Will 400 Cc's-425 Cc's Give Me a D Cup? If So, Are They Too Big for my Frame?

Hard to answer obviously without pics and a physical exam but usuallty in someone like you 400cc will get you in the D range, GOOD LUCK

Hello! Thank you for your question. In
general, implant size does not
correlate with bra cup size. The cup size itself will vary from
manufacturer to manufacturer as well as who is doing the actual
measurements. Thus, cup size is never a reliable indicator for your
breast size. I typically encourage my patients not to communicate her
desires in cup size but more on the actual look and appearance. Given
your desires, a breast augmentation, with an implant or fat grafting,
would be an ideal procedure that would meet your expectations. Breast
augmentation is now the most popular procedure performed in plastic
surgery today. One tolerated very well by women with minimal downtime
and high patient satisfaction. Good
communication between you and your surgeon of your expectations is
warranted - choosing your surgeon wisely is the first step. Discussion

of your wishes and having an honest and open dialog of your procedure is
mandatory (e.g, implant type, incision, placement, etc). Your height,
weight, breast width, and body habitus will make a difference for which
implant style/projection to choose. Implant
profile will also make a difference on the projection, which will
influence overall breast/cup size. I have found

that photographs brought by the patient is helpful to get a
visualization of the appearance you wish for in terms of size, shape,
fullness, etc. In addition, your surgeon's pre and postoperative
photographs should demonstrate a realistic goal for you of results.
Sizers are helpful during an in-office consultation. Once this has
been accomplished, allow your surgeon to utilize his/her best medical
judgment during the procedure to finesse the best possible result for
you after preoperative biodimensional planning and fitting the right
implant for your breast width. This is the most important determinant
for the sizing of implants, which will provide the optimal result and
most aesthetically-pleasing result for you.Consult with a
board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in breast procedures who
will examine and discuss with you the various options and factors to
consider and help you decide which one will be the right one for you.
Hope me that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

At 5'2," with a history of stretching out to a D cup during pregnancy and a C cup before pregnancy, I don't think a 400-425cc is too big for you.  Every 200cc will increase you size about 1 cup size.  In my practice you would come in for a final visit and you would actually try on a range of sizes from 375-450cc and you would bring in your goal bra with you. 


I encourage as many visits as it takes until you are very sure about your implant choice! 




Best Wishes!!

You are wise to pay attention to the rib cages and shoulders as they both are factors in determining the size of an implant.  Do not allow yourself to have size determined solely on cup size.  Bra manufacturers vary greatly in their sizing.  A “B” in brand X is a “C” in brand Y, etc.  The sizing is all over the chart so decide the size on how the fit is relative to your frame.  Your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will be able to help you determine how big you have to go to fill out the loose skin.

In general, it's good to concentrate on what you want, and the science of breast implants behind getting there.  If you want a D cup, then you should be able to use sizers or software pre-surgery to "visualize" a good volume for you. 

 

As you probably know, breast implants come in different volumes and profiles.  You want the best profile that fits your breast width and rib cage measurements.  Talk to your plastic surgeon, and he/ she should be able to go over your personal measurements to ensure enough volume, projection, width, and overall shape for your body. 

 

Thanks for the breast question, and have a great day!

Though other colleagues may specify a different number, I have reliably (over 25 years) used the "rule of thumb" that 250cc equals about one cup size. Thus, you would be adding just over 1 1/2 cup sizes to whatever breast tissue you already have. At "full A to small B" you would end up with a full C to small D. This can be confirmed to some degree by trying on implants in a bra and stretchy top, but I have also found (the hard way) that 50-100cc needs to be added to the patient's bra-sizing choice to give a similar look when inside the patient's body, under her muscle.

(BTW, this is one reason why so many women end up being "too small" when everything is healed and settled--their surgeon used the patient's choice without realizing that this yields consistently slightly-too-small results!)

Based on the information you have provided, I suspect that even the 425cc implants will be a bit small for your wishes. But, trying implants on in a bra and top, as well as bringing photographs of desired breast size results for your surgeon to discuss with you, will help you and your surgeon choose proper implant size and profile to give you a result you can both be happy with, and a decreased likelihood of needing re-operation for larger implants or breast lift scars.

Of course, physical examination of your breasts, and careful measurements will contribute to the decision-making process, particularly when the implant volume is decided upon, and then the profile of the implants chosen to most precisely correspond to your breast base (or more accurately, your breast pocket's) diameter.

There is a natural tendency for surgeons to be reluctant to use larg(er) implants, especially in petite women. There is a natural tendency for women to be reluctant to ask for the implant size they really want (peer pressure, fear of [too much] visibility, modesty, fear that bigger breasts may make them look fat, etc.). Yet, 6 months after breast augmentation, when all of the "worried-about" social situations have been successfully overcome, when "nobody noticed" unless the patient wears a revealing top or a tight bathing suit, and when the patient finally realizes that nobody really "cares" how big or small her breasts are and that size and perkiness was really HER issue much more than anyone else's, all too many patients sheepishly admit they wish they had gone just a little bit bigger!

As Doctor "Bones" McCoy of Star Trek fame might have said, "Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a psychologist!" Yet as plastic surgeons striving to make out patients happy for the long term, being aware of these common, if not quite universal, tendencies helps us to advise our patients properly. Simply acting as surgical technicians is not enough. We have done this operation hundreds, if not thousands, of times. If we see our patients in follow-up visits over many months and even years, we ultimately "find out" what they really think about how they look for the long term!  That helps bring some experience to the decision-making process, while fully respecting each woman's right to decide what she wants for herself. It's NOT the surgeon's job to "dictate" but to provide expert assessment of each woman's unique anatomy and measurements, LISTEN carefully to her wishes and goals, and then DO OUR BEST to achieve that in the operating room with the highest technical expertise. If not anatomically possible, then we owe it to be honest with our patients rather than just proceed with what WE think is best.

Ultimately, it's your body, and your choice. Get several opinions from experienced ABPS-certified plastic surgeons (not just "cosmetic surgeons" with bogus board-certification, and not fully trained in plastic surgery). You might just find that 450-500cc is closer to what you need to achieve your goals! Best wishes!

I think this range will put you in D cup territory.  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

Firstly - anywhere around 400cc will give you 2 cups size increase.  Important to be aware that cup sizes vary greatly with different bras.  The important considerations in planning your BA are your measurements of your breast and chest together with your desired size and shape.  Your Plastic Surgeon should do a careful assessment and discuss the various options with you.

t 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 cup  size may also be inaccurate.
I use  intraoperative sizers and place the patient in the upright position to evaluate breast size. Use of these sizers also allow me to select the press implant profile (low, moderate, moderate plus, high-profile) that would most likely achieve the patient's goals. The patient's goal pictures are hanging on the wall, and allow for direct comparison.
I have found that this system is very helpful in improving the chances of achieving the patient's goals as consistently as possible.
By the way, the most common regret after this operation, is “I wish I was bigger”.
I hope this helps.

This is one of the most common questions that we see at this forum. The number of CCs is different for every woman. How much each implant fills out the breast depends upon how much existing breast tissue you have, the width of your breasts, elasticity of your skin, and the shape of your chest - just to name just a few. As a result no one can tell you exactly what a 400 or 425 cc implant will look like on your frame. They key to a successful breast augmentation is communication with the surgeon who is performing your surgery. Providing him or her with a complete understanding of what exactly you would like to look like as well as providing photographs of ideal 'outcomes,' you will likely be more successful in achieving your goals.

Best of luck,

Vincent Marin M.D.

San Diego Plastic Surgeon