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Three Different PS, Three Different BWD Measurements. I Am So Confused!

asked 1 year ago by Finally!
Latest answer by Gary H. Manchester, MD
Question viewed 387 times
Tags: BWD, surgeon

Though each of these surgeons came within a cm or less of each other's measurements, the varied results have left me puzzled. The first said my BWD was 12 and I would most definitely need HP implants, the second measured an centimeter and a half more and said mod+ would work best while the third was smack dab in the middle with his measurement. I'm afraid of choosing the "perfect" size only to find that it won't fit in surgery. Should I get yet another consult for a tie breaker?

17 answers to Three Different PS, Three Different BWD Measurements. I Am So Confused!

Final choice of breast implants should be made in the operating room.

How to pick breast implant sizes 1) This is the most common type of question on RealSelf. 2) It is the surgeon's job to pick the right breast implants, not the patient's. Implant selection is really pretty technical. 3) Make sure your surgeon REALLY understands the look you want. Mentioning a cup size is not enough. Show your surgeon pictures of breasts you like. 4) Then your surgeon has to tell you if your chosen look is realistic for your anatomy. The most... more

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Three different surgeons

I was going to say threee different types of chicken soup but they are all chicken soup. You are going to get alot of different opinions based upon each surgeon's aesthetics. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Choosing breast implant surgeons

You would be making a mistake by basing the choice of doctor on the 1 cm difference in base width measurements. The more important factor is what "look" you want because the different profiles make different looks. In other words, a mod+ implant of 13 cm diameter will LOOK DIFFERENT in shape than a 12 cm HP implant. So first focus on the profile you like, and try on some sizers.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

PERFECT BREASTS

First of all, there is no perfect breast or size. Because of the different variables and goals that patients have, I never make firm recommendations after one visit. There is so much analysis and psychology involved in finding the "perfect" fit which is why you have different opinions. Second, there may or may not be much practical difference between the choices. It depends on what level you are talking about. A 30 cc or 5mm difference in a B-cup breast may be much less... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Show your plastic surgeon a picture

Show your surgeon a picture of what you consider the perfect size. This will give him an idea of what you hope to achieve. The idea of picking a specific size implant before surgery is not possible and would tie your surgeon's hands during the operation if he felt it were too small or too large. Forget the measurements. Human error in measuring you is the discrepancy. Good luck.

Gary H. Manchester, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Breast dimensions and implants

These measures are only rough guides to implant selection and to surgery. Definitely do not allow this to decide who performs your surgery. I usually use HP implants in thin women with narrow breasts. After all, the goal is to augment the breast, not the armpit, as wider implants may. What may be wise is to review your physicians' pre and post op pictures. You may find a woman who looks just like you. If she achieved an outcome similar to your goal... more

Jason R. Hess, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Breast base diameter vs. implant diameter

The breast base diameter and the ideal implant diameter for any patient are not the same. Choosing the correct implant diameter involves aesthetic judgment. Factors that must be considered are the patients goals, the patient body type, the patients breast type and the amount of breast tissue overlying the implant. When all of these variables are applied, I would consider it quite reassuring that three different plastic surgeons measured the ideal implant diameter for... more

York Jay Yates, MD
Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implant Sizing

Physicians are human....there tends to be a lot more ART than Science (although we use very high tech, cutting edge equipment and machines, including breast implants) in Plastic Surgery; probably more so in our field than in any other in medicine. I tell patients that when they see 10 plastic surgeons, they will get 9.5 different plans of action to achieve their goal. I tell them that it is not the "brush" but the painter pushing it. So make sure the "painter/surgeon& more

John Philip Connors III, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Choosing breast implant profile

It is obvious that each surgeon is measuring the base width differently. That is not necessarily bad because as long as each surgeon is consistent in his/her assessment and planning for surgery they should have fairly reliable and reproduceable results. Most female breasts are between 12 and 13 cm in diameter and unoperated diameters in that range are in and of themselves not an indication for high profile breast implants.

Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Choosing a Plastic Surgeon

Forget the measurements. Choose the surgeon who you feel you could talk to the easiest and who listened best to your desires. Do not see another unless you feel none of the 3 listened. Your job is to let the surgeon know what you want. It is the surgeon’s job to achieve your desires. The only way that can happen is if the two of you communicate.

Robert T. Buchanan, MD
Highlands Plastic Surgeon

Difficulty in sizing: Perfect breast is in the eye of the beholder -difficulty in measurements

The perfect breast size is the ultimate goal. However, what is perfect at 21 may be less than ideal at 41. Aesthetics change with age, amongst individuals/cultures/decades, styles, etc. Certainly the implants we currently use are significantly larger than 20 years ago. If I were to ask you the borderline between your neck and chin, you could not identify a specific point; they are continuous. The same is true for breasts, When does your inner cleavage become your sternum. Taking a breast... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Don't Muddy the Breast Augmentation Waters

First there are NO PERFECT breasts. Secondly, the plastic surgeons should choose the implants. What you should look at are the results the surgeon achieves. You must choose a surgeon that you trust and results that you like. Another opinion at this point would not be helpful. Dr. ES

Earl Stephenson Jr., MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Three Different PS, Three Different BWD Measurements. I Am So Confused!

My response is return to each again for re measurements. If you have the time. If the measurements are srtill within 1 and one half cm of each other, than assume they are equal. I would than use the HP implant. Best of luck from MIAMI< Dr. darryl j. Blinski, 305 598 0091

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Base Width Diameter for Breast Augmentation

Welcome to the world of Plastic Surgery. It is part science and part art. There are many variables that go into selecting a breast implant. If it were as simple as taking a single measurement, it would really simplify the process. However, it is not that simple. Like art, there are rules and guideline to good aesthetics, but no "right" answers. Or, you could say, many right answers. Breast width diameters depend on what endpoints are used, and where on the breast the... more

Joseph Mele, MD
Walnut Creek Plastic Surgeon

Caliper Required for Accurate Breast Width Measurement

In order to obtain an accurate measurement of your breast width, a caliper is required. Each of the major implant manufacturers supplies there to plastic surgeons who request them.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation, different surgeons different opinions

There are many variables which go into deciding the 'perfect' breast augmentation and it is very common that after three consults you have three opinions as to the 'best' implant. The breast base width is only one factor in determining which implant will 'fit' into the breast and can be measured different ways. For some the determining distance will be the chest width, and for others the distance from the nipple to the fold. The projection of the breast can be... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

Three surgeons = three different measurements

Breast augmentation is based on certain solid surgical principles and some art . All these depend on the experience and artistic judgement of your plastic surgeon. I agree with all the points made by Dr. Yuan. Being 1cm +/- is not the major issue. You need to pick the surgeon that you feel comfortable with and can have an open long term relationship with the practice.