or improve BII symptoms.
The risks of breast fat transfer, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, include:
Some surgeons worry that fat-related cysts and calcifications can potentially interfere with mammograms and breast cancer detection by obscuring cancerous cells, causing unnecessary biopsies, or delaying critical diagnoses.
Related: Breast Implant Illness Patients Are Demanding a Say in How Their Implants Are Removed
After augmentation with breast implants, your breasts, which initially sit high, will begin to “drop and fluff” as the skin stretches and muscles relax, moving the implants to a more natural position. “It’ll be about six weeks before the implants even begin to settle down, but they’ll be close to 80% settled at three months,” says Dr. Eisenberg. Â
After a fat transfer, you’ll have more volume immediately, but your body will absorb some of the injected fat within the first three months. By six months, most of the swelling should have resolved and your results should be fully apparent. Within a year, the new fat will act like natural breast tissue.Â
Related: My Breast Augmentation Gave Me a New Lease on Life
Results from breast implant surgery typically last at least a decade. It’s a misconception that implants need to be replaced every 10 years, but it is true that they’re not meant to last a lifetime. A 2011 report from the FDA showed that about 1 in 5 women with silicone implants need some sort of revision due to capsular contracture, leaks, or other concerns within 10 years.
If you don't experience a complication like that, modern implants could last 20 years or more.
The results of a fat transfer can last even longer, though your breasts will continue to age, expand, or shrink as your weight changes. They may also begin to sag with age, as skin becomes less firm, which is why many patients opt for revision surgery after about 10 years.
You should still be able to safely breastfeed with implants, but research published in the International Breastfeeding Journal shows that any breast surgery (and specifically the incision around the nipple) can potentially damage milk ducts, so there is a risk of insufficient milk production.
Fat transfer breast augmentation carries a lower risk of impacting your ability to breastfeed, provided you're not also having some kind of nipple surgery.
Updated April 17, 2024