Current Trends in Breast Augmentation Surgery

If you’re looking to engage in cosmetic surgery to alter the shape, contour, or size of your breasts – then it’s well worth considering the merits of breast augmentation surgery. The procedure must be undertaken by a qualified plastic surgeon, and patients are typically offered a bespoke service to meet their personal wants and desires. With that being said, the breast augmentation surgery space is currently experiencing a number of notable trends. This includes a trend that is seeing more and more patients seek that ‘natural’ look – as opposed to a large breasts/tiny waist combination that looks anything but subtle. Similarly, we are also seeing patients offered multiple choices in the desired outcome of their breast augmentation procedure. This includes a choice between a variety of sizes, degrees of projection and importantly shape which can be round or anatomical with a more natural tear-drop shape. If you’re keen to find out more about the current trends facing the breast augmentation surgery industry – be sure to read on.

What is Breast Augmentation Surgery?

First and foremost, it is entirely relevant to quickly discuss what breast augmentation surgery actually is and how the process typically works. In a nutshell, breast augmentation surgery is a cosmetic procedure to enable female patients to change the shape, size, or contour of their breasts.

Although the specific process can vary depending on the needs and wishes of the patient, breast augmentation surgery typically involves inserting breast implants. This is usually beneath the chest muscles or breast tissues. In terms of the motivating factors driving a patient’s decision to undertake breast augmentation, this could be for a number of factors.

For example, those that have recently had a pregnancy and/or breastfed their baby might consider breast augmentation surgery to increase the size of the breasts. Frequently, the procedure is undertaken to increase the size of the breasts to improve the patient’s self-confidence. Breast augmentation surgery is also popular with patients that seek to correct breasts that differ in size and lack any symmetry.

 Considerations Need to be Made

Breast augmentation surgery won’t be for everyone, so it’s important to make a number of considerations prior to taking the plunge. For example, the procedure will not yield lifetime results. Typically a decade after the breast augmentation the breasts will gradually start losing their shape and might droop over further time. This is because your body will continue to age as it normally would, and you’ll also be more susceptible to any adverse changes to your lifestyle – such as considerable weight loss.

Moreover, a breast augmentation alone might not be sufficient to counter the effects of sagging breasts. Instead, you might need to undergo the procedure alongside an additional treatment like a breast lift.

Ultimately, this is why you will be required to meet with a qualified plastic surgeon for a one-on-one consultation before proceeding. Not only will this give you the chance to explain what it is you are looking to achieve from breast augmentation surgery, but you’ll also be able to assess whether or not the procedure is suitable for your individual needs.

So now that you know what breast augmentation surgery actually is, let’s look at some of the current trends for breast augmentation moving into 2020.

Trend 1: Patients Seeking That ‘Natural’ Look

In a time not so long ago – breast augmentation was associated with two looks in particular – big breasts and a tiny waist. This meant that it was clear to the untrained eye that a particular individual had undergone surgical work to their appearance – not least because the breasts looked out of proportion to the rest of the person’s body.

In terms of the required uplift, breast augmentation patients would typically ask for new breasts at a cup size of DD+. With that being said, it appears that the current trend is moving closer to a natural look. By this, we mean that it is not obvious to the untrained eye that a patient has engaged in any surgery at all.

As such, patients are now looking at C-cups to yield that natural look. Breaking the trend down further, it appears that females are looking to supplement a current look, as opposed to leaving surgery with a dramatic change. This has the desired result of yielding a more balanced overall figure – and crucially, appreciating that less is sometimes more.

Furthermore, a more sustainable appearance allows patients to engage in a long-term lifestyle shift through healthy eating and regular exercise. Finally, it is also important to note that patients are looking at the long-term consequences of their chosen cup size.

For example, while a larger set of breasts might be attractive in the here and now, this might not be the case a number of years down the line. This is especially relevant when you factor in the inevitable effects of ageing.

Pro Tip: If you’re not too sure how to achieve that ‘natural’ look from breast augmentation surgery – don’t worry, as this is what the one-on-one consultation meeting is for. Upon explaining what it is you are looking for, the qualified surgeon will be able to suggest a range of potential treatment options.

