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Breast Implants

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Submitted By tcarp401
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ENGL 1102 English Composition II-Online
26 June 2015
It is not uncommon as an adult to undergo plastic surgery in America today. However, it is becoming more common for young adults and teenagers to have plastic surgery. One of the more popular plastic surgery routines is getting breast implants. When asked, teenagers expressed that they often feel awkward and flawed, and plastic surgery helps to “fix” their bodies. Teenagers seem to think that plastic surgery is the quick answer to fitting in with their peers. Our society has accepted that individuals of all ages are choosing to go under the knife in attempts to “correct” their bodies; including teenagers.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there were 286,254 breast augmentations performed in the year 2014. Breast augmentation rates as the top procedure for women in America. Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure to increase the shape, size, and fullness of the female breast. While breast augmentation is a customary choice for adult women, the expanding popularity of breast augmentation with teenagers has led to a lot of criticism and speculation.
There is little doubt that being a teenager is tough. Hormones, academic stress, and peer pressure are everyday struggles for the average American teen. In addition to this stress put on young females, there is the additional fact that body image is generally a big part of the problem. During teenage years the body is changing, and young girls start to realize that their body may not fit in with others anymore. Teenagers are very susceptible in the complex issues of self-esteem, identity, and the need to fit in.
So, are teenagers mature enough for this extreme procedure? There are mixed reviews among society and professionals on this matter. Teenagers from 18 years of age are legally allowed to undergo plastic surgery. But is this age still too young? Breasts are said to continue to develop from ages 17-21. Along with the physical aspect, are teens emotionally prepared for the life-long commitment of breast implants? One thing that is for certain is that there are many important factors to consider before agreeing to a breast augmentation.
Teenagers need to make sure that they are emotionally mature enough for breast augmentation. Teens should not consider getting plastic surgery to impress anyone or to fit in with young peers. Breast augmentation is not an impulse decision, it involves risks and responsibilities. Breast implants acquired at a young age will require more surgery later in life.
Young adults and teenagers should be fully aware of the physical risks that may occur with breast implants. The two primary types of breast implants are saline-filled and silicone gel-filled. These implants can either be filled to the desired shape before the surgery, or they can be filled up to volume through a valve while the surgery is taking place. Young girls who wish to proceed with getting implants must research and understand the differences between these implants.
There are serious risks that are involved when undergoing this type of surgery. These risks involve; inflammation, scar tissue that distorts the shape of the breast (capsular contracture), infection, breast pain, and implant leakage that ripples the skin of the breast. These complications often result in additional surgeries to either remove or to replace the implants. According to the FDA Consumer, 46 percent of women with silicone implants and 21 percent with saline implants returned for at least one pre-operation within three years.
Clearly these are risks that are not to be taken lightly. Teenagers must be sure that they are fully aware of the health risks. In an article titled Making an INFORMED DECISION About Breast Implants, 19 year old Kacey Long was interviewed about her experience with breast implants. Long admitted to getting breast implants because she was uncomfortable with her body. After having the surgery she experienced many serious complications that convinced her to have the implants removed. “I had shooting pains in my arms, excruciating pain in every joint, bone, and muscle in my body, I was exhausted all the time, had no energy, lost my hair, and even had pains in my chest, heart, and ribs” (Long).
Many of these changes to the breasts as a result of an implant cannot be undone. Lucky, Kacey Long decided to remove her implants and she later realized that some of her complications were due to the fact that her breasts were still developing. Long says that her breasts measure a full cup size larger than they were before she had surgery for the implants. Long agrees in the article that she does not think that she was mature enough for the breast implants. “When you’re making a decision that can impact your life at 19, you need to research the subject like you’re 50 years old” (Long).
It is imperative that teenagers and young adults reach the level of maturity needed to comply with having a breast augmentation. Anne March wrote about her experience with breast implants in a recent article in Cosmopolitan. March writes about her years of struggling with the decision to have breast implants. She was torn as to what she wanted, and her fears of how her peers and society would view her if she had the surgery.
March discussed her desire for implants by writing: Since age 16, I’d wanted bigger boobs—I equated them with being a woman—but a padded bra was as far as I’d go. A boob job seemed like something for a different type of woman, a celebrity, or someone more showy. At the same time, I was aware the procedure was becoming more common. In fact, from the time I moved from middle school to high school, its popularity had more than doubled, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
March wrote that she waited until she was 24 years old to finally go through with her surgery. My family had a personal experience with breast augmentation last year. My daughter, LeeAnn, has always wanted bigger breasts. LeeAnn saved her money to get breast implants after she graduated from high school. Her dad did not agree with her decision to get them, but I felt that if I did not go along with her choice that she would just do it by herself. I personally spent time researching the facts and risks of breast augmentation. I also went with my daughter to several doctors to get information on the surgery procedures.
After talking to the doctors, we thought that everything would go great and that she would be happy with her new body. She finally received her new breasts in December of 2014 and everything went as planned with the procedure and recovery. In April of 2015 LeeAnn got a sinus infection and she was put on antibiotics. The antibiotics seemed to be working well and she soon began to feel better, then she noticed that one of her breasts had become twice the size of the other one.
After a visit with Dr. Stanly Moye he had no choice but to remove the implants. He told us that infection had set up around the breast implant and would not go anywhere even after taking high doses of antibiotics. They then sent off a sample of the infection for cultures and it came back as staph infection. After having her implants out for several months now, LeeAnn has decided not have the implants put back in. Dr. Stanley Moye told us that he thought she made the right choice. He explained that he could not promise the same thing wouldn’t happen if she got another sinus infection. The doctor did encourage her that her breasts could still continue to grow up to around 21 years of age.
We found that the average cost of breast implants ranged from $4000 to $6000 depending what type, size, and insurance. The cost does cover the surgery and the pre op visits up to a year. But the cost does not stop with the surgery LeeAnn did not consider that she would have to also purchase new fitted bras and shirts. After the surgery, insurance, and clothing she spent around $4500 on a new set of breast that she only have for a few months. We wondered after all the issues that she had with the infection, the removal of the implants, and the cost of putting the implants back in, would she had been better off to wait until she was older?
Breast implants should not be an impulsive option to teens and young adults who feel pressured by the impossible standards of beauty in our society. There are serious health risks and cost obligations for this type of surgery. I believe that teenagers are not emotionally mature enough to handle these risks. However, if they are unwavering in their decision, I believe that thorough research and informative doctor-patient counseling is necessary. Like any other medical procedure, cosmetic surgery can involve serious health risks and it is a life-long commitment for those who decide to proceed with breast augmentation.

Works Cited

"2014 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report." Plastic Surgery Statistics. ASPS Public Relations, 2015. Web. 27 June 2015. <http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Documents/news-resources/statistics/2014-statistics/plastic-surgery-statsitics-full-report.pdf>.
Kuldeep, Singh. "Cosmetic Surgery In Teenagers: To Do Or Not To Do." Journal Of Cutaneous & Aesthetic Surgery 8.1 (2015): 57 - 59.
March, Ann. “I’m A Feminist and I got a Boob Job.” Cosmopolitan 258.5 (2015): 130.
Moye, Stanley. “Breast Implants.” E-mail interview. 15 June 2015.
Purvis, LeeAnn. Breast Implants.” Personal interview. 13 June 2015.
Rados, Carol. “Making An INFORMED DECISION About Breast Implants.”FDA Consumer 38.5 (2004): 32-37.

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