Phone: 425.285.2112
Fax: 425.803.0218
Kirkland Office
Everett Office

Age Considerations for Breast Augmentation in Seattle

Also serving Bellevue, Kirkland, & Everett

Late Teens and Early TwentiesBreast augmentation is something thousands of small-breasted women in their 20’s consider all over the Seattle, Everett, and Kirkland, Washington area. At one time, breast augmentation may have been considered taboo or as something only movie stars or celebrities would have done, but today, any young woman can consider breast augmentation.

If you are unsatisfied with the appearance of your breasts because they are too small or flat, or if they appear asymmetrical, Dr. Pratt from Pratt Plastic Surgery in Seattle, Washington can help you gain the breast appearance you want.

Patients considering having breast augmentation in their late teens and early 20’s should consider the following facts:

Age Consideration – According to FDA regulations, patients must be at least 18 years of age in order to qualify to have breast augmentation with saline breast implants and at least 22 in order to undergo breast augmentation using silicone breast implants. FDA imposes age restrictions on the marketing of breast implants because during the late teens and early 20’s we know that your breasts are still growing and maturing. Additionally, patients younger than this may not have the proper maturity to provide a proper informed consent regarding the procedure, alternatives and risks.

Safety – Virtually all patients seeking breast augmentation in their late teens and early 20’s are very healthy and well nourished, thus the possibility of complications following breast implant surgery is extremely low in this group of patients. Fortunately, these days, smoking is less popular in younger patients than it has been in the past, thus further reducing the risks of breast augmentation.

Skin – When you have breast augmentation in your late teens and early 20s, you will generally benefit from having youthful skin, which is more highly elastic and thus will help maintain the proper perky position of your breast implants.  Patients with very little native breast tissue will typically have tight breast skin and will require extra time after surgery to stretch this skin for a natural looking breast.

Breast augmentation in your Late 20’s and 30’s

Having breast augmentation in your late 20s and 30s can improve both your appearance and your self-confidence. Patients in this age group often seek breast augmentation following childbirth, weight loss, or both. After pregnancy, the breasts undergo a natural process called post-partum involution, a loss of breast volume due to the atrophy of the breast tissue. Small, flat or asymmetrical breasts can cause many women to be self-conscious about the way they look in certain clothes and swimwear.

Dr. Pratt is proud to offer women in the Kirkland, Seattle, and Everett, Washington areas with breast augmentation results they will be thrilled with. If you are considering breast augmentation in your early 20s or 30s, you can benefit in several ways:

Breast Size – Some women continue to change in breast size well into their 20s. Patients who undergo breast augmentation in their late 20s and 30s can be confident that their breasts will be stable in size as long as they do not become pregnant.

Safety – Most patients seeking breast augmentation in their late 20s and 30s are very healthy and well nourished, thus the chance of complications following breast implant surgery is very low in this group of patients. Fortunately, these days smoking is less popular, particularly in this age group, than it was in the past. Not smoking further reduces the risks of breast augmentation.

Skin Elasticity – Breast augmentation patients in this age group have often had at least one pregnancy prior to having their surgery. The temporary increase in breast size during pregnancy and while nursing causes skin stretching, which in some can lead to a loss of skin elasticity. If the stretching is severe enough, a breast lift procedure may be needed along with the breast augmentation to lift the areolae to a “perky” height.

Maturity – Patients in their late 20s and 30s will tend to have a good long-term view of the size breasts they would like to have in light of their particular lifestyle. Patients in this age group usually make mature, educated decisions based on their body shape following pregnancy or weight loss.

Mammogram – Patients undergoing breast implant surgery in their late 20s and early 30s will usually not need to undergo mammography breast examination prior to their surgery. It is recommended that all patients having breast surgery aged 35 or older have a preoperative mammogram. Patients who are at higher risk for breast cancer such as those with a positive family history of breast cancer, particularly in their mother or sister, should consult with their plastic surgeon regarding their feelings about the possible need for a preoperative mammogram.

Breast augmentation in your 40s and 50s

If you are unhappy with your breasts as a result of the natural aging process, breast-feeding, or breast asymmetry, breast augmentation in your 40s and 50s can help you regain the youthful body type you had years ago.

To take the first step toward changing your breast appearance, schedule a consultation with one of the top Seattle breast augmentation specialists, Dr. David Pratt, at our Seattle cosmetic surgery centers. During this initial consultation, Dr. Pratt will work with you to identify what you’d like to change about your breasts and what procedures will give you the breast appearance you want.

Often times, breast augmentation is just one part of reshaping or resizing your breasts. Dr. Pratt may use a combination of breast surgeries to give you the results you want like breast augmentation in conjunction with a breast lift procedure.

Is there an Age Limit for Breast Augmentation?

Some considerations for patients in their 40s and 50s opting for breast augmentation include:

Safety – Most patients seeking breast augmentation in their 40s and 50s are generally healthy and well nourished, and therefore the possibility of complications following breast implant surgery is low in this group of patients. Patients who have a single, well-controlled disease such as high blood pressure, are generally well suited to have breast augmentation with or without a lift procedure in an outpatient surgical center, with little increase in risk of complications. Dr. Pratt may require certain lab tests prior to surgery or a medical clearance by the patient’s physician prior to surgery. Patients who smoke should consider quitting prior to surgery to further decrease their risk of problems.

Skin Elasticity – Patients having breast augmentation in this age group may have droopy nipples which could require a lift procedure to enhance the appearance of their breast augmentation.

Mammogram – Patients undergoing breast implant surgery in their 40s and 50s will require a preoperative mammogram as recommended by the American Cancer Society. Our office will be glad to arrange for you to have this exam if you have not had one in the previous 6-12 months.

To learn more about breast augmentation from your early 20s to your late 50s, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Pratt, contact our Seattle plastic surgery centers today. To view results from our previous patients, visit our breast augmentation before and after photo gallery.

425.285.2112

10413 NE 37th Circle, Kirkland, WA 98033

4005 Colby Avenue, Everett, WA 98201

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