Quality of life and self-esteem outcomes following augmentation mammaplasty

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate improvement in patient’s quality of life and self-esteem as a result of subpectoral and submammary augmentation mammaplasty. Methods: forty female patients with mammary hypoplasia, aged from 18 to 43, were consecutively selected from a waiting list, underwent augmentation mammaplasty and randomly distributed in two groups. The widely used health evaluation tool Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, a specific tool for self-esteem assessment, were used. Evaluations were carried out in the preoperative period and in the second and fourth postoperative months. Results: Significant improvements were observed in five out of eight aspects evaluated through SF-36, as well as in self-esteem two and four months after surgery, but there were no differences between the groups. Conclusion: The augmentation mammaplasty promoted significant improvement in quality of life and self-esteem of patients, with no difference regarding the positioning of the breast implants.