# get breast implants



## Thomas1

I'd like to say that a women got breast implants but I want to use a more "sophisticated" word instead of get, can I say:
_a female customs officer who *inserted breast implants* _

Oh and one more question can I insert herslef between the verb and the object here:
_a female customs officer who *inserted herself breast implants* _
_a female customs officer who* got herself breast implants* _


Or it would mean that she carried out the operation on herself?

Thanks in advance,
Thomas


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## TrentinaNE

The only other plausible way I can think to address this is "to undergo (have) breast augmentation surgery." But "to get breast implants" is what you'd hear most often. "Insert" doesn't work here -- the surgeon does the inserting, not the recipient. 

Elizabeth


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## Thomas1

Thank you, Elizabeth 

One more question; can I say _a female customs officer who had breast implants inserted_?


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## GenJen54

If you want to be very formal you can say:

_...female customs officer who had breast augmentation surgery._

This tends to be the going jargon.


> Oh and one more question can I insert herslef between the verb and the object here:
> _a female customs officer who *inserted herself breast implants* _
> _a female customs officer who* got herself breast implants*_


English tends not to use the reflexive in this manner. You would just say: 

_she got implants _or_ she had breast augmentation surgery_ or if you really want to be snarky, "_she had a boob job."_

Saying "she inserted herself" or "got herself" does sound like she performed the surgery herself.

There is one exception to that. In casual conversation, when someone wants to express a bit of sarcasm, they might say something along the lines of this:

_Well, I see that Susan's gone and got herself a boob job..._
_Well, I see that Susan's gone and got herself some breast implants..._

_She must be making her husband awfully happy. _

It's a bit cheeky, and is intended to sound rather snotty, so is not part of formal speech or writing.


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## GenJen54

> can I say _a female customs officer who had breast implants inserted_?


I would not use the word "inserted" at all in this context.  As Elizabeth mentioned, in this case, only the doctor does the "inserting."


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## maxiogee

You could create a new phrase…
"She has reversed a deficiency of nature".


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## Thomas1

Thank you, I think I'll pick something from propositions by Elizabeth or Gen, they are formal in style and fit my context.




			
				GenJen54 said:
			
		

> I would not use the word "inserted" at all in this context. As Elizabeth mentioned, in this case, only the doctor does the "inserting."


Wouldn't that imply that the doctor did it, it's similar in construction to this sentence:
_I had my car repaired last week._
Which means that I hired/ordered someone to repair my car but I didn't do it myslef (at least this is how they thought me to use this construction at school) or the sentence with implants is a different type?


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## GenJen54

Technically, from a linguistic standpoint, one could be grammatically correct in saying (using your car sentence as an example): _I had my implants inserted last week_. 

From a "native" standpoint, however, it's simply not used that way.

With any medical (or beauty) procedure, however, there is an underlying presumtion that the doctor (or beautician) did the work. 

She got a face lift
She got botox injections.
She had her appendix removed.
I had my hair cut. 
I got my nails done.


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## Thomas1

GenJen54 said:
			
		

> She had her appendix removed.
> I had my hair cut.
> I got my nails done.


So what would be the difference between the above examples and mine: _a female customs officer who had breast implants inserted_, please?


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## maxiogee

If "herself" is to be used in the sentence in any way, I'd like to think you'd omit the "female". In fact I think that the "breast augmentation" or "breast implants" would suffice to allow you to omit both those.


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## GenJen54

Use of the word "inserted."  It's simply not used in that way.  Instead, we talk about the procedure itself. 

*Most Formal:  *She had breast augmentation surgery.
*Colloquial: *She got breast implants.
*Slang: *She had/got her boobs done. (She got a boob job).

I can't tell you why we do not use "insert" here, we just don't.  It's not "natural" English.


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## la reine victoria

Thomas1 said:
			
		

> I'd like to say that a women got breast implants but I want to use a more "sophisticated" word instead of get, can I say:
> _a female customs officer who *inserted breast implants* _
> 
> Oh and one more question can I insert herslef between the verb and the object here:
> _a female customs officer who *inserted herself breast implants* _
> _a female customs officer who* got herself breast implants* _
> 
> 
> Or it would mean that she carried out the operation on herself?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Thomas


 

"The customs officer had breast implants inserted by a cosmetic surgeon."



LRV


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## James Brandon

How about: "She had a _*mammary enhancement*_ procedure performed on her." I can see it in the glossy brochure of an expensive private clinic.


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## la reine victoria

James Brandon said:
			
		

> How about: "She had a _*mammary enhancement*_ procedure performed on her." I can see it in the glossy brochure of an expensive private clinic.


