Age and Breast Augmentation

Many individuals who are considering breast augmentation wonder what the best age is to undergo the procedure. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved saline breast implants for use in women over 18 and silicone breast implants for use in women over the age of 22. While these guidelines represent the minimum age you must be to undergo surgery, you may want to wait until you are a little older before having breast augmentation.

At your initial consultation, Dr. Patino will discuss your aesthetic goals and future life plans in order to ensure that you feel comfortable moving forward with the procedure at this time.

The Best Age for Breast Augmentation

In general, you can undergo breast augmentation between the ages of 18 and 50. However, most women who choose to get breast implants are between the ages of 20 and 35. Before you undergo breast surgery, it is important to consider the following questions:

• Are your breasts fully developed?
• Do you plan on having children?
• Are you emotionally ready to make this life changing decision?

Many women’s breasts continue to develop into their early 20s. It is best to wait until they are fully developed to undergo breast augmentation. In many cases, aesthetic issues such as small or unevenly shaped breasts, which bother you when you are 18, 19, or 20, may disappear by the time your breasts finish developing several years later. By waiting to undergo breast augmentation until your breasts have completely matured, you will have a more accurate understanding of the issues you want to correct.

Childbirth is another factor that can have a serious impact on the results of your procedure. Your breasts grow in size and volume during pregnancy, and they decrease again once you have finished breastfeeding. These changes can potentially impact the results of your procedure, undoing the beautiful results you enjoyed prior to childbirth. Therefore, Dr. Patino often recommends that you wait to have breast augmentation until you have finished with childbirth.

It is also important that you wait until you are emotionally ready to handle breast augmentation. Many women in their late teens or early 20s are still developing their sense of self, and this may not be the ideal time to make such a highly personal decision that will forever alter your appearance. In many cases, it is better to wait until you are a bit older in order to have a better understanding of how this life changing decision will impact you over the next several decades.

Ultimately, there is no one ideal age for all women to undergo breast augmentation. It is a personal decision that must be made based on the unique individual needs of each patient. The best way to determine the right age for you is to schedule a consultation with Oakland plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Patino.

Please contact The Cosmetic Surgical Center of El Cerrito today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve patients in Oakland, El Cerrito, Berkeley, and Emeryville, California.