Liposuction and Plastic Surgery Information - Breast implants boost self esteem and sexuality

Breast implants boost self esteem and sexuality - study

Thursday, 22 March 2007

A new study reports that women who undergo breast enlargement often see a significant increase in their self esteem and have more positive feelings about their sexuality.

The study was conducted by Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida's College of Nursing, and surveyed 84 women aged between 21 and 57, assessing their perceptions of self-esteem and sexuality before and after cosmetic breast augmentation. The participants had already been scheduled for breast augmentation and were undergoing the procedures for cosmetic, not medical reasons. They were asked to rate their self esteem and sexuality both before the procedure and then two to three months after the procedure.

The study found a direct correlation between the women's self esteem and undergoing the breast augmentation procedure. A similar correlation was found between the women's sexuality and undergoing the procedure. The tests used in the study were the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Female Sexual Function Index, which assesses domains of sexual function, such as sexual arousal, satisfaction, experience and attitudes.

Average self-esteem was found to have risen from 20.7 to 24.9 on the 30 point Rosenberg scale, while average sexual function increased from 27.2 to 31.4 on the 36 point Sexual Function Index. Interestingly, the was a substantial increase in the ratings for sexual desire (78.6%), arousal (81%) and sexual desire (57%).

“So much attention is directed to men’s sexuality issues; we have all seen countless commercials on drugs and therapy devoted to improving men’s sexuality. Unfortunately, very little is discussed regarding women’s sexuality issues,” said Figueroa-Haas. “I strongly believe that my research shows that interventions such as cosmetic plastic surgery can address these sorts of issues for some women. For example, those women who may have breast changes due to nursing or from the inevitable natural aging process. These women may not feel as attractive, which could ultimately negatively impact their levels of self-esteem and sexuality.”

“There may be patients who will never be satisfied with their bodies no matter how much surgery they receive or feel that their life will completely change after plastic surgery. These are not ideal candidates for surgery and should seek further counselling to address their underlying psychological issues. But for women who seek improvements in certain physical areas, plastic surgery can be a very positive experience.”

Tags: academic study, breast augmentation, self esteem,