What is important to most women seeking breast augmentation surgery is the end result, not the exact size of the implant. Often, patients are surprised to see before and after photographs and learn that a woman with 250 cc implants may have fuller looking breasts than a woman with 325cc implants.
There are many variables to consider when selecting the size of implant: The height and frame of a woman, how much breast tissue she has to start with, whether or not she has had children.
Cup size is also not consistent with bra manufacturers. A "B cup" to one company mught be a "D cup" to another. The best way to determine the size of the implant that is ideal for you is to have great communication with your plastic surgeon, usung your plastic surgeon's before and after images as a tool to help you communicate the size you are hoping to acheive.
In consultations I listen carefully to each patient to ensure that I clearly understand their goals for breast augmentation surgery. Based on that discussion, and on the physical examination, I go into surgery knowing what the ideal volume should be within two or three breast implant sizes. However, the patient and I do not decide on one particular size prior to surgery. There is absolutely no way, in my opinion, to know exactly what size implant is the ideal size for a particular patient in advance of creating the implant pockets in the operating room. For that reason I keep a wide range of implant sizes on hand in the surgery center.
If natural is the goal, then the way to get the size right is to 'try out' different implant volumes in the operating room. Once the implant pockets have been created, I place a 'sizer' in one implant pocket and have the upper half of the O.R. table raised so that the patient is in an upright 'sitting' position (chest fully upright). The sizer is then inflated gradually to the point that the breasts appear full, but not unnaturally so. In this manner, the exact volume that produces a full but natural breast profile is determined.
For any patient there is obviously a range of implant volumes that would be considered natural. While one patient may seek an augmentation that is 'the small side of natural', another may be interested in something that is more on 'the large side of natural'. By using breast implant sizers to determine exactly what breast profile a given implant volume produces in the O.R., I am able to provide patients with the closest possible approximation of their preoperative goals.
Just as important, if not more important than size is the position of the implants. If a woman is seeking a natural looking result, breast that are to far apart, too close together, or too high the chest will look like obvious breast implants.
