בין בחירתה של אישה להגדיל את שדיה באמצעות שתלי סיליקון ובין בחירתה להתנתח להוצאתם

Our paper follows a timeline that begins with women’s choice to undergo breast augmentation surgery with silicone implants until they decide to remove the implants surgically. The latter is taken alongside joining a Facebook group dedicated to sharing, supporting, and transferring information between women undergoing similar processes. Our findings, based on digital ethnography of the group discourse and interviews with group members, show that the group discourse encourages women to become knowledge agents for themselves and others. It also helped them to understand the risks entailed in augmentation surgery. As the research participants went ahead to remove the implants from their bodies, they expanded their set of considerations in choosing the surgeon, adopting a stance that prioritized their well-being. Further findings pertain to developing a sense of empowerment alongside emotional ambivalence anchored in their separation from a culturally appreciated appearance.