An international study covering plastic surgeons from different countries has revealed varying preferences as to the ideal breast implant. The reason is that they differ in their ideas about what the size and shape of breasts and size of areolas should be. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says that these findings are relevant in the face of the rising trend of cosmetic surgery tourism where patients travel to another country to have their procedure, says.
According to the report in the New York Daily News, both plastic surgeons and patients in different countries had varying breast ideals due to cultural differences. For instance, the survey found that upper-breast fullness was of least importance to surgeons in France, while this attribute was given top preference by Indian surgeons.
When it came to ideal areola size, Brazilian surgeons as well as surgeons from the U.S., India, and France rated large areola size highly for both natural breasts and breasts with implants. On the other hand, surgeons in Germany showed a preference for the smallest areola size.
The aim of the study was to identify objective criteria for attractiveness and the factors that influence individual preferences were not discussed. The researchers sent out electronic visual surveys globally and received 614 responses from plastic surgeons in 29 countries. Demographic information, including nationality, age, sex, ethnicity, and whether they had a private or academic practice, were noted. The surgeons were shown an interactive design which had an image of a model. They were asked to adjust the image to display smaller or larger areolas and fuller or less full upper area of the breasts. Some of the interesting findings of the study are as follows
- The age of surgeon had an impact on preferences, with older surgeons tending to prefer less upper breast fullness and larger areola size
- The surgeons’ ethnicity did not have a significant impact on their preferences
- Geographic location had a greater influence on different beauty ideals and this may be due to the cultural differences in the countries surveyed
One surgeon noted that the study showed that there is no universally accepted aesthetic norm when it came to breast shape.
In view of the growth of cosmetic surgery tourism, plastic surgeons treating patients from abroad should focus on their cultural background and country of origin. Understanding patient preferences is important in the development of a personalized treatment plan. Proper communication with the surgeon is crucial to higher patient satisfaction. The use of advanced 3D imaging facilities has greatly enhanced the consultation experience, allowing patients to visualize their results and communicate with the surgeon on changes necessary to achieve the desired outcome.