Initial results from an online breast augmentation survey.

[BACKGROUND] Data have been lacking to answer many questions raised in the clinical literature and by the US Food and Drug Administration with regard to patient satisfaction with breast implants, informed consent, the impact of augmentation on quality of life, repeat operations, and other issues related to breast augmentation.

[OBJECTIVE] The authors conducted an online survey of women with and without breast implants to collect data on key issues related to breast augmentation.

[METHODS] A survey including 177 questions was posted on the Web site www.implantinfo.com for 6 months, from August 2001 to February 2002. The survey was aimed at women who had undergone augmentation and those who were considering augmentation but had not yet undergone surgery. The raw data were analyzed by Data Harbor (Chicago, IL), an independent data management and technology development company with experience in managing large, complex medical databases.

[RESULTS] The survey was completed by 4011 women, including 2273 who had received breast implants and 1738 who were considering augmentation. Among the key findings: More than half of the women who had undergone breast augmentation and those who were considering the procedure thought about the decision for at least 3 years before proceeding. Most women who underwent breast augmentation (88%) were satisfied with the results, and 93% said they would recommend the procedure to friends or family members. Nearly all women who received implants thought the surgery improved their overall appearance (92%) and self-confidence (82%) but said it did not result in significant changes in their marriage/dating activities, careers, or social lives. At least 92% said their surgeons had answered their questions and listened to their concerns, and more than 75% said they remembered being informed of the risks of surgery. The percentage of women with breast pain was greater among women with implants than among those without. However, other physical symptoms, such as those associated with rheumatologic diseases, were more common among women considering augmentation. Respondents with implants did not smoke at levels higher than comparable women in the general population and were not major consumers of alcohol.

[CONCLUSIONS] The Online Breast Augmentation Survey provides a wealth of previously unavailable data on women who have undergone or who are considering breast augmentation. The data indicate that women consider breast augmentation carefully, that they are well informed by their physicians before surgery, and that they are generally happy with the results.