A pair of silicone breast implants on a steel surgical tray as a removal concept. – NMK-Studio // Shutterstock
Deflationary trend: More Americans are removing their breast implants
The female body has long been considered a form of beauty. However, beauty standards for female breasts are constantly changing. From the flat-breasted Roaring 20s flappers (which were helped along by binding bras), to the voluptuous “Baywatch” babes, to the rail-thin fashion models, to the curvaceous Kardashian clan, breast fads come and go. But when it comes to implants, it’s now more popular than ever to let them go.
A new analysis of data from parfumdreamsin collaboration with the team at DataPulse Researchshows that more and more Americans are “planting” or removing their silicone or saline implants. The analysis shows the extent of this process and why it occurs.
Graph showing trends in cosmetic breast surgery. – parfumdreams // DataPulse Research
Deciding that less is more
In 2023, between 40,000 and 75,000 breast implant removals will be performed in the U.S. Although the number varies by source, it’s clear that the procedure is becoming more popular.
Two major industry groups—the Aesthetic Society and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)—have different methodologies for counting procedures, but data from both organizations shows twice as many procedures performed today than in 2015. At the same time, there has been little change (or perhaps even a slight decrease) in the number.
There are still far more implant insertions than removals every year. Of all breast-related plastic surgeries, including breast lifts and breast reductions, breast augmentations dominate the field, accounting for more than half of breast surgeries performed each year.
The growing number of implant removals is notable because it signals a “movement toward a more natural and athletic physique,” ASPS notes in its 2023 statistical report. “Called the ‘ballet body’ trend, this look emphasizes a harmonious, proportional and elegant body shape.”
Health is certainly a reason for the rise, even if not everyone is trying to dance ballet. Especially after the pandemic, Americans are focusing more on their mental health, confidence and self-esteem. They also seek to support their physical health, which includes physical activity and the use of weight loss medications such as Ozempic. According to the ASPS, these changes have led many women to ditch their implants in order to have a “balanced body shape.”
Additionally, implants are known to make people sick. So-called “breast implant disease,” or BII, can cause joint and muscle pain, fatigue, hair loss, and memory problems. The Food and Drug Administration notes that BII is not recognized as an official diagnosis and there are no tests or clinical criteria to define it. However, a type of implant made by Allergan was recalled in 2019 after this determined to increase the risk of a cancerous lymphoma called BIA-ALCL.
Map showing breast augmentation by US region. – parfumdreams // DataPulse Research
More proceedings outside the West
For every 10,000 people in America, there were 17 breast-related cosmetic procedures in 2023: nine augmentations, five lifts, two reductions and one implant. But there are regional differences, as the map above shows. The plastic surgery business is booming in the western and southeastern states, and quieter in the northeast and midwest.
The different percentages may come from local customs, beauty standards and income levels. Miami and Los Angeles, for example, are more “vain” stereotypes than Chicago or Denver, but places with very affluent and tight-knit communities like Salt Lake City also have researchers they call the “contagion effect” that pressures people to be like their peers.
Regional plastic surgery rates are relatively similar. In other words, areas with more increases also have more lifts, decreases, and implant removals.
Bar chart showing types of surgery per 10,000 people in 2023. – parfumdreams // DataPulse Research
Smaller breasts for all ages
In 2015, people under 30 accounted for one-third of breast sizes, according to the ASPS. But today, they account for only 17% of these surgeries. This could be due to younger generations’ ideals of natural beauty: A Newsweek 2024 voting found that 38% of Gen Zers and 35% of Millennials believe cosmetic surgery makes people “less attractive,” compared to only 26% of Gen Xers and 23% of Boomers.
While younger generations are bypassing chest jobs, older generations are undoing them. Implants last up to 15 years, so it makes sense that women who had implants in their 20s and 30s now have to undergo surgery again in their 40s or 50s. But because the number of implants has doubled in the past decade, it’s clear that this older demographic is choosing not to replace their implants with new breasts.
Four bar graphs showing patient age for different breast procedures. – parfumdreams // DataPulse Research
Signs of a new era?
Data clearly shows that body trends are changing in the U.S. Over the past decade, there has been a slow but steady increase in breast implant removals. And because younger adults are less eager for breast jobs, the country may be in the early stages of a larger beauty evolution — one that embraces natural and healthy bodies over a certain silhouette.
At the same time, history has proven that breast size ideals are always changing and the future will be shaped by discoveries and innovations around implant safety, social media and celebrity influencers, along with general societal changes in attitudes towards mental and physical health.
This story originally appeared on parfumdreamscreated in collaboration with DataPulse Researchand reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
