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Miscellaneous Breast Augmentation FAQ
This section covers frequently asked questions (FAQ) about breast augmentation incisions. If you have a suggestion for any additional questions, please let us know.
- How much weight will I gain with my breast implants?
- Do breasts glow in the dark when flashlights are placed on them?
- What bra size am I? How do I figure this out?
- Can I scuba dive with breast implants?
- Does wearing a seatbelt increase my chances of rupture or trauma-induced capsular contracture if I have an accident?
- I want to submit a journal to your site, but I am leery about having my breast augmentation photos online. Can I submit a journal without photos? (photo included)
- Can I work out my chest muscles if I have unders? Will this rupture them?
- Can I go without a bra now that I have breast implants, particularly if I have unders?
- Is it true that I will have to replace my breast implants every 10 years?
- I would like a signature doll on the message board? How do I go about getting one?
- I can't get into the forum, it says "invalid password"? How can I post again?
1. How much weight will I gain with my breast implants?
You will probably gain a couple of pounds, depending on how large your breast implants are. You can ask your breast augmentation surgeon how much your implants weigh and he or she will probably be able to tell you.
Saline, which is salt water, weighs between 1.3 and 1.6 grams per milliliter (a milliliter is equal to a cubic centimeter or cc). There are approximately 453 ml of water in a pound of water and the average implant volume chosen by most women is 450 cc. Therefore, a 450-cc saline-filled breast implant weighs about 1.3 pound, not counting the weight of the shell, which is maybe an ounce or two. So two implants weigh about 2.6 pounds.
2. Do breasts glow in the dark when flashlights are placed on them?
Yep, they do, especially the saline kind. If you stick flashlights under or on the sides of your breasts, they do cast an eerie glow sort of like The Great Pumpkin. The veins on your breasts show up, too.
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Natural breasts will glow a little when you do this, but not as much as the saline, which are more translucent. If you do this with natural breasts, it is like when you stick a flashlight up to your hand, you get a reddish glow on the thinner parts of you hand and fingers. Some tissue glows, but not the whole breast.
Silicone breast implants do this as well, although not as brightly as saline.
By the way, be careful you don't burn yourself when you try this (and I know you will). I used a high-power, tactical entry flashlight and it gets hot fast!
3. What bra size am I? How do I figure this out?
This is not something that can be explained in a one paragraph. Please see our bra sizing section for more information. There are several ways to determine your bra size and not all are going to work for you. Visit the Bra Sizing and Important Bra Tips Section
4. Can I scuba dive with breast implants?
Absolutely! I am a certified scuba diver and have been since my teens. Air is what is affected by the pressure, which is why your ears or mask feel squeezed as you go down. The saline or silicone fluids (or even semi-solids such as cohesive gels) in implants are not affected.
It is true that a seatbelt can cause bruising that could lead to capsular contracture if you are involved in an accident. But an accident of that magnitude would probably seriously injure or kill you, so be smart and wear your seatbelt. You can get new implants if needed, you can’t get a new life.
We would love to have your journal on the site I love journals and so does everyone who visit here. You don’t have to include breast augmentation before and after photos if you don’t want to.
7. Can I work out my chest muscles if I have unders? Will this rupture them?
Some surgeons may tell you that you shouldn't work out your chest muscles excessively, but the breast implants do not get squeezed hard enough by an average woman's pectoral muscle to cause a rupture if your implants are optimally filled. However, the thousands of breaths you take every day can cause a rupture over time if you are not optimally filled due to the continuing movements.
You aren't expected to let your muscles atrophy once you get subpectoral (or submuscular) breast implants. If you are a body builder (which your surgeon will notice), or plan on being one some day, let your surgeon know and he will go over the pros and cons of overs and unders with you.
8. Can I go without a bra now that I have breast implants, particularly if I have unders?
If you go without a bra, your breast will sag faster, period. Your skin relaxes as you age and the weight of the implant and natural breast tissue pulls on your skin, causing it to stretch and thin. Although many women with implants occasionally go without a bra, it is smart to wear a support garment (either a standard bra or sports bra) to help keep your breasts looking nice and perky after your breast augmentation procedure.
Some people believe that unders are supported by the pectoral muscle, but this muscle only covers the upper two-thirds or so of the implant in almost all cases. Textured implants may be supported somewhat by the growth of tissue into the texture, but it is not an internal bra.
Whatever the case, you should wear a bra as much as possible to prevent premature sagging.
9. Is it true that I will have to replace my breast implants every 10 years?
A “guesstimate” for the product life of an implant is 15 to 20 years and averages about 16 years, according to the Institute of Medicine. Saline implants do not need to be changed unless there is a deflation. The FDA and manufacturers suggest changing out silicone implants after a period of time.
However there are women who have had breast implants in over 25 years with no problems. Expect to replace breast implants at least once in your life.
10. I would like a signature doll on the message board. How do I go about getting one?
Please contact the administrator on the message board about getting a signature doll for your posts. We ask that you be an active member of the message board for a period of time first.
11. I can't get into the forum. It says "invalid password." How can I post again?
When you signed in the first time for a profile or reserved your name, you typed in a password. If you have never posted and you know you never made a password, then someone else has already reserved that name. For instance, you can't post as "Marianne," because I have that name reserved. So try creating another name by adding an initial after your name or a number. Remember, passwords are case sensitive so make sure you type it exactly as you typed it in at first. I do not reset passwords.
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