plastic surgery age requirements

November 24, 2014

Is There a Such Thing as Too Young for Breast Enhancement?

Blog, Breast Augmentation, Breast Surgery, Educational breast augmentation, breast augmentation using breast implants, Breast implants, Plastic Surgeon Atlanta, plastic surgery age requirements, plastic surgery atlanta, plastic surgery risks, types of implants

With the holidays just around the corner, many plastic surgery candidates are using the extra vacation time to have their dream cosmetic surgery procedure(s) performed. When patients come into my office for a consultation they come carrying an arsenal of great questions to help them prepare for their procedure. One of the most commonly sought after questions revolves around the best age to have a specific procedure.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast and body procedures, age is a relative term when discussing each of the different procedures, except when it comes to breast augmentation. There are three key factors to consider when discussing the appropriate age for any of my patients to undergo breast enhancement procedures:

Age – breast augmentation is performed by inserting a saline or silicone breast implant into the breast to make them larger. The FDA has guidelines that suggest that patients should be 18 years of age or older to have breast implants. The only exception to this age limit would be if a patient has an extreme problem with breast asymmetry.

Physique – the breasts may not be fully formed until the age of 18 so undergoing breast enhancement prior to being fully developed may cause changes to your plastic surgery results later down the road.

Maturity – being of sound mind is important when having an elective surgical procedure. At 18, patients should be mentally mature enough to make their own decisions. Since plastic surgery is a very personal decision, making sure you have realistic expectations is a must to being truly happy with your new breasts.

No matter your age, it’s important to educate yourself on the potential risks and benefits of any procedure, whether cosmetic or reconstructive, you’re interested in pursuing. If you’re considering breast enhancement or any of the other procedures I perform, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott and contact our office. Be sure to connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for the latest news.