Cup Size After Mastectomy with Saline Implants?

I will be having a right simple mastectomy. I'm a "A" cup, and I'd like to have an idea about the cup size I would have after mastectomy, with 450 to 500cc of saline injected into my tissue expander? I will then have two implants placed on both sides.

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A cup mastectomy 450-499cc saline implants

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by sbear in VA

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Breast Reconstruction: Expander and Implant Size

You've have provided us with alot of information and I wish you the best of luck in your subsequent treatment. Remember that the overall goal is to treat the primary and chemotherapy, if necessary, may delay or effect the reconstruction timeline. Having said that, it has become increasingly difficult to pin down an exact size at this time. Also the final size of the expander does not directly equate to the size of the implant. In fact, many surgeons "overexpand" for a prolonged... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Few simple rules

It is always a pleasure to spend time with my patients on the pre op day trying to get to the best possible breast shape and volume following reconstruction. I will try to be as simple as possible in telling what I would do in my consultation: 1-Your actual breast tissue volume now is giving you a 32A size. This volume will be confirmed immediately after the mastectomy when the specimen is weighted. This is very valuable information that helps the surgeon to fine tune his choice of expander... more

Cup size is unpredictable

Cup size is one of those intangibles that do not have a simple answer. It depends on a great number of vriables. A 450 cc or 500 cc implant will yield a different cup size on a woman who is 5 feet tall and has a narrow chest than it will on a woman who is 5'10" and has a broad chest. The diameter of your present breast is an important parameter. When you say you are an A cup, that size varies with a woman who is a 32 A or a 38 A cup so it would be helpful to know how tall you are... more

Implant size post-mastectomy

The volume needed to achieve this result will differ amongst each woman. You must take into account body habitus, height, weight, as well as the projection-type of implant used. A smaller woman will require much less volume (cc's) than a much larger and taller woman would. The chest girth in inches (36, 38, etc.) will not change as this is a measure of the chest circumference beneath the breasts. The cup size (B, C, D, etc.) is measured by the projection from the... more

Expanders and breast implants

As I am filling up the expander, I ask my patients at what point do they like the size. Once we reach that level, I usually overexpand the tissue expander and then replace it with an implant that matched the patient's volume preference (of course, the shape as well).

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Your final size will vary depending on several factors

It is difficult to determine the final cup size at the time a mastectomy is performed. Although weighing the amount of tissue removed is used as a guide by some plastic surgeons, several other factors must be considered. Among these are the amount of tissue remaining following the mastectomy, the amount of skin laxity you posess and the size and amount of saline used to fill your expander. I explain to my patients and their families that size is determined during the expansion process. A... more

Cup size depends on the band measurement of your bra.

To sbear, Hi! It's very hard to answer your question without knowing more about your measurements. For example, a 34A is quite a bit smaller than a 38A. If you are small and thin, 500cc in your mastectomy side would give you something in the range of a C cup.

Cup sizes are quite inexact

There is no exact science to cup sizing but roughly there are 250 ccs in a cup size. So 500 ccs would be 2 cup sizes. All manufacturers are different and cup sizes vary with the band width of the bra also.

Breast size after reconstruction has many considerations

Reconstruction of the breast after simple mastectomy has so many variables that determine your eventual cup size. The most important consideration is the thickness and amount of skin available to cover the implant, and will the nipple be spared. Another is your expectation of the size of the eventual reconstructed breast. If you are currently an A-cup it might be best to discuss with your plastic surgeon your expectation and often photos will help guide you. The amount of saline in the... more