30 Years of Breast Implants (and Why Smaller Implants are Trending)

30 Years of Breast Implants | Dr. Shaun Parson, Scottsdale

30 Years of Breast Implants (and Why Smaller Implants are Trending)

In the 1990s, bigger was definitely viewed as better when it came to breast implants. A lot has changed in the last 30 years, and at Dr. Shaun Parson Plastic Surgery & Skin Center there has been a leaning towards smaller breast implants in recent years. Although breast implants are designed to last a lifetime, on average women change their implants every 10 – 15 years. Styles change, lifestyles change, and if you want to change your breasts every decade or so it’s certainly possible to do so—likely while using the same incision site so you don’t have a “new” post-breast augmentation scar.

In the 1990s and early aughts, saline breast implants were all the rage. This was due to a temporary and voluntary decrease of silicone implant production during this timeframe. Silicone breast implants were re-approved in the mid-2000s by the FDA, and by then breast implant procedures were the number-one plastic surgery in the U.S. The new silicone breast implants were even more natural looking than before, and innovations like the gummy bear implants were introduced. Made with a unique semi-solid silicone gel that holds its shape very well, this meant very little risk of silicone leakage in the rare case of a rupture. It’s no surprise that silicone quickly became a fan favorite 15 years ago.

How Far We’ve Come with Breast Implants

One of the early inspirations for large breast implants in the 1990s was Pamela Anderson in Baywatch. She was all over our television screens in 1992 when the moratorium on silicone implants was enacted. This led to a 72 percent increase in saline breast implants by 1996, but silicone was still prevalent. The moratorium was issued based on patient fears that silicone caused systemic diseases like arthritis—but European researchers found after five years of analysis that there was no such link.

By the 2000s, our obsession with reality TV began in earnest. Plastic surgery became entertainment, and that seemed to help make breast implants 147 percent more prevalent in 2002 compared to 1997. By 2006, silicone was back in full force as the FDA approved two new silicone breast implant products. In 2008, breast implants bested liposuction as the most commonly performed plastic surgery in the U.S.

A Natural Woman

At around the same time in 2008, patients were also looking for breast implants that looked and felt more natural. It wasn’t all about size anymore, but shape also came into play. The natural teardrop shape became very popular, and breast implants began to be created with more sizes, shapes, and widths than ever before. Breast augmentation became wholly customized, with breast implants being matched to the patient’s body and goals.

Breast augmentation remains one of the most-requested plastic surgeries around the world today. Every year in the U.S., over 300,000 women get breast implants. Increasingly, the breast implants being requested have been smaller. There are a few likely reasons for this trend, starting with our more active lifestyle and the current fashion. With everyone wearing athletic clothing or athleisure most of the time (sales in high heels have plummeted during COVID!), having very large breasts just doesn’t match that aesthetic.

Achieving Natural-Looking Breast Implants

If you prefer the larger, more va-va-voom look, go for it! A great cosmetic surgeon will individualize breast augmentation to you and your goals. However, if you’re wanting a more natural look, there are plenty of ways to achieve this. Choose an implant that is not too large for your frame. This is typically an implant that is no wider than your chest (ribcage) so that it doesn’t spill out on the sides.

Selecting a breast implant with a smaller volume is also important. A breast implant that isn’t too wide or big will complement your chest. Both silicone and saline can work to achieve a natural appearance, but many patients think silicone looks and feels more like the real deal. Saline might be preferable if you’re going for that larger and fuller result.

Scheduling Your Breast Augmentation Consultation

Bringing in photos of your goals is a great way to start the conversation with your surgeon. Photos of what you like and don’t like are equally helpful. You should also consider your lifestyle and activities, because for many women that will play a role. For instance, if you like to spar with a boxing partner on the weekend, you’re probably not going to want a Pamela Anderson-inspired saline breast augmentation.

Schedule your consultation with Dr. Parson today by calling the office or completing the online form. You still have time to get the breasts you’ve always wanted in time for summer and swimsuit season.