 

A bit too mammalian and glandular for me James.  

Breast enhancement would sound OK in a brochure though.



LRV


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## mjscott

Quote:
Originally Posted by *GenJen54*
_She had her appendix removed._
_I had my hair cut. _
_I got my nails done._

From simonaj:
So what would be the difference between the above examples and mine: _a female customs officer who had breast implants inserted_, please?rf
fdre43

"inserted" is just uncomfortable altogether. It's a little too personal--to graphic as to how the procedure is done.

It's like there's a difference between me saying that I had a rectal exam at the doctor's office, and "The doctor inserted his finger up my rectum." Everyone on the planet that knows what breast augmentation is knows that they must be inserted. For that reason, alone, _inserted_ can be un-inserted (omitted) in the sentence. The fact that the verb gives people the heebie-jeebies figuring out how they move stuff out of the way to _insert_ them makes the sentence even more uncomfortable.


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## GenJen54

mjscott said:
			
		

> It's like there's a difference between me saying that I had a rectal exam at the doctor's office, and "The doctor inserted his finger up my rectum." Everyone on the planet that knows what breast augmentation is knows that they must be inserted. For that reason, alone, _inserted_ can be un-inserted (omitted) in the sentence. The fact that the verb gives people the heebie-jeebies figuring out how they move stuff out of the way to _insert_ them makes the sentence even more uncomfortable.



BRAVO and well-put.  I couldn't have said it better.


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## James Brandon

I want to go back to the point made by Maxiogee, i.e. that the matter referred to makes it - potentially - redundant to specify the gender of the person benefiting from the mammary enhancement procedure. I disagree. In this day and age, it could be _man_ having it done (perhaps as a preliminary step to a sex-change operation, i.e. _pre-op.)._ As a result, the _gender_ of the female customs officer should definitely be indicated. I am sure you will all agree on this one. (It could even be a man who does _not_ want a gender change but merely likes the idea of having a big bosom -not that I have ever met any...)


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## la reine victoria

James Brandon said:
			
		

> I want to go back to the point made by Maxiogee, i.e. that the matter referred to makes it - potentially - redundant to specify the gender of the person benefiting from the mammary enhancement procedure. I disagree. In this day and age, it could be _man_ having it done (perhaps as a preliminary step to a sex-change operation, i.e. _pre-op.)._ As a result, the _gender_ of the female customs officer should definitely be indicated. I am sure you will all agree on this one. (It could even be a man who does _not_ want a gender change but merely likes the idea of having a big bosom -not that I have ever met any...)


 

I can't imagine any red-blooded heterosexual man wanting his very own (albeit silicone) breasts.  He would be a laughing stock among his "mates down the pub".  No, he would have to be a very reclusive person and enjoy his "treasures" in the privacy of his own home.  

From sociological research which I've carried out on the web I gather that "she-males" have had successful implants, but have been reluctant to part with their male "bits".  I find this all rather confusing - but each to their own I suppose.



LRV


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## James Brandon

That's called trying to have it both ways - so to speak.


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## french4beth

How about "She _obtained_ breast implants"?  

For the word 'insert' - from thefreedictionary.com:


> You _insert_ a key into a lock; you _insert_ an illustration into a text


Same source for 'implant':


> a prosthesis placed permanently in tissue (heart, joint, dental, shunt, lens,etc.)


 
Maxiogee! No one is born 'deficient', the only deficiency is the cosmetic surgeon's bank account!


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## James Brandon

It sounds a bit like she got them in a packet of corn-flakes... I can't see why "insert" would be wrong _per se_, even though it may sound painful. As for deficiencies, it is all relative, indeed.


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## french4beth

The word 'insert' just sounds so mechanical to me, not at all like an invasive surgical procedure; m-w.com gives the following definitions:


> put or thrust in <_insert_ a spacecraft into orbit>; set in & make fast, especially: to _insert_ by sewing between 2 cut edges


I am thinking of the phrase, "_insert coin to operate_" (i.e. an arcade game, a mechanical children's ride, etc.).


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## TrentinaNE

As GenJen wrote several posts ago, you simply don't hear "insert" in conjunction with "breast implants." It may not be wrong grammatically, but I think we've been discussing usage, and it's not used that way. Instead, one either gets (not obtains) breast implants, has her breasts done, or has breast augmentation surgery. I think that's pretty much the end of the story.  

Elizabeth


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## Derringer

I don't think it's wrong _per se, _but it does draw attention to the procedure rather than the result of the procedure. "She got breast implants," I think, implies referral to her post-operative situation. It would be the difference between "She got her teeth fixed" and "She had a dentist grind and repair her teeth."


