Mammaplasty (also called mammoplasty or mastoplasty) refers to a group of surgical procedures, the goal of which is to reshape or otherwise modify the appearance of the breast. There are three main types of mammoplasty:

Mammaplasty started a surgical procedure to help relieve women of the excess weight of their breasts; it was only later that it was used for cosmetic purposes. There is social pressure on women to subscribe to socially prescribed beauty standards of how their bodies must be, and one part of this is the pressure on women to have 'perfect breasts'. Earlier records of such surgery were either for medical purposes or to make a person fit in more easily with a certain social group. It was in the beginning of the 20th century that Hippolyte Morestin and Eugene Hollander started breast reduction (reduction mammoplasty) for beauty purposes only. By the 1930s though, breast reduction had become more of aesthetic surgery than reconstructive surgery.

It is still however used for medical purposes and female celebrities vocally getting such surgery has allowed for more to undertake it and speak up openly about it, a recent example of it being Ariel Winter, who plays Alex in Modern Family, undergoing breast reduction surgery after years of back and neck pain.

Breast augmentation, sometimes referred to as a "boob job" by patients, involves using breast implants or fat transfer to increase the size of one's breasts. This procedure can also restore breast volume lost after weight reduction or pregnancy, achieve a more rounded breast shape or improve natural breast size asymmetry. For some women, breast augmentation is a way to feel more confident. For others, it is part of rebuilding the breast for various conditions.^{[citation needed]}

Breast augmentation is performed with implants (see below) that can be placed under a chest muscle or over a chest muscle. In general, all breast augmentations are minimally invasive procedures, involving incisions that are usually between 3 and 5 cm in length. Breast augmentation is a relatively straightforward procedure. As with any surgery, some uncertainty and risk are associated with breast augmentation surgery.

Breast augmentation poses various risks, including:

Breast reduction surgery is also known as reduction mammaplasty or mammoplasty. It is a cosmetic surgical procedure aimed at reducing large or sagging breasts to a more comfortable size and shape. Large ptotic (sagging) breasts can become troublesome for patients, leading to potentially debilitating symptoms and a poor quality of life. Patients seeking breast reduction commonly present with complaints of migraines, back pain, neck pain, severe discomfort, unwanted harassment, poor self-image and anxiety among other symptoms. These patients can benefit greatly from a reduction in breast size, as most symptoms are relieved by reduction mammaplasty.

Many women with large breasts experience varying degrees of physical and psychological distress, often including: