New Study Says Most
Women Think So
Apparently size does
matter, but not in the way that you might think.
A researcher at the
University of Florida recently revealed findings that women who undergo breast
enlargement surgery report an increase in self-esteem and positive feelings
about their sexuality. Now, on the one hand, that might sound like a
no-brainer, but the results of the study delve a little deeper than that.
Cynthia Figeroa-Haas,
the clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida's College of
Nursing who performed the study, believes that health-care practitioners should
understand the psychological benefits of cosmetic surgery. The findings appear
in the current issue of Plastic Surgery Nursing.
According to the
University of Florida news release on the study, Figueroa-Haas studied 84 women
who were 21 to 57 years old, assessing their perceptions of self-esteem and
sexuality before and after cosmetic breast augmentation. Study participants had
been previously scheduled for breast augmentation and were undergoing the
procedure solely for cosmetic purposes. Eligible candidates were mailed a
consent form, a demographic questionnaire and pre-tests asking them to rate
their self-esteem and sexuality. They were then mailed a similar post-test two
to three months after the surgery.
“Many individuals,
including health-care providers, have preconceived negative ideas about those
who elect to have plastic surgery, without fully understanding the benefits
that may occur from these procedures,” said Figueroa-Haas, who conducted the
study for her doctoral thesis at Barry University in Miami Shores before
joining the UF faculty. “This study provides the impetus for future studies
related to self-esteem, human sexuality and cosmetic surgery.”
The news release on the
study further stated:
In
2005, 2.1 million cosmetic surgical procedures were performed, according to the
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. That figure is expected to
grow. Consider that the number of breast augmentation procedures alone
increased a staggering 476 percent since 2000, according to the American
Society of Plastic Surgeons. More than 2 million women in the United States
have breast implants, and this year more than 360,000 American women will
undergo breast augmentation.
Improvements
in the women’s self-esteem and sexual satisfaction were directly correlated
with having undergone breast augmentation. Figueroa-Haas used two widely
accepted 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.
According to the results
of the study, participants noted a strong increase in their self-esteem score
on the Rosenberg scale, charting average increases from 20.7 to 24.9 on the
30-point scale. Moreover, their female sexual function scores increased on the
average from 27.2 to 31.4 on the 36-point index.
The participants also
reported that after their enlargement procedures, their sexual desire went
through the roof. These scores included:
● Sexual
desire was up 78.6 percent
● Arousal
was up 81 percent
● Satisfaction
was up 57 percent increase
Now, Figueroa-Haas did
admit that a small number of participants showed no change in their levels of
self-esteem or sexuality after surgery, but findings like these always have
some participants who experience no change. The magnitude of the increases
reported, however, are way above the typical range for research of this nature.
Of course, Figeroa-Haas
had a final word in the release.
“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. “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.”
While cosmetic surgery
is not a cure for deep-rooted self-esteem issues, good outcomes from cosmetic
surgery can include a boost in an individual's self-image that can give them an
edge in overcoming other more intrinsic issues. In the meantime, millions of
women are discovering for themselves how these procedures can improve their
lives. If you think you are someone who could similarly benefit, give me a
call. I'd be happy to explain what we can do for you.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Yvette Suarez
