Will 435 cc’s give me my desired look? (Photo)

Thank you for your inquiry. Without a physical examination it is difficult to respond with accuracy, but the best way to determine which breast implant size is best for you is by first finding out your specific wishes not only with words or letters as in cup size or “not too big” or “natural”, but also with a visual understanding of what you hope to look like. Hopefully this is what you discussed with your plastic surgeon.In my own practice, this is accomplished either with photographs of patients whose breasts and body type look like you, or ideally with photos of patients not only whose breasts are similar to yours, but are also a similar height, weight, and pre-operative breast size. In our own practice we have provided that unique functionality on our website to accomplish exactly that.  

Unfortunately the most common reason for a woman to be unhappy after her augmentation is feeling as though she is either too big or not big enough. Thankfully, in our practice this is rarely a problem because implant size selection is what we spend most of our time discussing and determining. I do not place the onus of selecting the breast implant size on my patients since they are coming to me for my advice and expertise, but I do ask my patients to be as specific as possible about their aesthetic goals and I then advise them accordingly. 

Implants vary in width, projection and volume. This can be very confusing to women, who are used to discussing one number only such as “300 cc’s”. To better understand which implant is best for you, in our consultation room we have two shelves one above the other, each with four implants. The top shelf has all the implants with exactly the same width (12.5 cm), yet the less projecting implant with that width is a 275 cc Moderate or Classic, and the most projecting is a 590 cc Ultra High Profile. On the lower shelf, all of the implants are 300 cc implants, yet the less projecting implant has a width or diameter of 12.8 cm, and the most projecting of the 300 cc implants is the Ultra High Profile which has a 9.7 cm diameter. 

Once it is determined which implant width or diameter would best fit you, the next step is to decide which what sort of look you are hoping to achieve, i.e. more projection, moderate, or least. This is determined by how much breast tissue you have naturally, and how large you ultimately wish to be. All of this can and should be discussed with your plastic surgeon. And don’t be shy about coming prepared with images which you feel best represent your desired end point. I would advise you to discuss your concerns with your plastic surgeon BEFORE your surgery to confirm that you are both of like minds. Your idea of “natural” or “pretty” or “proportionate” might be different from your plastic surgeon’s and it is very important for you to feel confident as far as the goals. Best of luck to you and I hope you are successful in achieving the enhancement you are seeking. 

Thank you for your question and photographs. Breast implant selection is an exciting, but stressful part of the breast augmentation process as there are so many choices. Unfortunately it is impossible to recommend the best implant style, size or shape without an in-person examination that allows for the measurement of key breast parameters, as well as permits an in-depth discussion as to your desired goals and outcome. I would recommend you voice your concerns with your surgeon, they are in the best position to ensure that the implants the two of your decide upon are the right ones to meet your expectations. It sounds as if it may be wise for you to "try on" several of the implants so that you can have a better visual representation as to what they would look like. Best wishes!