Is 425cc Too Much if I Already Have 36C Breasts?

Selecting the right breast implant size is always a critical portion of breast augmentation. Your plastic surgeon will make measurements to tell if the breast implants will fit your frame. At El Paso Cosmetic Surgery, we offer 3D imaging with the Vectra 3D system, so that you can visualize your results in your own body before undergoing a breast augmentation. 425 cc implants would increase your breast size by 2-2.5 cup sizes. From El Paso.

You are considering breast augmentation with 425cc implants to enhance your 36C cup breast volume. A cup size roughly can be 150-200cc. What is more important is to have your plastic surgeon examine you, measure your chest wall diameter, breast base width, assess your skin elasticity and volume of breast tissue you have, degree of sagginess and chest wall deformities or asymmetries. An implant can be chosen based on the above and you should try on sizers to see how this fits you. I do these steps in my consultations with all my augmentation patients. I encourage them to think about the choice and to come back for a second consultation if they are not sure about the first choice. Good luck.

This would likely take your breast size up by two cups but you should review your decision with your plastic surgeon and be comfortable before you proceed. Breast sizers are an excellent method of assessing an implant volume.

The more breast surgery I do the more I realize that there is no correlation between the size or model (profile) of implant used and resulting cup size.  This may have to do with several factors including: the amount of breast volume the patient starts with, the shape of the patient's chest wall (concave or convex), the type and model of breast implant selected (saline/silicone  and low/moderate/high profile), bra  manufacturer variance  in cup sizes, the  degree  of filling of the cup  with breast tissue,  and the subjective differences in patients perceptions of cup size. 
Much of the final “look” achieved after breast augmentation surgery  depends on several factors:

1. The initial shape, size (volume of breast tissue), symmetry of the patient's breasts. In general, the better the  preoperative breast appearance the more likely the breast augmentation “look” will be optimal.

2. The experience/skill level of the surgeon is important in determining the final outcome. For example, the accurate and gentle dissection of the breast implant pockets are critical in producing  long-term  well-placed breast implants. I personally think that these 2 factors are more important than any others, including type (saline or silicone)  or model (low/moderate/high profile)  of implant.

3. The type of implant used may  determine the final outcome, especially if the patient does not have significant covering breast or adipose tissue. For example, some surgeons feel that silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline implants because silicone gel has a texture that is similar to breast tissue. Each patient differs in the amount of breast tissue that they have.  If a patient has enough breast tissue to cover the implant, the final result will be similar when comparing saline implants versus silicone gel implants.  If a patient has very low body fat and/or very little breast tissue, the silicone gel implants may provide a more "natural" result.
On the other hand, saline implants have some advantages over silicone implants. Silicone implant ruptures are harder to detect. When saline implants rupture, they deflate and the results are seen almost immediately. When silicone implants rupture, the breast often looks and feels the same because the silicone gel may leak into surrounding areas of the breast without a visible difference.  Patients may need an MRI to diagnose a silicone gel rupture.   Saline implants are also less expensive than the silicone gel implants.
Other differences involve how the breast implants are filled. Saline implants are filled after they’re implanted, so saline implants require a smaller incision than prefilled silicone breast implants.
On May 10, 2000, the FDA granted approval of saline-filled breast implants manufactured by Mentor Corporation and McGhan Medical. To date, all other manufacturers’ saline-filled breast implants are considered investigational.
As of 2006, the FDA has approved the use of silicone gel implants manufactured by the Mentor Corporation and Allergan (formerly McGhan) for breast augmentation surgery for patients over the age of 22.

4. The size and model of breast implant used may  make a  significant difference in the final outcome. Therefore, it 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" or "top heavy" 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 breast 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.

I consider two factors when selecting implants for my patients:

1.Dimensional planning

2.Gel Implant Sizing system

Dimensional planning – The measurements of your chest wall are taken. Also, the breast dimensions including the height, width, and current dimensions of each breast form the basis of dimensional planning. Based on these measurements, the implant size is recommended. This will give you a unique breast implant that is suited for your body frame. Even your fitness levels and other relevant criteria are taken into consideration. It is you who will decide what you are comfortable with.

Gel Implant Sizing system – During the preliminary breast implant consultation, you will be provided with an option to “try on” a variety of implant shapes and sizes. You can also visualize the possible outcomes of your surgery which helps you to get that perfect size to give you the shape that you longed for.

This way your preferences are known and we can then pick a range of implants that will “fit” just right to give a soft natural fuller look.

A 425cc implant alone in a 150 pound person is a large implant. Adding a pre-existing C cup size - no matter what type of bra is used - is too much volume in my opinion.

You ask a very personal question without a posted photo. My guess is the size would be OK. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl J. Blinski

Please provide more information and pictures. You have large breast and most patients that request augmentation are ize B or smaller.

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.

Outward projection is 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 


Using that as a guide line you will likely be within the DD/F cup range postoperatively.

Without a consultation it is hard to say.  A 36 C means very little without knowing much more.  Also a 36 C at  one store may be a 38 B at another and a 34 D at a third store.  Bra sizes are not helpful to me in my consultation.  Important questions are: are your breasts deflated from pregnancy or weight loss? Did you have larger breasts at some point?  What if you put 14 ounces of rice in a stocking at put it in your unpadded bra...is that size too big.

Look for pictures of patients with similar builds to you and see what happened after implants.  That will give you a better guide, but the best is an experienced Board-certified plastic surgeon to guide you.