Will Breast Augmentation Restrict Further Breast Growth?

Question

I'm 18 years old, and planning to get breast implants. Would the procedure restrict any further growth I may have?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Breast implants can alter the shape of the chest wall. If big enough. it could, theoretically but has not necessarily been shown to, exert sufficent pressure to cause necrosis or restrictions in growth.

Steven Teitelbaum, MD · Answer

Have you ever heard the expression that goes something like, "If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it."
 
Well, if you are still wondering whether your breasts will grow, that means that it is not clear to you that they have stopped growing.  18 is on the young side, but still reasonable for breast augmentation.  But all 18 year-olds upon whom I have ever placed breast implants have clearly stated that their breasts had stopped growing for years and they just knew they weren't going to change.
 
So if it is not clear to you that their size had long since leveled off, then I think you should wait.  Maybe they'll grow and you won't need implants.  Perhaps they'll reach a size where you'd want a different size implant than you'd get today.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

No. Your breast physiology will be unchanged. Should you get pregnant and wish to breast feed, that is possible. If your breasts get large and you don't protect them against gravity (size not related to implant), they can sag.

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD · Answer

For younger patients I generally recommend that breast growth should be stable for at least one year before considering breast augmentation. A implant itself is not placed in the breast tissue. The implant is placed behind the breast gland or behind the chest wall muscle. Future breast growth is not affected by the implant. The breast will continue to grow in a normal fashion.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

If you think that your breasts are still growing, then I would put off having implants at this time. Most women have adult form breasts by the time they are 18. So it is unlikely that they are still growing. This of course depends upon whether or not you are still going through adolescence and not having regular periods or are still growing in height.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD · Answer

Your breasts should be relatively stable as far as size and shape. if they are still changing or expected to change such as occurs with pregnancy, you should wait. Having said that, while implants may not affect growth of the breast per se, they can cause compression or pressure atrophy if they are so large or placed in the subglandular position that they apply significant pressure to the soft tissue.

George J. Beraka, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi!
You are a little young, but you can consider brest augmentation if your breasts are really small, and if they have not changed for 2 years.  Breast implants would not stop your breasts from growing, but then you might end up too big.
Also in our Manhattan practice, you could only have saline breast implants, because silicone breast implants are not approved by the FDA for women under the age of 22.

Will Breast Augmentation Restrict Further Breast Growth?

Answers (7)

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