Plastic Surgeon Discusses Breast Surgery's Link to Better Quality of Life

    COLUMBIA, MO, February 22, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dr. John J. Seaberg (www.drseaberg.com), who has a longtime Columbia plastic surgery practice, says the results of 2 recent studies showing breast surgery boosted patients' quality of life reflect what he's seen during his own 25-year career.

"Of course there is a cosmetic aspect to breast surgery, but perhaps the biggest change for many women is a mental and emotional effect," Dr. Seaberg says. "In so many cases, breast surgery patients lose this self-consciousness they've had about their bodies and get a newfound confidence that affects every other aspect of their lives."

One of the breast procedures that brings the highest satisfaction rates, he says, is breast reduction surgery, which was the subject of one of the studies, published recently by the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

Many breast reduction patients experience back and neck pain before having the surgery, Dr. Seaberg says, and they also have a hard time buying clothes, can't participate in some physical activities, and often feel extremely self-conscious about their breasts. The study found that women who underwent breast reduction surgery reported "significant improvements" in their quality of life 4 months after undergoing the procedure.

"My reduction patients often feel an extreme sense of both physical and emotional relief," Dr. Seaberg says. "So many of them tell me they wish they had done the surgery years ago."

The other recent study examined the psychological effects of correcting breast asymmetry for adolescents and young adults.

"Breast asymmetry is not just a cosmetic issue," researchers wrote in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. "Providers should be aware of the psychological impairments associated with asymmetry and provide proper support."

Dr. Seaberg says he's seen firsthand the psychological effects of breast asymmetry on a young woman, as well as the positive difference corrective surgery can make. He also reports that women who come in for breast lift or breast augmentation surgeries at his Columbia, MO practice undergo a sort of "self-image transformation."

"All these procedures are about helping women boost their self-esteem and feelings of femininity," Dr. Seaberg says, "whether it's a mom who wants to reverse some of the effects of childbirth and breastfeeding or a younger woman who felt like she never fully developed."

Dr. Seaberg is one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in Columbia, establishing his practice in 1992 after completing residency at the University of Missouri. He says attitudes about plastic surgery in general and breast surgery specifically have evolved over the years, thanks to a better understanding of why women consider cosmetic changes.

"I think these kinds of studies that show the profound emotional benefits of plastic surgery go a long way toward changing public perceptions," he says. "I'm personally proud to have helped so many patients realize the positive changes they can make in their lives."

Dr. John J. Seaberg (www.drseaberg.com) is a double board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 25 years of surgical experience. He completed medical school at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, followed by residency training at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he served as chief resident. Dr. Seaberg is certified by the American Board of Surgery and The American Board of Plastic Surgery and specializes in cosmetic breast surgery, body contouring procedures, and facial enhancement.

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