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Hot Looks Generating Esteem: Study Suggests Increased Satisfaction for Santa Barbara Breast Enlargement Patients
Research recently conducted by a university professor has major implications for women in Santa Barbara and other parts of Southern California considering breast augmentation.
Santa Barbara, California, June 2007—There's no doubt that breast enlargement surgery can have a dramatic positive effect on a woman's physical appearance. But new research also shows important intangible benefits as well—boosts in levels of self-esteem and sexual satisfaction following breast enlargement. Santa Barbara women considering breast enlargement surgery are learning more about these added benefits they may enjoy.
According to Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, the clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida who led the research study, psychological benefits of plastic surgery procedures may be highly significant. By using empirical survey instruments to document patient attitudes before and after surgery, the study revealed that on average women gain a 20% boost in self-esteem following their breast augmentation procedure and see an almost 80% increase in sexual desire and arousal.
"Women should not go into a breast enlargement, or any plastic surgery for that matter, with the intention of improving a negative self-image," says Mark Hestrin, M.D., Medical Director of Aesthetic Surgical Partners in Santa Barbara. "But for those women with a healthy view of themselves, this new research suggests that plastic surgery will often brighten their already positive outlook."
The study followed 84 women between the ages of 21 and 57, both before and after cosmetic breast augmentation. After measuring levels of self-esteem and sexual satisfaction through a series of surveys, the research team plotted responses along two widely accepted scientific scales that measure self-confidence and sexuality, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Female Sexual Function Index.
"This study confirms what we often see following surgery," says Dr. Neal Handel, one of the three plastic surgeons with Aesthetic Surgical Partners. "After breast enlargement, many women have a whole new outlook on life, and are far more energized about their personal appearance. In the coming years, I hope to see additional research on the psychosocial aspects of plastic surgery, both so that patients can realize all the potential benefits, and so that medical professionals have a better sense of patient motivations and outcomes."
The University of Florida study offers insights into the link between a woman's physical appearance and her emotional well-being. Women with small or awkwardly shaped breasts may be self-conscious about their breast appearance, undermining their confidence and causing them to shy away from intimate settings. Other women see negative changes in breast appearance caused by nursing, gravity, and aging, leaving them feeling less attractive.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 1.9 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in 2007, including 348,000 breast enlargement surgeries. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has recorded a 64% increase in breast augmentation procedures since 2000, and more than 2 million women in the United States currently have breast implants. Tens of thousands of breast augmentations are performed in California each year.
"Given the popularity of breast enlargement procedures here in Santa Barbara and nationwide," adds Dr. Handel, "I think it's important for women to recognize all the potential benefits of this surgery."
Aesthetic Surgical Partners (www.aestheticsurgicalpartners.com) has offices in
Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The Miramar Surgery Center, Aesthetic Surgical Partners’ affiliate in Santa Barbara, is accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (AAAASF) and offers operating and recovery rooms with state-of-the-art equipment and knowledgeable staff. Dr. Hestrin, who graduated from Northwestern University Medical School and completed training at UCLA and Georgetown Unversity, is board-certified in both Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Handel earned his medical degree from Yale University, and is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at UCLA. He is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and American Association of Plastic Surgeons.