One good way to start thinking about breast augmentation is to ask yourself some very basic, important questions. Is the procedure medically safe? Are there specific issues in my medical history that I should consider before proceeding? Am I just being vain? Can I achieve the changes I want any other way? If the answers to this first series of questions are positive, then it's time to ask yourself some "Am I? Can I?" types of questions. Am I willing to do my homework and make my own decisions? Am I willing to realistically accept the trade-offs and risks? Can I handle the costs or the financial burden? Am I willing to use common sense when making my decisions? Am I willing to remove my implants if necessary? Answering these questions is the first step. If you can't take the first step successfully, you probably shouldn't try to climb the stairs.
Is It Safe? the Medical Evidence
To judge whether something is safe medically, you need to know a little about medical science. Medicine is not an exact science. The answers to most medical questions are rarely black and white. Instead, most answers are usually shades of gray. Good decisions in medicine are based on 1) weighing evidence scientifically (does the data prove the hypothesis in a scientific study?) and 2) clinical experience (the sum of a physician's experience treating patients). Part science and part art, plastic surgery relies on scientific evidence and experience.
Whether something is reasonable depends on whether the potential benefits outweigh the potential trade-offs and risks. Whether something is safe is relative. The best decisions are based on scientific evidence and your comfort level with the trade-offs and risks.
Current Scientific Studies and Evidence
Somewhere, someone can always tell you a personal horror story about almost any experience in life, even having a baby. Does that stop us from having babies? No. We weigh the pros and cons and make a personal decision. Most potential gains involve some risks. For most "pros," some "cons" usually exist. Breast augmentation is no exception.
Sound medical decisions are usually based on scientifically tested and proven evidence that is reinforced by substantial clinical experience treating patients (on-the-job training). What is "scientifically tested and proven" evidence? First, a well-designed scientific study is performed (tough to do), and then the evidence is reviewed by professional peers (other plastic surgery experts in the field). If the study is scientifically sound after review, it is usually published in well-respected medical journals. That process takes time. When you hear, read, or see something in the media about breast implants or augmentation, it may or may not be true, especially when a technique or device is new. The questions to ask are, How long has it been tested? Do we really know yet? It takes time to treat and follow enough patients to know if something is good. Good scientific studies that answer the important questions are very time consuming. Compiling meaningful clinical experience takes years. When we try to answer the following important questions, our answers are based on the best scientific evidence available and on twenty-four years of clinical experience treating and following breast augmentation patients.
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