Breast augmentation surgery - is bigger no longer better?

Posted: 14/04/2016

The news when it comes to breast augmentation surgery is that bigger may no longer be better. Breast reductions, rather than cup sizes, are increasing, with some high profile female celebrities having their breast surgery reversed. This is a trend which appeared in 2014 when demand for enhancement took a dip for the first time in 10 years, with 23% fewer breast augmentations being performed, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon (BAAPS).

“We’re finally moving away from big implants and seeing an increased demand for the natural look," said BAAPS former president Dr Rajiv Grover. "Women want smaller implants to give a little bit of a boost; that’s very much based on celebrity influences.”

A further reason for the decline in popularity of more prominent breast augmentation could also be the weight and size of implants, but that itself could well be set to change. We are aware that there are plans to develop breast implants in new materials which are stronger, lighter and integrate into the body more easily. For example, one private clinic in London has recently started offering B-lite implants, which were developed in Israel and are filled with silicate, a silicone gel, making them lighter than others. Our understanding is that it could be a couple more years before they become widely available.

An alternative way to achieve the boost many women are looking for but without needing to go under the knife could be the new 'vampire breast lift'. This procedure involves taking the patient’s own blood, spinning it in a machine that separates blood cells from platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and injecting the PRP to generate new tissue. Full results from the procedure are expected after around two months, once the cells have regenerated, and last for over a year.

Alison Johnson, a senior associate advising on cosmetic surgery claims at Penningtons Manches LLP, said: "Ultimately it has to be about patient safety, of course. If anything positive has come out of the PIP breast implant surgery scandal, hopefully it is that women are more aware of their options and less likely to rush into breast surgery ill-informed. We are pleased to see a continuation of the trend towards more subtle surgery which again we hope is more likely to provide a result the patient will be happy with, avoiding the need for revision surgery further down the line. Women undergo elective cosmetic surgery for their own very personal reasons and we see examples of how devastating it is for them when their expectations aren’t fulfilled."

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