The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided guidelines regarding breast augmentation for patients and surgeons. These standards are in place to increase the safety and efficacy of these surgical procedures and ensure that they don’t negatively affect a patient’s health in the long term.
Age Restrictions
According to FDA guidelines, women should wait to undergo breast augmentation until they are at least 18 or 22 years of age, depending on the type of implants they wish to have placed. There are no minimum age requirements in place for women that undergo breast reconstruction.
Types of Breast Implants
Saline implants made by Allergan and Mentor were approved by the FDA for use in women 18 years and older in May of 2000. They are approved for use in breast reconstruction procedures for patients in all age groups.
Both companies’ silicone implants received FDA approval in November of 2006. Silicone implants are approved for women 22 years of age and older, and for breast reconstruction patients of all ages.
