Should teenage girls get breast augmentation? Breast implants are becoming more popular among the 13- to 19-year old age group. In some circles, the surgery has become a common gift for high school graduation, 18th birthdays, and other life events. It is estimated that around 8,000 teenagers received breast implants last year. However, surgeons caution that breast augmentation may not be suitable for patients who are still in their teens.
Those in high school may find themselves wishing for larger breasts from a social perspective. They may feel that they don't fit in, or want larger breasts because they feel their new figure will make them more popular. They see breast implants as a fast way to gain a boost in self esteem and self confidence. Surgeons caution that such reasons are not appropriate arguments for teens getting breast augmentation, which may be a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
The fact that breast augmentation is considered major surgery means that this procedure should not be chosen without careful consideration. The risk of scars, infection, and other complications of surgery may not be fully understood by patients who have not yet reached adulthood. Breast implants are not FDA-approved for patients younger than 18, and their safety has not yet been fully studied for teenage patients.
Those still in their teens are advised to wait until they are at least into their 20s, when there is a better chance that their breasts have stopped growing. Because a woman's breasts can continue to grow after her high school years, later growth may make the surgery unnecessary. In addition, women of all ages who are considering breast augmentation are advised to wait until after pregnancy and breastfeeding, as those processes can have a substantial effect on the size and shape of a woman's breasts.
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