The Brutal, Unfiltered Truth About Having Fake Boobs

They bring about a certain imagery that I hope not to associate myself with. And yet I did choose to get breast augmentation when I was 25 and have been incredibly pleased with that decision.

I think getting plastic surgery looks very different for every person and I would love to be able to share the things I've taken away from my experience almost five years later.

Having fake boobs has some serious perks (heh).

I was mostly interested in having bigger boobs so I could feel better in lingerie in front of my husband someday (I'm a virgin, so I didn't have big plans to share these babies all around town), fill out bras and shirts better, and truly feel more feminine and comfortable in my skin.

I'm happy to say getting a boob job accomplished all this for me (well, I'm not married yet, but I sure like how I look in pretty bras now), but there were some extra bonuses from getting breast implants I hadn't anticipated as well. Here's what it's like to have fake boobs, and the major upsides (and downsides) to getting implants.

1. The lack of necessity for a bra on most occasions is quite glorious.

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I feel like there are so many more fun tops/dresses I can wear now that I don't have to worry about fitting a bra in the equation somehow. They've made life surprisingly more low-maintenance because of that fact.

2. I don't have to worry about "losing my boobs" if I work out or lose any weight.

It's always the areas we don't want to lose weight that go first, right?

3. They're fun to play with (is that weird to say?).

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While I make sure to limit grabbing my boobs to nonpublic areas, there is something fun about having jiggly boobs to move around that I never had the chance to do before.

But there are a few downsides. I always tell people that I'm about 95 percent happy with my boobs. I love them, I really do, but it's never going to be perfect.

1. First of all, they're not real.

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While they still feel pretty good (IMO), you can tell they're not real, and sometimes that bothers me.

2. Recovery from the surgery to get breast implants was painful.

Healing may not look the same for everyone, but expect to be out of commission for a solid week and to have someone there to wait on you hand and foot the first few days.

3. There are a couple of physical restrictions since getting my boobs done.

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Because I got my implants behind the muscle, anything that causes a tight restriction of the pectoral muscles can be uncomfortable. I can only do "girl" push-ups, not full ones, and pull-ups are almost impossible for me.

I'm a stomach sleeper as well so that's been somewhat of an adjustment (I still sleep on my stomach a lot, but it's not the most comfortable).

4. Down the road as I begin to need mammograms and while giving myself breast exams, there are extra lengths you need to take to make sure you get a proper inspection after a boob job.

So, that's something I've needed to be aware of.

You and only you get to share your story. At first, I was horrified people would find out. I wanted it to be a secret and only tell those closest to me. That turned out to be more stressful than anticipated and now that it's been five years since my surgery, I've become way more open about it.

I don't mind being transparent and sharing my story and letting people ask questions and have my girlfriends see them. But not everyone is like that. Share at your own pace, and if you know someone who has had a procedure of any kind, be respectful of their privacy and only share with others if you know it's completely OK with them.

It's easy for plastic surgery stories to become an instant gossip-/judge-fest, and when you don't know the real reasons behind why a person chose to have surgery, it's not fair to share that with others without their permission.

Surgery won't fix insecurity.

The most important advice I can give to someone considering plastic surgery of any kind is to check your heart first. If your desire for physical change comes from a place of being deeply unsatisfied with your body or because you're craving attention and compliments from others, then surgery is not the solution.

Sure, it will provide a temporary fix and a boost of confidence, but most likely that feeling will fade and you'll be left feeling discontent and always wanting more. The issue lies much deeper than what's on the surface, so that's something you need to identify and commit to working on in yourself, or with professional help.

For me, my surgery was about making an adjustment to my body so I could feel more personal confidence and not focus on that area as much mentally. I make a big effort to take care of and spend time loving and appreciating the body I have.

I feel empowered to embrace my natural beauty, and think it's a gift to be able to enhance our beauty with makeup, clothes, and so on as long as we keep ourselves in check.

So go give that body of yours some extra love today, in whatever form that takes for you.