Trend 2: Patients are now Spoilt for Choice

The cosmetic surgery speciality has come a long way in recent years thanks to ever-growing technical capabilities. Not only does this mean that treatments are becoming safer and less invasive – but procedures are also becoming more and more tailor-made.

In other words, patients are not fixed to a one-size-fits-all procedure. Instead, they are offered the opportunity to personalize their treatment to meet their needs and desires. This sentiment couldn’t ring truer in the breast augmentation surgery arena.

As regards shapes you must first of all choose between a more “traditional” round shape or the increasingly popular anatomical (“tear-drop”) shaped implants that give a more natural, and sophisticated result.

Having decided on shape you can then choose from a wide variety of breast volumes and sizes that offer different breast projection depending on whether you desire a more pronounced effect or a more subtle outcome.

Pro Tip: Your plastic surgeon will give you a full breakdown of what options you have available to you when undergoing breast augmentation. Not only will this be based on the one-on-one discussion that you have with the specialist, but also the physical examination that they carry out.

Trend 3: The Motiva Revolution

The Motiva brand of breast implants are rapidly becoming the most popular brand worldwide both with plastic surgeons and patients. Benefits include stronger and more durable implant shells, ultra-soft, cohesive filling gels for optimal shaping and a good natural feeling, and a minimized long term health risk.

Trend 4: Combining Breast Augmentation with a Breast Lift

There may come a time where patients require both a breast augmentation and a breast lift. This is especially the case if the female is aged 40 or over, and has lost had significant weight changes, or has gone through multiple pregnancies – each of which saw the mother breastfeed.

Previously, the process of combining a breast augmentation with that of a breast lift would have required two separate surgeries. This was problematic for a number of reasons.

Not only was the process of undertaking two separate surgeries costly, but it also required two separate stints of downtime. This meant that the patient would likely need to take a lot of time off from work, which is anything but convenient.

With that said, modern technologies now permit breast augmentation and breast lift as a single procedure. This can have the desired result of reducing the signs of scarring, as well as the length of the recovery period required post-surgery.

It is important to note that a combination of breast augmentation and breast lifting is a procedure that can only be performed by a highly skilled and qualified plastic surgeon. As such, always perform enhanced due diligence on your plastic surgeon prior to undertaking a complex procedure such as this.

Ultimately, failure to do this could lead to further complications down the line.

Trend 5: Breast Augmentation using Fat Transfer

When you break down the fundamentals of breast augmentation, wouldn’t it be remarkable if you could take unwanted fat from other areas of the body, and then transfer it to the breasts? Well, this is something that is now possible in the form of a fat transfer breast augmentation.

For those unaware, the process will initially see the surgeon remove fat from unwanted areas – such as the thighs or tummy, and then inject it into the breasts. Although this particular trend is typically suited for those that require a more ‘subtle’ increase in breast size, this does fall in-line with the ‘natural look’ trend that we discussed earlier.

The potential benefits of opting for a fat transfer breast augmentation are plentiful. For example, not only can you increase the size of the breasts by using your own natural fat, but you can also smooth out any imperfections in and around the affected area. Moreover, the process can improve your breast contour.

Next Steps in Undergoing Breast Augmentation

Whether you are looking to improve the shape, size, or contour of your breasts through cosmetic reasons – or you feel that you need to have surgery done to counter the effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding, a number of trends have presented themselves in recent years. While some of this is down to technological advancements – certain trends are merely a result of a shift in attitudes.

For example, patients are no longer seeking radical and dramatic visual changes that are obvious to the untrained eye. On the contrary, the current trend is seeing patients go for that ‘natural’ look. This is in combination with a long-term healthy lifestyle – subsequently ensuring that changes remain sustainable.

With that being said, with so many options now on the table in the breast augmentation surgery arena, your first port of call should be to discuss your needs and desires with a qualified plastic surgeon. A one-on-one consultation will allow you to explain what you hope to obtain from breast augmentation, and then the specialist will be able to ascertain the best course of action. They will do so by performing a brief examination and by asking you further questions about your expectations.