When searching for a plastic surgeon, you may get several different recommendations on implant sizes that will leave you confused and overwhelmed. Study! Study! Study! Be sure to do your homework. Dr. Adams is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon that specializes in a specific technique and is invited all over the country to teach and publish medical literature. Just like with any surgery, it is important do as much research as possible before you choose a breast augmentation surgeon.
Women also tend to compare themselves to friends and pictures on the internet. Breast augmentation surgery is a very popular surgery and is commonly discussed among women. Realize that there are very specific reasons that women will get different recommendations.
Here is our guide for selecting the correct implant size for you.
- Be realistic with the results your breast type can produce.
All women have different breast types, shapes and sizes – there are no two breasts that are the same. The measurements of your breast will determine the implant size that fits your breast the best. Every woman has a different amount of breast tissue and this will affect the size. Women who have less breast tissue before surgery will be smaller than a woman who naturally has more breast tissue.
Different skin types will produce different appearances as well. A patient that has tight skin will have breasts that look tighter and perkier. Women with looser skin will have more of a relaxed look. These skin types are determined by genetics, weight loss, aging, pregnancies, and breastfeeding.
Since all women have different breast types, your breast augmentation result with not be the same as your friend or a picture off of the Internet. The examples below show two women with two different breast types that were both perfect candidates for breast augmentation with Allergan Silicone 304cc breast implants. Case A has little breast tissue and tight skin. Case B has relaxed skin with more breast tissue. Even though both patients have the exact same implant type and size they both have a very different result. Case A has breasts that are round and full; Case B has breasts that are larger with a relaxed and natural look.
Case A Case B
- Do not get stuck on an implant size before being examined, it may not be right for you.
Getting stuck on an implant size, because of a friend’s size or a picture you saw on the Internet, does not mean you will get the same result by asking for that same implant size. Again, everyone is different, and to prove that, below you will see 4 different patients that have different results but all have the same implant size: Allergan Silicone 339cc.
It is also important not to get stuck on bra size. The bra industry does not manufacture their bras by the same size chart as breast implants. Keep in mind when you go to different stores you can be a different cup size. This is why it is very important to select a size that looks good on your body – not what bra size you will be.
- How large is too large?
There is a specialized technique of selecting an implant size that fits your breast. The method is called the High 5 System. This method has been published and proven to calculate the perfect-sized implant that fits your breast the best. The measurements will determine how much room is in the breast and how much volume needs to be added to fill out the breast.
Once the size range is chosen, the exact size will be selected based on your personal preferences. Vectra 3D imaging is a visual tool that is used during Dr. Adams’ consultation to allow patients to see their results before surgery. Being able to see the breast augmentation results on your own body will give you the confidence that you made the right choice before surgery.
The goal with selecting the appropriate size is not only to produce a natural and appropriate look; it also can help with lowering risks of complications and give you longevity. Women that go with an implant size that is too large for their breast will experience results that look unnatural. Even worse, receiving an implant that is too large can distort the shape of the breast. Over time, the skin will not be able to support the implant and will cause stretching, rippling and atrophy, which is thinning of breast tissue. This can cause irreversible damage that could lead to additional surgery sooner than you expect.
Below, on the left, is a patient that preferred a fuller unnatural look. She has more upper pole fullness and you can see that her nipple stretched downward over time. The other type of stretching is what is most commonly known as “Bottoming Out”. You can see in the example on the right that this patient’s implants are too large and heavy for her tissue. The weight of the implant caused her nipples stretch upward, this created a long distance between her nipple to the crease of her breast. A larger implant is not worth the risk. It is always best to select a size that is safe based on your measurements.
- Keep the rice in the kitchen!
- Roostaeian J, Adams WP, Jr. Three-Dimensional Imaging for Breast Augmentation: Is This Technology Providing Accurate Simulations? Aesthetic surgery journal / the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic surgery 2014; 34(6): 857-75.