Let’s just first take a quick look at what breast augmentation surgery is and why many opt for the same:

 In the simplest of terms, breast augmentation is a surgery, in which an implant is placed inside the breast to make it look larger. The implant could be silicone, saline or even fat taken from the person’s own body. Careful incisions are made under the breast and often vertically upwards towards the areola. The skin flap is lifted and the implant is placed, and then the skin flap is replaced.

For most women, getting a breast augmentation is a method of instilling or often reinstilling confidence. If a woman has really small breasts, she often feels a little less, because most clothes will simply hang on her and she will have next to no cleavage. In addition, with age, many women lose the perkiness of their breasts and they begin to hang. This is yet another time, when women start to look towards augmentation as an option.

Now, let’s look at women celebrities who have undergone breast augmentation:

• Pamela Anderson – Starting her career off being a Playmate in the Playboy magazine, Pamela shot to fame with her role as a lifeguard in the hit series Baywatch. She got her implants after her stint with Playboy and throughout her career, she has not been one to shy away from accepting that she has gotten surgery.

• Dolly Parton – She has been around in the music industry for a long time and so have her very large breasts, which she openly admits are because of plastic surgery. In addition, she has also spoken quite openly about how she would be willing to undergo even more procedures, to ensure that she continues to look good.

• Britney Spears – The young girl, who shot to stardom with her songs and oomph, felt that she needed a little something extra. This is perhaps why Britney Spears too chose to get a breast implant, however, she was constantly under the radar because of getting the same done, while she was still a teenager.

• Carmen Electra – A colleague of Pamela Anderson, both from the Playboy and Baywatch days, Carmen too went up several sizes over a decade. While she has accepted that she really did not have to go up so many sizes, but she most certainly accredits her fame to the same.

• Anna Nicole Smith – When Anna won the Playboy Cover contest at the age of 24, she was not the youngest, however, her personality, a stunning face and incredibly large breast implants ensured that the spotlight remained on her for a long time. Her cleavage got her into doors that might not have opened otherwise, including being a GUESS model and being names Playmate of the year!

• Victoria Beckham – Posh Spice went up several breast sizes, before she even met David Beckham. Once a pop sensation in her own right, today she is recognised all over the world as Mrs. Beckham and a fashionista, who is always ready to make a new style statement.

• Denise Richards – Being a flat chested teenager, Denise always wanted to look more feminine and she knew that implants were perhaps only the way to go. With her breasts looking the way she wanted, she went on to several roles on the big and small screens, the biggest perhaps being a Bond girl.

• Janet Jackson – Janet was born into a family that was destined to become musical royalty and while her vocal talents were more than enough to get her noticed, her implants did win her a lot more fans.

• Salma Hayek – Her exotic looks and scintillating screen presence had a big role to play in her success, but Salma allowed her body to evolve with her, including a breast implant. While she has never spoken openly about getting any surgery done, photographs do seem to show that she might have undergone the same.

• Hayden Panettiere – Hayden might have a petite frame, but when she appears on the screen, she makes sure that all the attention is on her. It was perhaps to enjoy a larger screen presence, that she underwent breast augmentation, and although she treads the topic very carefully, photographic evidence has given her away.

Breast augmentation is not a procedure that has been done only by celebrities in the West, because there are plenty of Indian celebrities who have gone under the knife to gain a little more oomph. While some of them have been quite open in accepting the same, there are plenty who have tried to keep things under wraps. Here are just some of them:

• Rakhi Sawant – This is one woman, who has been in the news for perhaps all the wrong reasons, including a controversial lip lock with a musician and getting married through a reality show. However, Rakhi has never shied away from anything in her life, including accepting that she has undergone several cosmetic surgeries, including breast augmentation. 

• Mallika Sherawat – Mallika might have come from a small town in Haryana, but her ambitions were closer to the skies and she went all out to reach them. Whether it was undergoing a breast augmentation procedure or winning a role with Jackie Chan, she has been able to do it all! 

• Sushmita Sen – Sushmita Sen will always be remembered for a range of reasons – from being the very first Indian to win Ms. Universe to adopting a baby girl, without getting married. She is also one of the few to have accepted having undergone cosmetic enhancement. 

• Bipasha Basu – This Bengali bombshell exploded into the Hindi movie industry with not just her acting prowess, but also her looks. She added to that by growing a few cup sizes and today, she is being known for roles that have a certain element of sizzle! 

• Kangana Ranaut – Even though Kangana is being recognised as one of the best actresses of our times, she too felt that she needed a little help in the oomph department. This is perhaps why she underwent breast augmentation and even though she might accept it, her fans can most certainly spot the difference. 

• Shilpa Shetty – The Shilpa Shetty that we first saw in Baazigar is much different from the one that we see today. While she did talk about her nose job, it was easy to see that she had also jumped a few cup sizes. 

• Ayesha Takia – Ayesha has always been appreciated for her girl next door type of roles, but when she opted to increase her breast size, she started receiving other varieties of roles too. 

• Sreedevi – This would perhaps the biggest surprise in the list, but people who have loved Chandni over the ages, would have noticed how her cleavage has increased over the years.