I Got 24-Hour Breast Implants, and It Changed My Life

How Much Do They Cost?

The treatments costs $2,500 for 24 hours of boobs (that ends up being a little over $100 an hour). However, a permanent breast augmentation in Manhattan runs about $10,000, so this is just a fraction of the price to test them out and hopefully be sure with your decision.

Dr. Rowe said about 75 percent of patients get actual breast implants after experiencing Instabreast. "I think the reciprocal of that is probably more important," Dr. Rowe pointed out. "Twenty-five percent of the patients that I do the Instabreast on end up saying 'no, breast implants are not for me.' Those patients might not have had any other way of figuring out they don't want implants other than having had plastic surgery." This service helps decrease the risk of boob-job buyer's remorse.

Is It Safe?

Obviously, I had a lot of questions before I went under the needle. Is it safe to freely inject saline into the body? "Saline is naturally in our body — the vast majority of our blood is sodium chloride," explained Dr. Rowe. "And your body has compartments, the breasts being a very big compartment." In the same way that an implant doesn't slide around in the body, the saline injection stays put above the inframammary crease (where your breasts meet your ribcage) and above each pectoral muscle.

Where Do the Boobs Go After 24 Hours?

Moving on: how does the saline leave the body? Turns out, after your body fully absorbs it, you just pee it out. You'll start seeing your breasts minimize at about hour 18, and, no, you won't constantly be running to the bathroom — it's considerably less fluid than you're supposed to drink each day. Finally, would I get stretch marks? Dr. Rowe assured me that the enhancement wouldn't last long enough to permanently stretch my skin.

Armed with all this info, I headed into Dr. Rowe's Upper East Side practice on a Thursday afternoon armed with a low-cut top, a small amount of anxiety, and a goal of getting a C cup.

"You're here for the Instabreast?" chirped the receptionist. "I got it done a few weeks ago — it was amazing!" I already felt better. Once I sat down with the doctor, I was especially calm. Dr. Rowe had a wonderful bedside manner and made conversation as he took my measurements. After he evaluated the width of each breast and distance between my nipples, I was ready for surgery. He planned to focus on the upper inner breasts to give me cleavage and extra fullness on the sides (sexy side boobs!).

After leaving my friends for the night (with a lot of Arrested Development quotes), I went back to my boyfriend's place. He looked at my chest with concern and then from a scientific standpoint — but not particularly a sexual one. He later said, "I felt like I couldn't enjoy them as much because it was painful for you, and the entry point of the needle looked like it hurt." Pressed further, he offered more opinions. "I like your breasts as they are," he insisted, "but if the [enhanced ones] truly make you happy, then I would prefer the implants." (Cue the "awws!" He's a great boyfriend.)

By the end of the following day, my breasts were back to normal, save a little tenderness. I'll admit it, I was really sad to see them go. I wished they had lasted longer so I could see what that was like. (Spoiler! Dr. Rowe is currently working on a procedure that will last three to four weeks, perfect for those getting married and going on their honeymoons.) But what I learned from the experience is that I am very, very interested in breast implants — and if I were to get them, I would want larger breasts than the size I tried for this story. "The most common complaint that I hear most from patients after surgery is 'I should have gone bigger,'" said Dr. Rowe.

This experiment taught me a big lesson in managing expectations. For example, when I lost a significant amount of weight several years ago, I didn't just magically look like a runway model — it was still me, just slimmer. The same holds true for breasts, apparently; just because breasts look a certain way on a celebrity or on a friend, doesn't mean that they'd look that way on me. Still, I loved my 24-hour implants, and Instabreast made it very clear to me that a larger bra cup would bring me a lot of happiness. I understand the importance of self-acceptance, but come on, ladies (and gents), isn't that easier said than done? If a lifetime of dissatisfaction could be fixed with one operation, wouldn't you be tempted, too? It's not about the attention — which I am sure many believe is a drive for augmentation. I'll admit that I did enjoy the extra stares here and there when I had a fuller bosom, but, honestly, the best "side effect" of all was looking at myself in the mirror with newfound confidence and body appreciation.