Controversy Surrounds the Practice of Breast Enhancement

A lot of focus is put on people’s physical appearance. The western world, and North America especially, has managed to put a lot of weight on what a person looks like. Through media and social pressures, individuals are left wanting to look good, beautiful, sexy, or however they care to describe it. What’s more, the definition of what looks good has become very stringent. Women seem to take the brunt of these pressures, and are left eager to live up to a female image the media keeps presenting them with.

The image includes a few key characteristics. First and foremost is body size. The idea is constantly being reinforced that thin is sexy, and large body shapes are not. Another key characteristic women try hard to live up to has to do with blemish-free skin. Now, while reinforcing the notion that women need to look like that, isn’t good, at least those two things can be achieved—in many instances—through healthy living. The last major characteristic women are left wanting to embody is being large breasted. The big problem here is that women who don’t have naturally large breasts can’t change that fact through natural means.

The result of all this is a trend that has been increasing steadily since the early 80s. Women are paying a lot of money, so they can undergo surgical breast enhancement. In most cases this involves augmentation in which implants are inserted into the breasts, making them larger. Other enhancements have to do with their shape and firmness, as well as nipple placement. No matter which route the woman goes, the operation is still quite expensive.

Of course, this trend has sparked a great deal of controversy. There are those who take issue with both the fact that this ideal image exists in the first place, and the fact that women are compelled to spend money in order to live up to it. Still, those social issues are only a part of the controversy that relate to breast enhancement.

A big hot button surrounded enhancement has to do with a greater psychological issue that’s at play. While the root of the issue may very well have to do with the societal pressures, there are still people who have been identified as having gone under the knife out of a compulsion for physical perfection. Others do it out of a need to implement some intrinsic means of increasing self confidence.

Making matters even more complicated are the side effects that come along with some forms of breast enhancement. One of the biggest ones of these is actually believed to be cancer, as caused by certain types of implants—a claim which has never been conclusively proven. Other side effects include later issues with breast feeding, and loss of sensation in that area of the body.

The result of these controversies has been a big change in the way breast enhancement is treated within the industry. Patients are now more informed as to what’s at stake and are even psychologically screened, to a minimal extent. Nonetheless, the industry is still thriving and it shows no signs of slowing down.