The sport of fitness and figure competition is growing in North America. An evident, but not often mentioned side effect of all the training and fat loss that goes into a figure competition is the reduction in breast size and fullness.
For professional competitors, breast implants are an unwritten expectation. When whittling down the body to such a low percentage of body fat, it is impossible to maintain any volume of the natural breast. To do well in a competition that is based on aesthetics, where female symmetry and femininity are categories on the scorecard, implants are truly a requirement to balance out the hips and legs.
Some anecdotal competitor reports indicate that penalties in judging may be assessed for not having implants, while other reports indicate the exact opposite. Like all subjective sports, it can be difficult to know, at any given moment, what judges truly want. However, based on fitness competition results photos and magazine photographs, one can be led to believe that implants can only aid a competitor.
As with any significant weight loss or gain, the change in volume will also affect the elasticity of the skin of the breast. At some point, a breast lift may be in order for these competitors.
Fitness competitors and would-be fitness competitors should be sure to seek out experienced plastic surgeons who understand the fitness competition culture. Goals and expectations as they relate to the body in competition and during the off-season must be clearly communicated.