Many women are seeking breast augmentation surgery to address the size and shape of their breasts to increase their self confidence in their appearance. As with any medical procedure, there are advantages and disadvantages and a positive outcome is reliant on several factors.

In your research and preparation for any cosmetic procedure, it is important to determine if you are a good candidate. Most women who decide to pursue breast augmentation surgery fall into the following categories:

• Breasts have not fully developed
• Breasts are asymmetrical, that is one is bigger than another
• Breasts have lost volume, firmness or sagged with age, pregnancy and breastfeeding or with significant weight loss
• Breast reconstructive surgery following breast cancer and mastectomy

Many women seek breast augmentation surgery to restore their size and shape to the figure they had prior to having children. Other women have always felt self conscious about the smaller size of their breasts and seek to improve their proportions and contours.

The best candidates for breast augmentation surgery are women who understand the procedure, have considered and researched it fully and have realistic expectations of what breast augmentation surgery will achieve. Other important factors are emotional stability and good health. The Cosmetic Surgeon will investigate your medical history and require relevant examinations, such as blood tests. It is crucial that you inform the Cosmetic Surgeon of any health or lifestyle factors that may impact the surgery, such as smoking.

Another crucial factor in achieving a successful outcome is choosing the best Cosmetic Surgeon for you; you should feel comfortable talking to the surgeon and be provided with all the information you require. You should also check the Cosmetic Surgeon's training, accreditation and experience. It is recommended that you seek several opinions in order to make an informed decision about your surgical options. Other choices you will have when planning for breast augmentation are the type of breast implants and incision sites. These will be discussed in your consultation with the Cosmetic Surgeon.

In preparing for breast augmentation surgery , it is also important to consider the recovery process. Most women are able to return to work within 1 – 2 weeks. However, lifting and strenuous exercise should be avoided for about 6 weeks to allow healing and adherence of the breast tissues.

Breast augmentation surgery can offer women the ability to restore or change their body shape and appearance, often restoring or improving their personal confidence.