Breast implants - Should I have waited until I was done breastfeeding?

I had silicone implants under the muscle in 1989.  They were great... Got them after one child.  Now, 18 years later and breastfeeding 3 more.... I now need a breast lift. I am not sure I want the scars, but my I only have about 1 inch of skin visible under my nipple :-( I wonder if I had waited on the implants if I could have just had the implants now without the full lift and horrible scars....?

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7 answers to “Breast implants - Should I have...”

A: Pregnancy and breastfeeding change breasts

John P. Di Saia, MD

Hello, It is more likely an issue with your breasts changing a bunch after having children and breastfeeding. This happens to women without implants just as it does to women with implants. Those women come for breast lift and implant surgery frequently after having their children. You didn't do anything wrong.... more

A: The More Things Change, The Less They Stay The Same

Athleo Louis Cambre, MD

Breast augmentation is a wonderful operation, but patients must realize that every operation has its limitations. Patients should be aware that they will most likely require more than one, and possibly several, operations over their lifetime in order to maintain the appearance of their breasts. A breast... more

A: In general, you want to be done having children before...

Richard P. Rand, MD

In general, you want to be done having children before having breast implants if you are in the midst of starting your family.  This is only so you have less chance of needing a revision if your breasts change after having another child.  There is no health risk to having the implants and then... more

A: When looking at the question of implants before or after...

Manish H. Shah, MD

When looking at the question of implants before or after children the questions that need to be taken into consideration are: starting cup size, how big did you get during pregnancy, how many children did you have, did you breast feed, do you have stretch marks, and are you smaller now that before your... more

A: That is hard to predict. The quality of each patient's...

Steven Wallach, MD

That is hard to predict.  The quality of each patient's tissues varies tremendously.  As one ages the skin elasticity changes.  Also, pregnancy alters the skin quality by stretching it out when engorged.

A: Breast feeding and breast implants

Robert Steely, MD

 Pregancy and breast feeding can change the shape and size of your breasts, and having implants before pregancy can certainly lead to revisions.  That being said, going 18 years without the need for a revision is quite a good result!!  Patients need to understand that breast implants are not a... more

A: Don't second guess yourself!

Steven Teitelbaum, MD

You've had four children, think you need a lift, and blame it on the implants? Possible, but unlikely. Odds are that you would have had to have the lift by now even if you never had implants.  In fact, your implants may have helped keep your breasts perky all these years.  Many women even get... more

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