Answers
"I am a teenager and considering breast augmentation. Am I too young for a breast augmentation? Are there risks concerning a change in breast shape because of the possible growth of my breasts after surgery?"
— Answered by Samuel N. Pearl, MD
Mountain View, CA
Breast augmentation is a proven way to improve the size and shape of your breasts, but it requires a great deal of thought before proceeding with surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits cosmetic breast augmentation on women under 18 years of age, and most of my patients are 21 or older. Decisions regarding having children, breast feeding, breast cancer history in your family, possible complications from the surgery and the necessity to replace your implants, sometimes many years after your initial surgery, are only some of the topics that patients need to consider with their plastic surgeon. As for a change in breast shape, I am unaware of breast growth being related to breast implant surgery. Although it is possible that breast growth occurs after breast augmentation, it is unlikely to be related to your surgery.
