Many women choosing to 'downsize' breast implants

HOUSTON, Texas - Natalie Benestante no longer believes bigger is better.  After getting breast implants 20 years ago, she recently downsized, dropping from a DD to a small C cup. 

When she first got implants, she says they boosted her confidence and made her feel good about herself.

“I’ve always been shapely, athletic,” Benestante says.  “But, I felt out-of-proportion up top.”

The implants, she says, evened her proportions out.  Then, when Natalie gave birth to her first child, things changed.

“Probably six months after having my baby, I noticed a change in my implants.  I had saline implants.  They were drooping and had shifted a little bit.  And they had excess skin.  At that time, I had a breast life and removed the excess skin and put in a fuller implant.

That was then.  After one more procedure, she’s closer to where she was before the implants.

Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Schusterman says more and more of his patients are down-sizing their implants.

“Pretty small, small and perky, is what they’re looking for,” Dr. Schusterman says.

Women are going for a more natural look, he says.

“But a lot of women are coming back in after they’ve had implants for several years and want to go smaller,” Schusterman says.

Some women are more focused on fitness and comfort.  Others, he says, are tired of the follow-up procedures that are required after they receive implants.

“It sounded like a good idea when they were young,” Schusterman says.  “But as they get older, their lives change and their perspective changes.  They’re more into comfort than the way they look.

Natalie Benestante is enjoying her smaller breasts.

“I’m very athletic,” she says. “We spend a lot of time outdoors, athletic stuff, golfing, fishing, weight-training.  And (I’m) much more comfortable.  Not to mention more comfortable carrying my baby around.  My back doesn’t hurt. So it’s been a good, positive change.”