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Breast Implant Exchange and Lift for C Cup Breasts?
I am 42 years old. My first breast implants (300 cc) were placed in 1993. Those ruptured and were replaced with 300 cc implants. Since I've recently had two children. I did not breast feed. My breasts seem much larger after pregnancy. I wear a DD bra size and my breasts are too large for my frame of 5'4, 114 lbs. I would like a nice C cup and have looked into an implant exchange. I'm worried about my breasts sagging. My doctor has not suggested a breast lift with my implant exchange. Do you think I will need a breast lift also?
Asked 27 months ago by
mscot in South Carolina
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Breast implant sizing
It is very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon. In my practice, the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) is very helpful. I have found that the use of words such as “natural” or “C cup” or "fake looking" means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful.
Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on who makes the bra; therefore, discussing desired...
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Implant removal and concurrent breast lift (mastopexy)
It sounds as if you may need a simple removal of your implants with simultaneous breast lift. If you are a DD, removal of the implants alone will likely take you down 2 cup sizes.
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Breast lift or not
It is hard to tell whether you would need a breast lift with an implant exchange without examining you. If you are dropping down in size you probably will need some sort of a lift.
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Downsizing DD to C cups
It is uncommon for augmented breasts to permanently increase in volume with pregnancy. If the increase in breast volume has remained stable for more than 6 months after your pregnancy, it can be considered largely permanent.
Despite the larger breasts, I think we can assume that you would not be happy without breast implants. Removing the breast implants (without exchanging them) would NOT result in the breasts you had in 1993 but probably in smaller and more deflated sagging breasts....
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Decreasing from DD to C
As Drs. Baxter and Salemy have explained, we would need to see photos of you to properly answer this and to examine you to see how much of your current size is you vs implant. Either downsizing or totally removing your implants would be appropriate and I would be almost certain that you would need a lift...
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Breast lift after downsizing implants
When patients desire a smaller cup size, in particular from a DD to a C as in your particular case, the chance of needing a lift is high. We can't know for sure without examining you, but this is something that your surgeon will probably discuss with you prior to surgery. What you may want to also ask him is what kind of lift you need -- where will the incisions be? This will allow you to prepare for what things will look like after the procedure.
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DD to C cup without a lift?
Of course no one can give you specific advice without examining you, so your own plastic surgeon is in the best position to advise you. However, I would say that in general to go from a DD to a C would generally be about a 300 cc reduction so in a case like yours that most often means removing the implants and doing a breast lift. But focus more on the look you want rather than the specific cup size.
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