Sexuality in Aesthetic Breast Surgery

Background The breasts are important for a woman’s psychological well-being, which may be negatively affected by distortions of breast size and shape. Improvements in self-esteem and sexuality are important psychological factors associated with motivation for cosmetic surgery. Mammaplasty is among the most sought-after and performed cosmetic procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of aesthetic breast surgery on a woman’s sexuality. Methods This study was conducted in a plastic surgery clinic of a hospital university in Brazil, between 2009 and 2012. Forty-six patients with hypomastia and 30 patients with breast hypertrophy, who expressed the desire for aesthetic breast surgery, were selected for the study. The patients were assessed preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively using the sexual quotient-Female version scale (QS-F). The QS-F is a validated Brazilian questionnaire to assess sexual function. It contains ten items covering five domains of female sexual function: desire and interest, foreplay, excitement and harmony, comfort, and orgasm and satisfaction. Higher QS-F scores indicate better sexual functioning. Results There was a significant increase in the mean total QS-F score after surgery in both groups ( p