Am I a Candidate for Breast Enlargement?
October 1st, 2013
Reader Question- Marsha writes: “I’m very small chested and have always wanted to boost my size a little. Like and A cup to a B. I’m almost 50 years old now. Is it too late for me? I’m 5’4″, 120 lbs and have no health conditions. I’ve been divorced for a couple of years and would like to feel better about my body and improve my chances of finding love again at this stage of life. Thanks!”
Women consider cosmetic surgery for a variety of reasons and yours are not uncommon. Almost 400,000 women had breast augmentation (enlargement) and/or breast lift procedures last year. Breast surgery remains the #1 requested elective cosmetic surgery procedure and my patients frequently comment that they experience a boost in self-confidence following surgery. Studies show that there is truth to the notion that when you feel good about your appearance, your confidence level and personal satisfaction increases.
Generally speaking, there is no age cut-off for healthy patients. I recommend that your next step might be to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon, because we have extensive training and are held to the highest standards in medicine. To find a qualified plastic surgeon in your area, please contact the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Looking at before and after photos is another excellent way to judge the aesthetics of a surgeon. Most cosmetic plastic surgeons offer complimentary consultations. Thank you for your question.
Image: Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who’s the fairest of them all? From Disney’s movie “Snow White.”
Who Should Have Cosmetic Surgery?
December 13th, 2011
Who should have cosmetic surgery? Evaluating appropriate candidates for cosmetic surgery includes several factors. My ultimate concern is for patient safety.
I recommend that patients with serious or uncontrolled medical conditions do not have elective cosmetic surgery. The risks of anesthesia and surgical complications are too great for a desired aesthetic surgery. I also require a current history and physical by an independent primary care physician. We frequently discover patients with undiagnosed hypertension in my clinic during routine consultation visits. Such conditions must be under proper control before surgery is even considered.
I strongly recommend that all tobacco and nicotine products be discontinued 4 weeks before surgery and abstained from for four weeks after. Smoking interferes with skin blood flow, healing and recovery. Certain procedures like tummy tuck and facelift can be prone to skin loss and terrible scarring due to a patient still smoking.
Excess weight also interferes with quality of result, as I have mentioned in a previous post. Extra subcutaneous fat interferes with skin tightening during body contouring surgery and there can also be an increased risk of infection after surgery. Finally, anesthesia complications are greater in patients carrying excess weight. I counsel patients to be within 20 pounds of their desired weight before considering cosmetic surgery.
Next time: Patients with unrealistic expectations.
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