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## french4beth

I am convinced that _'obtain breast impl_ants' *is* a valid option (apparently I'm not the only one as I got over 1,540,000 hits on google using the above phrase - including nationalreviewofmedicine.com, ehow.net, breast-cancer-research.com and plasticsurgery.net web sites: http://www.google.com/search?hl=fr&q=obtain+breast+implant&btnG=Rechercher&lr=).


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## TrentinaNE

Those _Google_ search results include many instances where _obtain _does not immediately precede _breast implants_.  Searching on the phrase "obtain breast implants," I find only about 250 hits, compared to 80,000+ for the phrase "get breast implants."

Cheers,
Elizabeth


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## GenJen54

> So what would be the difference between the above examples and mine: _a female customs officer who had breast implants inserted_, please?


 
Something just occurred to me when re-reading this thread. It's the "duh" that has been here all along.

We don't use "insert" with "implant," because when something is implanted, it is, by its very nature, inserted. To use "she had breast implants inserted" is redundant. 

Look at the category tree (No 3.) for *implant* using the WR Dictionaries.
Now, look at the category tree (B, verb Nos. 1 and 4) for *insert*.

The two words are synonymous in certain contexts. 

When you implant, you are putting one object into another. 
When you insert, you are putting one object into another. 

They mean the same thing. 



			
				french4beth said:
			
		

> I am convinced that _'obtain breast impl_ants' *is* a valid option (apparently I'm not the only one as I got over 1,540,000 hits on google using the above phrase - including nationalreviewofmedicine.com, ehow.net, breast-cancer-research.com and plasticsurgery.net


 
Please review the names of the websites you included here. The vast majority are medical in nature. It's natural that the medical community would opt for "obtain," because it is more erudite sounding. 

That does not mean its use is "colloquial," however. How many times to you say obtain in a day? Not that often, I would assume. 

"get" is by far more common in everyday, spoken English. Only thomas is able to say whether "obtain" or "get" fits best into the context of his work.


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## french4beth

Yikes!  I was simply trying to provide an alternative to 'get breast implants' as per the original thread - isn't that the whole idea of the forum? 

In My Humble Opinion, 'obtain breast implants' is a valid option - I'm not a medical expert, but I am a native English speaker, and I have heard this expression before.

Thomas didn't specify if he wanted colloquial alternatives, so I am just trying to make a _suggestion_.


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## TrentinaNE

french4beth said:
			
		

> In My Humble Opinion, 'obtain breast implants' is a valid option - I'm not a medical expert, but I am a native English speaker, and I have heard this expression before.


Somehow "obtain" makes me picture someone taking possession of silicon sacs rather than having the surgical implant procedure, but live and learn!   

Elizabeth


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## Joelline

Thomas1 said:
			
		

> I'd like to say that a women got breast implants but I want to use a more "sophisticated" word instead of get, can I say:
> _a female customs officer who *inserted breast implants* _
> 
> Oh and one more question can I insert herslef between the verb and the object here:
> _a female customs officer who *inserted herself breast implants* _
> _a female customs officer who* got herself breast implants* _


 
Taking Thomas1 at his word, the most "*sophisticated*" way of saying this is probably, "_a female customs officer who had had breast augmentation_."


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## nycphotography

GenJen54 said:
			
		

> We don't use "insert" with "implant," because when something is implanted, it is, by its very nature, inserted. To use "she had breast implants inserted" is redundant.


 
Um, Gen, AN implant is a noun. You gotta do something with it.

Saying she implanted her implants... now THAT'S redundant.


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## nycphotography

Joelline said:
			
		

> Taking Thomas1 at his word, the most "*sophisticated*" way of saying this is probably, "_a female customs officer who had had breast augmentation_."


 
So saying "she got big ol' fake hooties" wouldn't be the most sophisticated phrasing?

If you want a euphemism, I'm sure we can come up with a few.  Mammalian enhancement for example.


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## James Brandon

"Insert" _per se_ probably is not wrong but may not be used colloquially, indeed. The contributor who pointed out that "insert" and "implant" have very similar meanings, if not identical in the medical field, however, has a point. So, to say that "a woman had implants inserted" is most probably redundant. 

To use "obtain" may be correct but perhaps a bit clumsy or misleading - it sounds to me like she went out and bought them in a store... Even doctors can get their lingo wrong... 

As several contributors have said, "to have breast augmentation surgery" and phrases built around the verb "to get" are probably best and most commonly used.

