Is 325 Cc the Right Size for Me?

Hello! Thank you for your question. In
general, implant size does not
correlate with bra cup size. The cup size itself will vary from
manufacturer to manufacturer as well as who is doing the actual
measurements. Thus, cup size is never a reliable indicator for your
breast size. I typically encourage my patients not to communicate her
desires in cup size but more on the actual look and appearance. Given
your desires, a breast augmentation, with an implant or fat grafting,
would be an ideal procedure that would meet your expectations. Breast
augmentation is now the most popular procedure performed in plastic
surgery today. One tolerated very well by women with minimal downtime
and high patient satisfaction. Good
communication between you and your surgeon of your expectations is
warranted - choosing your surgeon wisely is the first step. Discussion

of your wishes and having an honest and open dialog of your procedure is
mandatory (e.g, implant type, incision, placement, etc). Implant profile will also make a difference on the projection, which will influence overall breast/cup size.   I have found

that photographs brought by the patient is helpful to get a
visualization of the appearance you wish for in terms of size, shape,
fullness, etc. In addition, your surgeon's pre and postoperative
photographs should demonstrate a realistic goal for you of results.
Sizers are helpful during an in-office consultation. Once this has
been accomplished, allow your surgeon to utilize his/her best medical
judgment during the procedure to finesse the best possible result for
you after preoperative biodimensional planning and fitting the right
implant for your breast width. This is the most important determinant
for the sizing of implants, which will provide the optimal result and
most aesthetically-pleasing result for you.Consult with a
board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in breast procedures who
will examine and discuss with you the various options and factors to
consider and help you decide which one will be the right one for you.
Hope me that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

In general I think 325 cc is a conservative choice in silicone gel breast implants. I am not sure it will get you to a small D cup but I think you will most likely be happy with the result.  I cannot say for sure without seeing your anatomy and taking measurements. The plastic surgeon can also consider using gel sizers at the time of surgery to ensure the best choice of size that fits your frame and choose then.  I try to council patients to not get "married to a number" with breast implants.  Good luck!

Unfortunately, this is a common if not almost universal concern. Most women don't want to be "too big" after surgery, or have an unnatural look. Many confess the worry that others may "notice" and judge them unfavorably. Women end up arguing with their plastic surgeons over 25 or 50cc (which is less than 1-2 ounces, and not even visible when distributed over a whole breast's volume). You're in good company!

Let me reassure you that adding 325cc implants will add just over 1 1/3 cup sizes to your present size, but the bras you choose now and after surgery are so variable that you need more information upon which to base your implant choice (if in fact your surgeon is leaving this up to you). Basically, I believe that my patients generally know what they want, but that they are inexperienced in how best to achieve a specific look. Thus, it is my job as a plastic surgeon to assist them in conveying to me just what exactly they want to achieve.

Trying on implants in a bra is helpful, though I caution my own patients that I will need to add 50-100cc to whatever they choose (anatomy allowing) to achieve the "look" they like in a brassiere and stretchy top when sizing. Photographs of patients or models with breast sizes that approximate the desired size also help me understand my patients' goals. Then, measurements before, and during, surgery allow me to choose the implants that best accomplish my patient's goals in keeping with her anatomy's limitations.

Without knowing where you buy your bras, nobody can give you an honest or accurate estimation of post-op bra size you may end up with after 325cc implants (and who knows if you like your bras tight, loose, or with breast "spilling out" over the fabric or hardshell cup). Herein lies the problem of "cup size" estimates.

You should try your best to convey your desired "look" and leave the decision-making as how to best achieve that look to your experienced ABPS-certified plastic surgeon. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen