One of the most common questions our Washington DC plastic surgeons receive from patients during a consultation is, “What is the best age for breast augmentation?” Unfortunately, there is no black-and-white answer to this question. Instead, Dr. Bruno and Dr. Brown encourage you to reframe the question in the following way: “When is the best age for me?”
There are several factors which you should evaluate when determining if this is the right time to undergo breast augmentation. Some important things to consider include: 
- Physical maturity
- Emotional maturity
- Financial stability
- Future family plans
Physical maturity is a very important consideration. You should always wait until your breasts are fully developed before deciding whether you want to alter their appearance. For some people, this occurs as early as age 18. However, many women find that their breasts continue developing well into their late 20s. Ask your family members when their breasts reached full maturity. This may help you decide whether it may be a good idea to wait a few more years before moving forward with this life-changing procedure.
Emotional maturity is as important as physical maturity. Breast augmentation is a major procedure that will have a significant impact on many aspects of your life. It is important to wait until you are emotionally ready to handle this important decision. As with physical maturity, all women achieve emotional maturity at different ages. Think about the important decisions you make in your life. Are you typically happy with them down the road or do you often regret these decisions? If you don’t feel you have a strong track record on important decisions, you may want to wait.
Financial stability is an important factor to consider as well. Breast augmentation isn’t cheap. While we offer several financing options to help you fit breast augmentation into your budget, you don’t want to undergo the procedure at a time in your life when it will mean incurring debt that you can’t handle.
Finally, consider future family plans when choosing to undergo breast augmentation. While your procedure won’t impact your ability to become pregnant or breastfeed, future pregnancies may adversely impact your results. For this reason, many women choose to wait until their 30s or older so that they can get breast implants after having children.
If you would like to discuss your breast augmentation plans with one of our board certified plastic surgeons, please contact Chevy Chase Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation. We serve patients throughout the Washington DC area.
