Can 550cc High Profile Breast Implants Look Natural?

Only you and your plastic surgeon can tell what is best, but the general rule is that high profile implants aren't able to produce the natural looking slope in the upper part of the breast for most patients.

However, if you truly want to go up a full cup size then an increase of 200 cc might be in the range of what is needed. With your external diameter of 14.6, the diameter of the Allergan HP 550 is appropriate. But that is big for someone your size, and you would need to accept that.

Natural is both shape and how the size of the breasts balances with the rest of your body.

It’s always
difficult making decisions about breast size without performing a physical exam
or seeing preoperative pictures.In
addition, it’s important to understand the patient’s aesthetic goals.Each patient has specific anatomic findings
and unique aesthetic goals regarding size and shape of the breasts.All of these factors should be considered
when choosing the size of breast implants.Even when care is taken
preoperatively to determine a breast size, the final decision needs to be made
in the Operating Room by the surgeon.At
this point, an assessment can be made regarding how the patient’s breast tissue
interacts with the breast implant.In
some cases, when larger implants are utilized, patients can loose a natural
look and appear artificial.Occasionally, obtaining a specific size doesn’t allow the surgeon to
meet the patient’s other aesthetic goals.For these reasons, locking into a specific size isn’t always a good
idea.Results are often better when a
surgeon has the ability to make adjustments in the Operating Room.In your case, it’s important to
thoroughly discuss your aesthetic goals with your surgeon.Make sure he has the latitude to do what’s
best for you in the Operating Room, so he can meet your aesthetic goals.It’s important that you have an approximate
idea of the breast implant size that you’re considering, but don’t become
married to an absolute number.It’s
important to remember that going with an implant that’s too large can result in
an artificial appearance.

Darla- Deciding on the size and profile of your implants is a bgg part getting a breast augmentation. Talk to your surgeon about your desired result and listen to his advice. It sounds like the high profile implant will decrease the amount of sag or extra skin you are referring to. It is absolutely possible to achieve a natural looking appearance with high profile implants. You are the only one who really knows what you want. Ask to see pictures of other women who were your stature and received 550cc high profile implants, you are not the only one who has ever been in this situation.

Natural breasts is what most women ask for and want to achieve. A 550 high profile implant in general is not a natural look. But alot depends on you body habitus, breast tissue and more.
If is really difficult to say what looks good or natural without seeing you. However, I always advise keeping the implant size without the base diameter of the chest wall. I dont frequently used high profile implants, especially saline, because they tend to look a bit un-natural.
Hope that helps.

I would agree with Dr. Rand in discussing the term "natural" results with patients. Natural is the cover of national geographic; AND NO ONE wants that result. When people say they want natural results, they really mean non-visible breast implants. The visibility of the impants depends on the amount of breast tissue you have and it sounds as if you have a loose breast pocket. It also depends on the size of an implant and 550cc is a large implant. SO it is difficult to say without an examination. However, it has generally been my observation that patients seeking larger implants prefer an implant that is about 50% larger than the existing size in order to appreciate the difference. This seems in line with your request.

What you are describing is breast ptosis, or sagging, that is occuring over your implants. This is very common after changes in weight or after multiple pregnancies (like you have had). It sounds like what you need is a breast lift. This can be done over your existing implants, or over top of larger implants. If you desire to be larger, this can be done with larger implants, but you will likely still need a breast lift. Keep in mind that the larger an implant is, the heavier it is, and the more likely you will develop worsening sagging or ptosis.

Bringing in photos of the look you desire would be helpful to your surgeon in helping you reach your desired result and letting you know if it is realistic.  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

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" 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.

Excessively large breast implants never look or feel natural, so the first important factor to consider is implant size. Not only do large implants look odd, they also stretch out breast skin and tend to become very droopy over time. Most patients with excessively large implants end up having multiple operations over time to address problems with implant position ('bottoming out', for example, where implants drop below the desired level of the inframammary fold), implant visibility, and overstretched skin. If the goal is a natural-appearing breast augmentation, then most patients will require an implant volume between 250cc and 450cc. A petite patient looking for a B-cup to C-cup transition may need a 275cc implant for example, while a tall, broad-shouldered patient looking for an A-cup to C-cup transition may require a 425cc implant.

I'm not sure what you mean by natural. At 5'5" and 130lbs, a D cup breast size is not found in too many women who do not have breast implants. So in that sense, you are not going to look very natural. However, if you want large breasts where the implant is not visible, then you may be able to achieve that. This will depend on the amount of breast tissue you have. It is impossible for anyone to give you a good answer without having examined you.

From my experience, your description along with the fact that you've had two children and already have implants, I would guess that your breast tissue is more likely to be thin than full. As such, going to a 550cc HP implant will likely result in a less than natural look. Also, if you have loose skin and sagging, don't count on a larger implant to give you a "lift". You will be disappointed. You may need a breast lift or mastopexy. I suggest you speak with more than one plastic surgeon to get some more ideas. Good luck!