The dynamics of aesthetic surgery have changed immensely due to selfie madness and the way social media took over our daily life. Cosmetic surgery, which used to be an option only for celebrities for a long time, has become a part of our lives as it became more accessible. Although recently, people wanted to conceal their cosmetic surgery history, we live in an era in which people share their stories of cosmetic surgery with pleasure and enthusiasm on blogs and vlogs.
Breast augmentation surgery is the most commonly applied cosmetic surgery practice in the world, followed by liposuction and eyelid aesthetics operations. I have the same statistics in my own practice as well. Since these surgeries are very popular, there is a vast amount of information related to these procedures on the internet and social media.
In my initial interviews for breast augmentation surgery, I explain the whole procedure to my patients in full detail and I generally have the opportunity to analyze the information that my patients have acquired as a result of their preliminary research on the internet. In this regard, I have realized that although many people actually want this surgery to be performed, they feel scared and anxious due to the misinformation they acquire online. The patients generally tend to delay such surgical operations until they encounter a trustworthy plastic surgeon, which sometimes may take several years.
An example of this misinformation is about the capsule: When the body comes into contact with a foreign object, it will fight against it. If the body cannot destroy this foreign structure, it will quarantine it. Since the breast implant is a foreign object to the body, the same reactions will occur against the implant and the process will end with the implant being covered with the quarantine tissue. This quarantine tissue is called the capsule and we actually like this capsule, because it has a great deal of importance in preserving the outcome of the surgery. However, when I tell my patients about this process, I see fear and anxiety in their faces when they hear the word “capsule”. The thing is, they are actually afraid of “capsule contracture” which is a complication that can be avoided with the right choice of implant and surgical technique. The reason for this fear is the wrong impression women get about the capsule tissue -as if this tissue is a bad thing- when they make a research on the internet. I have met many patients that confessed they abandoned the idea of breast augmentation surgery because of this.
It is evident that social media and selfie madness ignites the desire to reach the perfect body. As a result of this, there is a significant increase in the interest in fitness industry, as well as cosmetic surgery. With a disciplined diet and fitness program, women can reach the image they want in their bodies, except for the breasts. However, sometimes they keep away from breast surgery with the fear that they will be left behind their fitness program after the surgery. We have good news for women who want to achieve their dream breast image after having a fit body but are afraid of the surgery because it will intervene with their fitness program. You are free to go back to light walking exercises right away, to cardio exercises after two weeks, to all exercises except weightlifting after four weeks and all exercises after six weeks of the day of your surgery. Because of my personal interest in sports, we even plan exercise routines after surgery together with my patients who are engaged in fitness programs.
There is also ongoing rumor which suggests that breast implants cause cancer. It is not true that breast implants cause breast cancer and this rumor is a misinformation. The reality behind this idea is that the overreaction that may occur around the implant is similar to the symptoms of a type of lymphoma (ALCL). ALCL is a slowly progressive type of lymphoma. The reaction that may be observed surrounding the implant is even more slowly progressive than ALCL and can be cured by removing the capsule tissue around the implant. Women who consider breast augmentation surgery can only get the most accurate information about this disorder which has been reported in 680 individuals worldwide among billions of other women who have had breast implants or breast reconstruction surgery in the world.
