If asked to guess the most popular plastic surgery procedures, most people would probably (correctly) list rhinoplasty and breast augmentation. Women want augmented breasts for many reasons, but you’ll pay out of pocket as with all cosmetic surgeries, so the cost remains an important factor. 

What Kind of Cost Can I Expect?

Unlike in-office procedures, breast augmentation usually requires an operating room and general anesthetic. This means that in addition to the actual cost of the procedure, your final price will also include some hospital fees, medications, and other assorted items. 

On average, the total cost can come to somewhere between $5000 and $9000. This will vary quite a bit depending on your location, your surgeon’s experience, and other factors, including your choice of implant and surgical method. 

What Are My Breast Augmentation Options?

Breast implants come in two general types: saline and silicone. Also popular are the newer silicone “gummy bear” implants that have an especially natural feel and appearance. Implants offer a wide range of options for the shape of the breasts. The right implant can add upper breast fullness, projection, perkiness, or roundness. 

Surgeons place implants through an incision along the edge of the areola, under the breast, or in the armpit. Surgeons can also use the TUBA (trans-umbilical breast augmentation) method, which inserts an empty saline implant through an incision in the belly button, then fills it with saline to reach the desired size. 

If you have sagging breasts, an augmentation alone may not fix your problem. If you put implants into sagging breasts, you just achieve sagging implants. However, surgeons can perform a breast lift at the same time as an augmentation. This will remove loose skin, lift the breast, relocate the areola to its proper location, and then place the implant in its new, more lifted position. 

What Makes Breast Augmentation Worth the Cost?

Not everyone looking for breast augmentation wants larger breasts. From birth or because of an accident or surgery, some women have unevenly sized or shaped breasts. Surgeons can often place implants in both breasts to achieve symmetry. 

There’s also nothing wrong with wanting larger breasts. Many clothes only fit a certain “ideal” figure, and women with either larger or smaller breasts can struggle to find stylish or functional clothes. Many women feel more comfortable when clothes fit as they should and look good. Many women benefit from the self-confidence boost they feel from their breast augmentation, feeling better about themselves and their appearance.