Study: Breast Implants Boost Self-Esteem and Sex Drive

Big breasts have long been popular among a certain segment of the population -- namely, men.

But now, a study of women who have had implants has found that women are happier with bigger breasts, too.

And, no, the study was not paid for by cosmetic surgeons or any group supporting such surgery. It was part of the doctoral research of Dr. Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, a clinical professor of nursing at the University of Florida.

Figueroa-Haas conducted a study of 84 women from 21 to 57 years old to assess their self-esteem and perceptions of their sexuality before and after breast augmentation.

Participants completed a self-esteem and sexuality evaluation form before and after surgery. Figueroa-Haas used two scientific scales to measure self-esteem and sexuality, 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.

In the study, the average self-esteem score increased, as did the average sexual-function score.

Of particular interest, Figueroa-Haas said, were increases in ratings of sexual desire, with a 78.6 percent increase from initial scores; arousal, which showed an 81 percent increase; and satisfaction, with a 57 percent increase.

Figueroa-Haas was once a nurse to a cosmetic surgeon who performed as many as 45 breast augmentation surgeries a week. She noticed tremendous changes in women's perceptions of themselves after surgery.

She wanted to measure the difference to show whether nursing students and nurses may need to alter their quality of care for patients who have the surgery.

"I noticed the change in patients, and it was remarkable, even in the patients who went from an 'A' to a 'B,'" she said.

But she also noticed that nurses sometimes look down on patients who have plastic surgery.

"I'm not recommending that every woman who has low self-esteem or doesn't feel sexy should have cosmetic surgery," she said. "But I do want nurses to know there are real benefits in self-esteem."

Figueroa-Haas said she also thought the study was important to shed light on women's sexuality.

She also noted that a small number of participants showed no change in their levels of self-esteem or sexuality after surgery.

"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," Figueroa-Haas said.

She said she believed that her research suggests that plastic surgery can help address those issues for women, particularly those whose breasts have changed from nursing babies or from growing older.

Source: Oakland Tribune. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. Powered by YellowBrix.