Trentina summed it up correctly, I think: "As GenJen wrote several posts ago, you simply don't hear "insert" in conjunction with "breast implants." It may not be wrong grammatically, but I think we've been discussing usage, and it's not used that way. Instead, one either gets (not obtains) breast implants, has her breasts done, or has breast augmentation surgery. I think that's pretty much the end of the story."


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## panjandrum

Playing Google for a few minutes, and being careful to use "
*6* for *"obtain breast implant*.
*247* for *"obtain breast implants*
*3,060* for *"get breast implant*
*80,400* for *"get breast implants*
*16* for *"insert breast implant*
*160* for *"insert breast implants*

Interesting, but not surprising when you think about it, that the plural is more common than the singular


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## James Brandon

My favourite is "to have mammary enhancement", but Google only credits it with two entries (one of them Australian-related, for what it is worth). 

"Have breast augmentation" - 38,800: a decent contender 

"Get breast augmentation" - 687: a poor relation 

"Get a boob job" - 67,400: a popular (and colloquial) formula 

"Get bigger tits" - 636 only, to my surprise 

"Look like a Page Three girl" - 32 entries 

"Look like a Page 3 girl" - 39 entries 

All searches with "Get the exact phrase" function in "Advanced Search".

For non-British readers not familiar with "Page 3" references - just ask. A moderator will be glad to send you to the relevant website and/or some relevant graphic material.


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## lizzeymac

french4beth said:
			
		

> I am convinced that _'obtain breast impl_ants' *is* a valid option (apparently I'm not the only one as I got over 1,540,000 hits on google using the above phrase - including nationalreviewofmedicine.com, ehow.net, breast-cancer-research.com and plasticsurgery.net web sites: [/URL]=).




Hi
I can only give you a subjective native AE usage opinion. By the way, this is a great thread, it really makes you think.
You are right, there is nothing grammatically wrong with the words you propose to use, though to me "obtain breast implants" means to buy breast implants at a store.  Obtain is a word used by lawyers or in terms of being granted formal permission for something.

If you are asking if it sounds "native" or natural to the ear I can only tell you that I would be certain this was a translation from another language & not a good one.  
It is stilted & so overly precise and yet awkward as to be mark itself as a translation. 

If you are looking for a phrase that sounds discreet or well-educated use the "breast augmentation surgery" phrase suggested above, it is polite & accurate. It is a phrase you could use in conversation with anyone without fear of offending them.

If you are being funny or critical or sarcastic or vulgar or teenager-ish use "got fake boobs", "got a boob job", "got her boobs done". "Got" is used casually in place of "had".  The "mammalian enhancement" suggestion is pretty funny too.

I don't want to sound too conservative but if you are trying to sound sophisticated in the sense of being well bred & polite you wouldn't be mentioning her breasts at all.

-


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## James Brandon

Admittedly, the aim of breast-enhancement procedures is that the end-result should be gazed at (by others) but _not_ talked about (by anyone, lest the secret of how such an impressive result was _obtained_ should come out).


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## la reine victoria

James Brandon said:
			
		

> Admittedly, the aim of breast-enhancement procedures is that the end-result should be gazed at (by others) but _not_ talked about (by anyone, lest the secret of how such an impressive result was _obtained_ should come out).


 

Words are superfluous here James since it's obvious that these silicone mounds are not natural, especially the large industrial size.  A nudge and a wink would suffice.  



LRV


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## James Brandon

Queen Vic,
A _wink_, perhaps; I would avoid the good old _nudge_, however, tempting as it may be - those artificial constructs might explode in your face, if _nudged_ too much!


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## nycphotography

James Brandon said:
			
		

> For non-British readers not familiar with "Page 3" references - just ask. A moderator will be glad to send you to the relevant website and/or some relevant graphic material.


 
But a Page 3 Girl has to be Natural.



> _The Sun_ initiated an all natural policy where models, such as Jordan, who obtain breast implants are "retired" from Page Three.


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## James Brandon

I did not know "The Sun" of the UK was against breast implants... But they are _not_ against large bosoms, that is for sure. No doubt this is their way of being environmentally friendly (silicone is a polluting substance) and politically correct (i.e. aware of "issues"). That's me reassured.


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## Joelline

Well, _The Sun_ certainly slipped up!  ..._The Sun_, which had recently decided on a "natural beauty" policy, requiring all its models to be "silicon-free" 
Guess they didn't know about saline implants: silicone free!


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## James Brandon

"_Saline_ implants" - is that when you pump water into them? Well, this Thread, apart from generating phenomenal interest (I wonder why) is also full of surprises... What about custard, say?


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