Is 360cc Big Enough to Go From a AA to a D Cup?

I know there are other colleagues who use different "rules of thumb," but in over 25 years of experience and several thousand breast cases, I can attest to the accuracy of about 250cc = 1 cup size. You should also have silicone, as you are tall, thin, and have very little of your own breast tissue to cover and conceal implant rippling. Later exchange is possible, but significantly more expensive.

360cc implants will add about 1 1/2 cup sizes to your present size. As I estimate this, you would end up a small to average C at most, but cup size and brassiere manufacturer differences vary significantly. I know you don't want to be "too big;" I hear that daily in my practice. I also hear all too frequently: "I should have gone bigger." Since I charge no surgeon's fee for re-operations (patients pay for OR, anesthesia, and new implants), both my patient and I LOSE when the size isn't right, so I have learned how to get it right most of the time!

I will make this bold prediction: if you use 360cc saline implants you will absolutely require re-operation for not one, but two reasons, and that assumes there are no other issues and totally uncomplicated recovery! You will be too small by a terribly disappointing degree, and even if you wait for re-operation (as you should be told), you will come to learn that implant rippling is a real problem for a woman with your physique. Both of these mistakes are preventable by proper choices NOW!

Is your surgeon an American Board of Plastic Surgery-certified plastic surgeon? "Board certification" by bogus boards, or real boards that have nothing to do with plastic surgery are touted as the "real deal" but are used to imply something other than the truth. Even if your PS is an ABPS-certified plastic surgeon, his advice to you strikes me as not only a "little off" but way off the mark to achieve your goals.

This is a big deal. Reschedule surgery if you must, but do more research and see another plastic surgeon or two to get additional advice. Read my articles (on the "About" tab of my Profile page on this site) titled: "What is the Right Breast Implant Size for You?" and "Why Board Certification is Critical When Choosing a Plastic Surgeon" in addition to the link below; this information will help you ask your surgeon consultants the right questions! Best wishes and good luck!

From your description, the short answer is NO.  However if you are AA and want to go to a D, you may want to re-visit your surgeon and discuss saline vs silicone, because larger saline implants will likely give you a high risk of rippling.  Be sure of the size before surgery so you wont have regrets after!

Dear Inquisitive,

I advise my patients not to focus on the letters of the cup sizes. I utilize a method where I place various sizes of implants on top of  your chest, fitted in a special  bra with a tight white T-shirt. This will provide you with a range of the breast projection. I always measure the diameter of the breast width and provide a range based on a patient's breast measurements. Patients then choose their ideal size. I believe this is the best technique to have patients feel comfortable with their choice.

All the best,

Dr. Lille

If you look on the internet, you might find ten people your same height, weight, and body frame.  They may all have different sized implants and they may all look great.  It is not like putting bumpers on Chevrolets!  Each patient is different.  360 cc's is just a volume, not a cup size.  If I hold 360 cc's up to someone who is 5'0" and 32A, it will look a lot different than it would on someone who is 5'11" and 38A.    Another factor clouding the issue is the fact that bra manufacturers don't make standard cup sizes.  To sum up, 360 cc's will definitely add to your bust, however, without seeing you in person, it is impossible to tell you what cup size it might make you.

A 360 cc breast implant is a reasonable recommendation.The size of the implants are based on a combination of a patient's goals
and objectives and her anatomy. In order to provide a natural looking
augmentation, the surgeon needs to evaluate many factors including soft
tissue coverage, skin laxity, chest wall width, breast imprint width,
the shape of the breasts and relative level of constriction to ensure
that the breast implants are appropriate for your body.

In order to make an accurate size recommendation, I would need to assess your chest wall and breast mound measurements and characteristics.  Unfortunately, there is not a general rule of thumb or objective criteria to implant selection.

Your plastic surgeon will perform several measurements of your chest wall and breast anatomy and determine a range of implants that both fit your chest wall and reach your desired goals.
The next step is to try on this range of implants in the office with your doctor.   The key to this success is showing your surgeon the body proportion you desire with a bra sizer and allowing your surgeon to guide you to the right implant.   It will be much easier to communicate in implant cc's than cup size when determining the appropriate implant for you.
I wish you a safe recovery and fantastic result.
Dr. Gill

Bra sizes are confusing. More often than not, a woman is not wearing a correctly fitted bra, doesn't know her bra size, or doesn't know how a bra is fitted.

Cup size is dependent on the "number" part of the bra size... a D cup in a 34 bra is a different size from a 42 bra.

That being said, bra manufacturers are not held to any uniform standards when it comes to cup size and shape... that is why one brand of bra might fit you very well for a given size, but not another brand. Or, you wear a 34D in a Victoria's Secret bra, and a 34C in another brand, for example.

When discussing breast size after augmentation, outward projection can be further determined by the "profile" of the implant. High school geometry: Height (projection) times Width (base width). A Higher Profile implant will give you a larger cup size for less volume than a Moderate Profile implant.

Furthermore, a saline implant looks bigger than a silicone implant of the same volume. That is because a saline implant is more oval (round on both top and base), while a silicone implant is flat on the base.

Some plastic surgery books have proposed the following parameters for breast augmentation:


32 bra: 100-200 ml per cup size

34 bra: 150-250 ml per cup size

36 bra: 200-300 ml per cup size

38 bra: 250-350 ml per cup size 

The final cup size after augmentation depends on a number of factors.  A 360cc implant will result in a different cup size for patients with different anatomic characteristics.  Instead of focusing on an exact volume of implant, ie. 360cc, consider communicating with your surgeon the volume and look that you would like to achieve.  Measurements of the breast width and breast volume will be helpful in choosing an implant.  You may also consider trying on different implants in the office to get a feel for different sizes.  Show your surgeon some of the pictures that you have been looking at to make sure that you are on the same page interms of volume.  Ultimately, communication with your surgeon is the key.

We don't have your pictures so it is difficult to tell you You need to try the d ifferent sizes of implants(SIZERS ) at your surgeons office and see what size is best for you and your plastic surgeon can THEN tell you if they are appropriate for your specific frame

In my experience, 360cc will not give you a D cup with the way you are built and how much breast tissue you have.  Once things settle down you may be disappointd with your final result.  Make sure to discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure.