Recommended Age for Breast Augmentation?

As discussed in other answers, for cosmetic breast augmentation (not breast reconstruction such as asymmetric breasts) you must be 18 yrs old for saline implants. The FDA has approved the use of silicone implants, but you must be 22 yrs old. So now as an adult, you have an important decision and should evaluate all the options. If you do not have a lot of breast tissue, silicone implants generally give a softer more natural look.
Silcone implants have undergone intense study and have been proven to be safe. You need to discuss all of the risks and benefits of each of these devices with your surgeon. But you need to decide if it is worth it to you to wait 4 years before undergoing the procedure? Also understand that breast implants are not a lifelong device. As you get older, your breasts continue to undergo the aging process. So it is very likely that you will need an exchange of the implants, with or without a breast lift.
There is no correct answer. The most important thing is that you get all the information and feel good about your decision. Maybe you can even educate your family and friends and they will feel better as well. Good luck.

Thanks for your question!
You are the only one that can answer your question. Many 18 year old women have this surgery. Schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best wishes!

Thank you for your question. At age 18, you are eligible to have breast augmentation surgery using saline implants; however, if you want silicone implants, the age requirement is 22. In both cases, augmentation will depend on if your breasts have stopped growing. The type of implant you choose is important, and the differences between saline and silicone implants can be significant. My recommendation would be to schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in breast augmentation procedures. They can examine you and offer advice about which type of implant you may want, as well as whether you should wait a bit before undergoing the surgery. Best, Dr. Verbin

Thank you for your question. As an 18 y.o., you are eligible to undergo saline implant breast augmentation. To undergo a breast augmentation with silicone breast implants, you must 22+. I generally recommend silicone breast implants to my patients, because they feel softer and look more natural. In addition, saline implants are at a higher risk of rippling or wrinkles.However, breast development can continue well into a woman's early 20's, so you may want to wait to be certain that your breast development has concluded.Good luck, and for more information about other choices to be made before undergoing breast augmentation, take a look at the Guide to Breast Augmentation on my website from the web reference below. I discuss common patient questions I receive, silicone versus saline implants, round versus anatomically shaped implants, smooth versus texturized implants, implant manufacturer, implant insertion incision location, implant location inside the breast, and more. 

A number of variables should be considered when determining the appropriate age for breast augmentation surgery.As a general rule, it’s important for patients to reach both physical and emotional maturity before proceeding with surgery.you need to assess if your breasts have actually stopped developing and it would be wise to discuss this sort of decision with your family and close friends

Several variables should be considered when determining the
appropriate age for breast augmentation surgery.As a general rule, it’s important for
patients to reach both physical and emotional maturity before proceeding with
surgery.In addition, it’s also
important to follow the guidelines established by the FDA whenever possible. Physical
maturity is important because operating on the breasts before growth has
stabilized can adversely impact the surgical result.Emotional maturity is also extremely important.It’s very important that younger patients
understand the significance of their decision and how it may potentially affect
their lives. It’s
also important to follow current FDA guidelines.The FDA recommends that saline implants not
be used in women under 18 years of age for cosmetic purposes.In contrast, they recommend that silicone
implants not be used in patients under 22 years of age.Each
patient’s situation is unique and several factors may alter these numbers.In younger patients with congenital breast
deformities or post traumatic deformities, surgery may be indicated at an
earlier age.If
you’re considering breast augmentation and are younger than 19, it’s important
to first discuss the issue with your parents.If everyone agrees that breast augmentation is an option, consultation
with a board certified plastic surgeon would be appropriate.The vast majority of patients who undergo
breast augmentation at this age report high levels of satisfaction.

Hello! Thank you for your question. Breast augmentation is a procedure
often sought by women to increase
size, add upper pole fullness and projection along with improve shape
and symmetry of her breasts. Women who have the breast augmentation
done report increased self-confidence, self-esteem, and more comfortable
with her body. In fact, it has been the most popular procedure in
plastic surgery in the US for the past few years. Many surgeons use 18
years of age as the standard for when to offer the breast augmentation
procedure to women. Maturity and the ability to make an educated
decision for yourself of whether this procedure is the right one for you
as well as factors regarding implant choice, size, incision placement,
position of the implant, other adjunct procedures, etc are major
factors. Having the maturity to understand all of the risks and
benefits of the surgical procedure is also mandatory - thus, most are
readily able to comprehend this at that age. 22 years of age is the FDA
guideline for utilization of silicone implants. Good
communication between you and your surgeon of
your expectations is warranted - choosing your surgeon wisely is the
first step. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon well-versed
in this procedure. Research your surgeon's education, training, as
well as ability to perform this procedure. See postoperative
photographs and most importantly choose the one who you feel most
comfortable with and competent to meet your expectations. Discussion of
your wishes and having an honest and open
dialog of your procedure is mandatory (e.g, implant type, incision,
placement, lift, etc). I have found that photographs brought by the
patient is helpful to get a visualization of the appearance you wish for
in terms of size, shape, fullness, etc. In addition, your surgeon's
pre and postoperative photographs should demonstrate a realistic goal
for you. Once this has been accomplished, allow your surgeon to utilize
his/her best medical judgment during the procedure to finesse the best
possible result for you after preoperative biodimensional planning and
fitting the right implant for your breast width. Hope that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

Being disproportional is definitely something
that is distressing at any age.The
break between high school and college is a good time to consider
breast augmentation to solve this issue and to give you confidence as you
embark on this new phase of your life.Just make sure that you leave yourself enough healing time after surgery
before you start school so that no one would notice something was wrong.Four to six weeks would be ideal for the
early healing to be over with.The one
drawback of doing your surgery now is that if you have it before you turn 19
then the implant manufacturers will not honor their warranty.Their warranty states specifically that you
must be 19 years of age or older at implantation.If you meet their criteria then they will
replace the implants for your lifetime if they rupture.If there is a rupture in the first ten years
then they will cover a part of the cost of the surgery.You would void the warranty if you have your
surgery done right now.Just make sure
to take all of this into consideration as you plan your surgery.

In most cases, the FDA recommends the use of saline filled breast implants for cosmetic breast augmentaton in patients age 18 and over unless required for breast reconstruction. Silicone implants are reserved for those 22 years of age and older.

I have seen women ranging from the teenage years to well in their forties considering breast augmentation. The general rule of thumb is patients should be emotionally mature and be aware and understand the risks and benefits in the short and long-term regarding breast augmentation. The guidelines state that patients should wait until 18 years of age until undergoing breast augmentation, but they can only have saline implants placed. Patients wanted silicone breast implants have to wait until they are the age of 22 prior to proceeding.