Getting Breast Implants at age 15?

If you have a genetic predisposition for breast-cancer your family then you need to have genetic testing and counseling by your mom's breast surgeon. You will need to reach a point of maturity before you would be considered to have a double mastectomy if you were positive for the genetic marker.

This is a tough decision for a 15 year old woman. First of all, your breast development may not be complete. I do think at some point you should have the genetic testing. At what age to do so is definitely not clear. If you test positive it would be recommended that you have your breasts removed (mastectomy) in order to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer in the future. Even with the gene, this is very uncommon at your age and you may want to consider waiting a little while. There are so many things to consider prior to doing this like dating and finding your life partner. Some women even wait to have children prior to proceeding with testing and surgery in order to complete their families and breast feed before mastectomy. You will need to be tested at some point, but there is no real rush to do so at your age. You should talk to your mom and a geneticist about all aspects of life prior to venturing on this journey.

You are presenting a very complicated clinical situation. Prophylactic mastectomies in a teenager is something I've not heard of. In women who do have mastectomies at any age reconstruction within implant is definitely possible.

Tough choices for a 15 year old to have to think about.  But first things first.  If your mother has tested positive for the BRACA gene then you will need to follow your physician's recommendations for if or when you need to be tested.  If you test positive then a preventative subcutaneous mastectomy with implant reconstruction can be considered but too early to contemplate that at this point. 

This is very young to consider mastectomy/reconstruction, and must be a difficult situation for your family to have to face.  The timing of (or need for) prophylactic mastectomy should be decided by your oncologist/geneticist with you and your parents in agreement with the plan.  Prophylactic mastectomies, even in high risk women, are much more common in the 20's and 30's than in the teens.  It is unlikely, though not impossible, that you have such an elevated risk that the mastectomy would be advised this early.  Giving your breasts time to develop, if deemed safe by your oncologist, would facilitate reconstruction since there would presumably be more breast skin for the reconstruction.  The extra time to think about the decision may also change your views on the size, shape, and type of reconstruction you seek.  Best wishes,-Erik Hoy, M.D.