I answer a lot of questions on RealSelf.com (see my profile: https://www.realself.com/find/Texas/Austin/Plastic-Surgeon/David-Dellinger) and by far breast implant size is the most common question posted regarding breast surgery.
Undoubtedly, this can be a source of great concern for many women. If you’re going to go though process of having breast implants either through breast augmentation or a mastopexy-augmentation, you want the size to be just right – not too big and not too small. Sometimes patients will want to have the doctor make the choice for them. While we may make recommendations – at least in our practice – the final choice is yours
As you start the process it’s always important to remember that breasts are 3-diminsional in shape as well as size: they have height, width and projection, all of which need to be considered in the overall implant selection process. I’m not saying this to make the process harder, but rather, easier.
Try to keep these points in mind as you’re thinking about implant sizes:
- There are generally a broad range of implant sizes that will work well for each patient – not just one and only one size.
- Don’t focus on ‘how many cc’s’ or ‘what cup size’ you think you need.
- It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the data on the Internet. I’ve seen patients come to the office with reams of data they’ve pulled from Google, which only made them more uncertain about their choice.
- You’ll always make the best choice if you pick what you like. You may want to take some time looking at pre and post surgery pictures of other patients who have similar heights, weights and body frames as yours.
Here are some tips to prepare for your consultation:
- In our practice, you will have the opportunity to try out a variety of implant sizes and styles.
- You’ll try on a special bra in which we place the implants and let you try out as many as you want in order to narrow down to a size range.
- Bring a couple of different form-fitting tops to help with the sizing process. It helps you have a better idea of the final result.
- You may want to bring a trusted friend, spouse or significant other to help you with the process
- You won’t be forced to take a few minutes to make a decision that you have to live with for next several years. You can always come back and try out the implants again as many times as you want until you feel comfortable with your choice.
- We’ll be there every step of the way to guide and advise you and answer your questions during the process.
We want you to feel comfortable about your decision, so that by the time you’re ready to go to surgery, you know you’ve made the best choice.
To summarize: “Pick what you like and you’ll always make the best choice”
