Breast intentions (Or everything you wanted to know about breast augmentations but were afraid to ask)

I want to get a boob job,” my friend said one day, as if she were declaring a wish to buy a new pair of designer stilettos. But while I was used to her shopping indulgences, even acting as accomplice at times, this announcement kept me silent for a while.

Then, willing my eyes to stay focused on her face, and not allowing my gaze to flicker down to recent areas of discussion, I finally asked, “Why?”

“Because I think I’ll look better. My clothes will look better on me.” It was simple as that. No confessions of being bullied about having teenage boy breasts back in university, no trauma concerning a boyfriend’s rejection.

Again, silence on my end.

“Don’t you think so?” she persisted.

“Well, I think you look fine the way you are, but if you feel you need it to make you happy, then you should look into it.” I kept my tone as neutral as the expression on my face — and still I didn’t dare look at her chest to try to decide for myself if she really needed it or not. “And make sure you know what you’re getting into,” I quickly added, letting just a note of urgency creep into my voice.

Like many Filipinos, I have my reservations about boob jobs, clinically known as breast augmentation, but only because — also like most Filipinos — I don’t really know much about it, despite it being one of the most popular aesthetic surgeries in the world.

I have heard the horror stories. Working in the fashion and entertainment industry gets you privy to this model’s new double Bs hardening up like bubblegum in the sun or a starlet’s “new future” busting a leak. Every gossipmonger, to his or her credit, blames these mishaps on malpractice and the bane of the cosmetic surgery industry: doctors and quacks who don’t know what they’re doing. For something as invasive and as body-altering as breast augmentation, it’s just sad how women are lured by the cheaper fees of doctors who don’t know half of what they’re doing.

But I also know of success stories: women whose lives have changed because they momentously decided to get a cup increase. Women who found a new sense of self when they opted to literally, in a sense, take a giant leap forward.

I  took it as a sign, or at least some bizarre twist of fate, when my editor asked me to attend a press conference on breast augmentation a couple of weeks after the conversation I had with my friend.

Dr. Vicki Belo, flanked by daughter Cristalle Henares and Angelicopter, says “Breast augmentation is not for every woman, but it is for women who want to look better and more comfortable with their bodies.” Photo by FERNAN NEBRES

Top cosmetic surgery doctor Vicki Belo is trying to bring a better rep to the procedure by presenting her latest patient, radio personality Angelika Scheming-Cruz, also known as Angelicopter on the radio show Good Times with Mo on 89.9. At 5’7, slim-waisted and gifted in the derriere, Angelika always had difficulty looking for the perfect dress to wear. But the clincher was when, after giving birth, her breasts “deflated like pancakes” from a size D to a B.

The choice of having a mother and her newly-augmented breasts looming over EDSA in a very contentious billboard is both surprising and revealing. The Belo Medical Group reveals that more and more women choose to have breast augmentation or breast lift after giving birth because of this said “pancake effect,” where the breasts lose volume post-partum.

In the same event, Dr. Belo also gave the 101 on breast augmentation today, answering questions and shedding light on issues concerning the procedure, even the most controversial ones. What she shares can be a guide for my friend and for every other woman considering an alternative way to getting the body they want.

PHILIPPINE STAR: What are the facts that women should know about breast augmentation?

 DR. VICKI BELO: Breast augmentation is not for every woman, but it is for women who want to look better and more comfortable with their bodies. The common Filipina body has puson (a stomach). She has a bigger lower body than she has on the top. Having breasts makes you look proportional. If you really think about it, a perfect body is a freak of nature rather than the norm. So if you want to have a perfect body, para madali, consider breast augmentation.

How has breast augmentation changed over the years? What are the latest developments?

Implants have gotten more natural. And the procedures have also changed. At Belo, we now put the implants underneath the muscle. This is the innovation that we want to emphasize: we now insert the implants underneath three layers of skin and muscle instead of just inserting it through the nipple or areola. It’s definitely a harder procedure and more intensive but it’s definitely better.

How do you try to make the implants both look natural and feel natural?

Putting the implants under the muscle wall pushes the natural breast tissue forward giving your augmented breasts a more natural look, and taking the natural shape of your breasts. This way, your breasts are also better supported, lowering the chances of sagging implants and additional reconstruction later on.

Also, this placement makes your augmentation feel more natural to the touch; it’s really your breasts that you feel, not the implant, which is what happens when you insert through the nipple. More importantly, you won’t lose sensation in your nipple.

How safe are silicones?

We use a cohesive silicone gel prosthesis that is completely safe. It doesn’t tear. Put it this way: even if your man is rougher than a truck or a pison, this silicone won’t break. That’s what you mean by cohesive. However, you have to really make sure you go to a doctor that really uses quality silicone. I’ve had celebrities who come to me with torn implants, asking for their breasts to be redone. When we’d take out their former implants, we’d see that these were Chinese-made, which are one-third as expensive as the American-made implants.

Why is there a mixed reaction regarding silicone?

The reason silicone gained such a bad reputation is because of how, years ago, women would just go to their salon and have silicone injected into their breasts. First, this silicone was mixed with something else that wasn’t completely safe. Second, these injections were given by non-doctors. Then this would penetrate into the tissue and cause all sorts of problems.

Does silicone cause cancer?

Silicone doesn’t cause cancer. Actually if you have had a mastectomy because of breast cancer and want to get breast implants, the only thing that’s approved is silicone.

What about saline implants? What are the issues against them?

We’ve made a decision not to use saline in our breast augmentation procedures. Saline implants are like beach balls without air. They’re inflatable and you fill them up with a solution through a valve. Now, the valve is a point of weakness; there’s usually always a break or tear, causing the saline water to leak out. Also, saline implants make a sloshing noise; sometimes you can hear the water moving around your breast like waves.

Does one get scarred for life after breast augmentation?

The incision can leave a scar, but it is only about one and a half inches long under the breast. We can remove that through laser.

If you have a change of heart, is it easy to undo a silicone implant?

It’s very easy to remove silicone implants, unlike silicone injections which are impossible to remove.

What are the dos and don’ts after breast augmentation?

 Don’t raise your arms above your head for about three weeks to a month because this can cause displacement. Don’t put your hand-carried bag in the luggage compartment. You can do weights — bicep or tricep curls — but don’t do pull-ups or lifting. I won’t even suggest that you drive, since the turning motion can cause displacement. Don’t even wear a bra for a month.

How soon can you get back to your old life?

You can do things that you’ve been doing before the procedure. Angelika says she even went sandboarding soon after her augmentation.

Some implants look hard or hardened. How do you avoid that?

Massage is very, very important right after the procedure just so your breast won’t harden. The harder the massage, the better. I would actually recommend that a man — your man — massage them for you.

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For inquiries and appointments, call 632-819-BELO or visit www.belomed.com. The Belo Medical Group has clinics in Medical Plaza Makati, Alabang, The Mega Atrium, The Podium, Tomas Morato, TriNoma, Greenbelt Makati, Greenhills, Ayala Malls Cebu, and California, USA.