Plastic surgery procedures are being increasingly used on the female mammae. Our study involved procedures for reduction or augmentation of breast size in 83 and 39 noncancer patients, respectively. In order to answer the question of whether more psychosocial benefits are to be expected in reduction or augmentation operations, the following aspects were explored in patient interviews: social, personality/psychological, sexual satisfaction, professional and leisure time, and honest evaluation of the results. These data should have bearing on focussing the preoperative explanation of the operation to the patient.