Every day, the supermarket tabloids seem to have another plastic surgery rumor story. From hype over rumors that Ali Lohan received breast implants, to before and after pictures of Jessica Alba’s bust and Jennifer Aniston’s nose, the media seems bent on sensationalizing the very private, personal decisions women make about their appearance and labeling these decisions as wild, shocking, and unreasonable choices.

As a plastic surgeon performing Newport Beach breast augmentation, I find this stereotypical view of breast enlargement and other cosmetic surgery procedures to be disappointing, and unfair to the thousands of women each year who choose plastic surgery for valid, positive reasons.

Real Women, Real Motivations

An attractive breast contour and position often help a woman to look and feel younger, and many of my Orange County plastic surgery patients choose breast augmentation so that they can be satisfied with their breast appearance. This procedure can:

• Enhance self-confidence
• Increase a woman’s sense of femininity
• Help a woman to wear her favorite clothes with confidence

The media makes it seem as though surgeons perform breast augmentation for any woman who has the money and inclination, but in reality each patient is carefully screened. Good candidates have stable lifestyles and personal goals for a naturally pleasing look. They are mothers, wives, employees, and so on who want to make a positive change in their appearance.

Aiming for a Natural Appearance

By sensationalizing breast augmentation, media outlets are making an unfair judgment about the motivations of the majority of women who choose this procedure. At my practice in Newport Beach, breast augmentation is popular with women from all walks of life, including those who have had significant weight fluctuations or pregnancy, because it can create a naturally-enhanced breast position and size.

In fact, there are many types of cosmetic breast surgery that can help women feel their very best. Breast reduction in Newport Beach creates a breast size more proportionate to a woman’s body, while a breast lift can restore breasts to a more youthful position. Women who choose procedures like these are simply looking to get their looks and lives back on track.

When media outlets highlight “unnatural” motivations and goals, they are selling short the fact that breast augmentation helps so many women live fuller, more vibrant lives. Most women simply want to present the shapely, beautiful look of the person they are inside, and when genetic traits or life events prevent them from showing that person, choosing breast enhancement or reduction surgery is a highly reasonable choice. In its fixation with celebrity gossip and rumors around who has and who hasn’t had breast implants, the media is indirectly shaming and demeaning “average” women for healthy and positive choices they are making about their own bodies. I think that’s too bad, and in the future I hope that media outlets will become more understanding of a wider variety of women’s cosmetic goals.