A Brief History Of Boob Jobs | Dazed

Disproportionately large augmented breasts can create the type of body strain that leads naturally busty patients to seek out reduction surgery. In a 2017 post on the ASPS blog, Kevin Tehrani, M.D. discusses the small implant trend. In addition to the preference for a more natural look, Tehrani highlights the desire from patients who want to continue high-impact exercise without being weighed down by heavy, cumbersome implants. After all, breast size does affect how women exercise. 

While Matarasso hasn’t witnessed a significant change in implant size requests over time, he does point out that today, trends vary based on climate and geography. “Statistically, we do know that in warmer climates—whether it’s Texas, South Florida, Southern California—there is a tendency for bigger implants to be used.” Implants range from around 100 cubic centimetres, or cc’s, up to about 600. Matarasso stresses that he “very rarely puts in anything above 400 or 350,” though it’s “very much a choice of the patient.” Debra Johnson, M.D., F.A.C.S. explained the regional divide best when speaking to Allure in 2018. “In the West,” she said, “because the weather is better and people are a little more exposed, a lot of women are more aware of what their breasts look like in public.” 

Breast augmentation continues to be the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in the world, per the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery’s most recent study. Globally, the US performs the most cosmetic surgical procedures, with Brazil in a close second place. With such staggering international statistics, you might say the boob job is thriving. But as with the outmoded enlargement technologies that came before, some patients are now experiencing implant-related illness years after their augmentations.

For some, boob jobs may seem like superfluous incisions. But like any cosmetic surgery, motivations can be deep-seated and effects, life-changing. Low self-esteem is often the force that drives people to the operating table of their own volition. This was the case for Gina, who stresses that she’s not someone who’s easily drawn to plastic surgery or being put out in any way. “It takes a lot for me to go under the knife,” she says. But her breasts had done a number on her self-esteem.  For all the necessary maintenance and possible side effects, would Gina—now in her early fifties—choose to do it all again? “One hundred per cent,” she says. “I felt like a new person.” 

The way Matarasso sees it, “there’s probably some intrinsic desire, on many peoples’ part to want a better shape or more fullness to their breasts.” That’s probably not going to go away. But today, with the help of a boob job, that desire can be met. And that’s no small feat. Breast implants can create a more natural look and feel than ever before. But as breast augmentation technology progresses, and new science is brought to the market, new side effects (like those reported by self-identified BII sufferers) and potential risk (of BIA-ALCL, for example) follow suit. What’s next for boob jobs? Trying to maintain—and improve the natural look and feel, while ensuring the surgery is as safe for the patient as possible.