(312) 202-9000 Appointment

What Age is Best For Getting Breast Implants?

Wave Swoosh
breast implant patient model holding the straps of her her black bra

Posted on Sep 23 2019

Getting breast implants is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures that is carried out across the whole of the US. Many women opt for implants for a variety of reasons, but they usually help give clients a lot more self-confidence by increasing the size of their breasts or giving them a much more even and rounded shape.

Even though this is a very common procedure to undergo, you should still give it plenty of thought and consideration if you are still weighing up whether or not to get breast implants. One thing you will need to think about is whether you are the right age for them.

Every year, plastic surgeons up and down the country carry out hundreds of breast augmentation surgeries on women aged between 18 and 70 years old. But is there an optimum age for this type of procedure? In this blog post, we will detail some of the factors you need to think about when considering the right age to have your breast implant surgery.

Silicone Vs Saline Implants

Which should you get, saline or silicone breast implants? It’s legal to have breast surgery once you are 18, but you will be limited in your options. You can have saline implants from the age of 18, but if you would rather have silicone ones, you will need to wait until you are at least 22. This is all down to FDA standards. So, if you have your heart set on silicone implants, you will need to wait until you are 22 before you can have the procedure.

For Best Results

Even though women aged between 18 and 70 regularly have this kind of surgery, they won’t all be experiencing the same effects. In fact, for best results you should try to have your breast implants put in while you are between 18-50. It’s this age group that benefit from the better chance of their surgery being a success. Older clients, especially those past the age of 50, will find that the recovery process is a lot slower, and it could take them a lot longer to fully heal. Not only that, though, but there can also be an increased risk of complications resulting from the surgery at this age too.

After Pregnancy

Most women who are planning on starting a family in the near future are usually advised to wait until they have had their children to get breast implants. This isn’t because the implants will prevent breastfeeding - in fact, women who have had breast augmentation using breast implants should still be able to breastfeed without any problems. The main reason why women are often advised to wait is that their breasts will likely change shape and size once they do become pregnant. The breasts will continue to be large after pregnancy if you decide to breastfeed. This increase in size means that the skin will stretch and then finally shrink back once the breasts decrease and go back to their original size. Women who already have breast implants before they are pregnant often find that their breasts droop even more once they do return to how they were after the pregnancy. If this does happen, then you may have to go back for more surgery to correct the drooping with a breast lift. This will just be an extra expense for you and will also mean that you need to spend time recovering after surgery again. So, if you do wait to get implants until after pregnancy, then you will find that they are a lot more effective for longer, and there won’t be much need for you to return to the surgeon for any corrective procedures.

Emotional Maturity

Of course, you shouldn’t just think about the physical side of getting breast implants. It’s also necessary to consider the emotional effect that the procedure will have on you as well. This is why many clinicians encourage young women to wait until they have reached emotional maturity to get the procedure done. One way to know that you are emotionally ready to get this surgery done is to write down all of your reasons for wanting it in the first place. When you read your reasons back, you should make sure that they are all realistic. It’s also important that you realize that the effects of the surgery will be long-lasting, so you need to be completely happy with your decision to get the implants.

It’s also important to note that you should be getting breast augmentation for yourself. If there is someone else who is pressuring you into getting the surgery done, then you should not have it done. There’s a good chance that the other individual doesn’t have your best interests at heart.

Financial Maturity

You need to be aware that getting breast implants can be a very expensive cosmetic procedure. Are you sure that it is something that you can afford? Ideally, it is best until you have reached some kind of financial maturity and are in a very stable position with your finances. Because of the expense, many young women and teenagers are advised to wait a couple of years so that they are able to take some time saving up. Some breast clinics might offer financing options that can help spread the cost out for clients. For instance, the full cost of the surgery might be split into monthly payments so that the overall expense is a lot more manageable. Even if you do decide to fund your breast implants with such a form of financing, it’s still important that you have a regular income coming in so that you can cover the monthly payments. Otherwise, you could end up in debt to the cosmetic clinic.

As you can see, there are lots of factors to consider when you are thinking about the perfect age to have breast implants. If you are still a bit confused by all this, you can always get in touch with us and we will be more than happy to provide further guidance. Simply give us a call today!

From the initial consultation to the final follow-up exam, Dr. Horn and his staff provides compassionate treatment tailored to the specific needs and goals of each individual. Dr. Horn’s mastery and surgical skill in performing various face and body procedures, his dedication to patients’ safety, combined with his focus on unparalleled care and attention, make him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the Midwest. At his clinic, surgical options are paralleled by an array of non-invasive treatments and advanced technologies designed to help you rediscover your beauty potential.

60 E. Delaware Place, 15th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611

For more information read our Privacy Policy.