"Bye Bye" Big Boobs - Why Small Boobs are Back in Fashion

In the 1990s, it seemed that big boobs were the ideal look for women that wanted to have breast augmentation thanks to the appearance of celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Eva Herzigova. The bigger the breasts, and the more "in your face" they appeared, the more women wanted to attain that look. That attitude has changed as the last few years have seen the idea of big boobs replaced by a preference for smaller breasts. Let's learn why smaller boobs are once again in fashion among women of all ages.

A "Bachelorette" Decides to Have Smaller Breasts

While breast implants are still a popular decision for a number of patients, some of the reasons behind the decision to have smaller breasts include the wellness movement, the possibility of breast implants rupturing and the growing number of famous women deciding to have their implants removed. Some of the high-profile celebrities who have shared their breast implant removal story with the public include Chrissy Teigen, Ashely Tisdale, and Ali Oetjen (from "The Bachelorette"). 

Oetjen told a reporter why she decided to have G-cup implants replaced with D cups. "They were massive and I hated them. I hated the thought that women were judging me for them, and I knew in my soul it was the wrong decision and one that didn't make me happy. When I broke up with my boyfriend, I had actual physical baggage on my body and wanted to get them off me, and make them smaller and less noticeable."

While Oetjen says she would have preferred to not have any implants in her body at all, her surgeon said that decision would have left her with saggy skin. She added, "I definitely wouldn't suggest breast implants to anyone. Mine impacted on my back and stomach muscles, and to this day I still have a slouch because of the way I stood to try to hide them."

Breast Implant Size Can Change as a Person Ages

The tastes and desires of a person changes as they age which means the breast size picked by a women, years, or decades, in the past might not appeal to them anymore. If female patients have their current implants removed, they might need to have a breast lift to gain a firmer and tighter look that came about from loose skin. Instead of having oversized breasts, many women are going for "perky" instead of "big". 

Besides the aesthetic reasons for the changes in the look of their breast size, many women are having their implants removed due to complications such as rupture of the breast implant, breast movement in the body and rippling. In addition, some patients want to remove their implants because of their weight causing pain in the back or chest and possible trouble exercising or wearing the clothing they desire. 

Some of the phrases that have been used regarding the removal of breast implants include "just over it" and "a weight off my chest like no other". 

Pamela Anderson has gone on record saying she regrets having such large implants while Eva Herzigova is now showing off her natural shape on her Instagram page. 

Breast Augmentation Trends - Should They Influence a Decision?

Small breasts might be the popular trend right now but that doesn't mean bigger breasts won't be back in fashion again at some point in the future. Many experts say that trends should not be a deciding factor in the decision to have breast augmentation or breast implant removal/breast reduction surgery. They say that any decision about the size of the breasts should be based on medical information, sound reasoning, and a complete understanding of the benefits of the procedure of choice (as well as the risks or complications). A reasonable and informed decision is a crucial factor in choosing the ideal size of the breasts. The decision should keep all of the physical, emotional, and psychological elements in mind because the final choice impacts the mind as well as the body.

Breast Augmentation - Additional Techniques

For patients that do want to have breast implants placed in their body, a bigger size to the breasts can be achieved through fat transfer. A surgeon will harvest fat from a part of the body on the patient such as the thighs, stomach, or flanks. The fat is removed through liposuction and it is then processed and purified before being injected back into the body. Not all of the transferred fat will survive the process, but the surgeon can perform the surgery multiple times in order to achieve the desired final size. 

A breast lift, which is also known as a mastopexy, can provide a firmer and reshaped look to the breasts. As the breasts age, they can begin to sag and lose their projection on the body. A breast lift removes excess tissue and then tightens the surrounding tissue to provide a more youthful and rejuvenated contour to the breasts. 

- MA