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Massey University health psychology masters student Veronica Hopner examined 15 websites offering breast augmentation during research on the subject.

Ms Hopner said the websites of New Zealand cosmetic surgeons minimised the risks and complications associated with breast augmentation and gave little indication of the likelihood of further surgery.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had reported 27 risks and complications with breast implants which usually required further surgery, including infection, toxic shock syndrome, problems with breast feeding, scarring and chest wall deformity.

The risk of rupture, the most common and potentially serious complication, increased over time to 69 per cent for implants older than 17 years.

Ms Hopner said breast augmentation had enormous value and many women reported that such surgery had significantly enriched their lives.

"However, research indicates that women would rather know all the risks and complications in order to make informed choice about their bodies."

The websites also did not give enough information about the shape and sizes of implants available, with notions of femininity used to limit possibilities, Ms Hopner said.

The surgeons were almost exclusively male and they appeared to effectively control the shape and size options available, she said.

The only links to further information the websites offered were implant manufacturers or other cosmetic associations' websites.

United States research found more than two million women had implants.

More than 200,000 of them were in 2003 alone and projections indicated that it would increase by up to 12 per cent annually.

Ms Hopner said data on breast implants in New Zealand was scarce, but it was estimated in 1998 about 3000 women had had surgery.